The internet - making people friendlier since 1998.

[IGotRawr]

Hello chaps!

 

I've been playing MMOs for quite a while now since the early 2000s and with each year that passes, people become ruder and ruder.

 

Is it because they suddenly grow a manhood they have lacked their entire life to stand up to others and since they're talking to somebody who's likely halfway across the world they feel safe or just because their cyber sucess got to their heads to the point that a harmless MMO playing teenager became a self-absorbed idiot (for lack of a better word)? A curious question indeed.

 

In every MMO, everyday there's people spamming the general with their pathetic e-peen measurement contests and flames. I wonder when everyone will act politely towards another.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Never. It's called the Great Internet F-wad Theory.

 

Person + Computer x Audience = Total F-wad.

 

It's basic math really.

 

Math is evil.

[ScarletBlaze]

It depends on the person. Not everyone acts like a jerk on the internet. I been lucky and met some wonderful people who I consider my friends.

 

Of course, I have seen the vulgar and the attitudes of some others as well in general chat. Sometimes I think people act like this to get attention and unfortunately there isn't much we can do unless they say something that goes beyond what is acceptable and then we can only report them.

 

I tend to stay out of general chat for the most part and only speak in groups or in guild chat.

[turjake]

I think I was reading news (usenet) some time around 1988. Certainly the bbs boards a few years later. I dont think the "internet" friendliness has changed much since then. Just the amount of messages, boards, users and so on has multiplied.

 

Abandon all hope, people are what they are

[chuixupu]

I started posting on forums and newsgroups (remember those?) in 1996. I don't think people have really changed much, there's just MORE of them now then there were then.

 

I think the invention of comment sections on media is the most egregious of all, since unlike forums where people *generally* stick around and become somewhat recognized, it's very anonymous and that just brings out the worst in people.

Edited August 12, 2013 by chuixupu

[TheBBP]

This might be weird, but I still find it to be incredible that I can chat with pretty much anyone in the world.

[Guardian_Scott]

This might be weird, but I still find it to be incredible that I can chat with pretty much anyone in the world.

 

^

 

I grew up hanging with kids at my school and nearby kids out in the country. Nowadays kids grow up hanging out with folks in Russia... loljkkidsdon'thaveinterwebzinrussia. But seriously... internet turned us into a global community... of the best humanity has to offer.

 

//;‾‾‾‾‾‾ - - - - - -(X_X)*#__

[theUndead]

I've been chatting on the internet since the first chatrooms on IRC chat. The thing is to me the internet is like a super organisms it moves, it breaths and it certainly evolves. Ever since the world "trolling" became synonymous with internet culture people have used the internet as a means of saying anything without the fear of reprisal.

 

Up until now the internet has not been very much regulated in terms of what is allowed and what is not and with that comes the anonymity. The ability to post anything or say anything behind a keyboard. IMO it is both a wondrous and dangerous thing. I have seen the worst of the worst but at the same time the internet provides so much positive things. I think we as the culture of the internet will adapt to the ever changing landscape and perhaps people in time will be better.

 

I certainly hope so.

[Caelrie]

I saw a study yesterday saying today's teens and twenty-somethings are significantly less empathetic than previous generations.

 

Seems related.

[Drudenfusz]

Never. It's called the Great Internet F-wad Theory.

 

Person + Computer x Audience = Total F-wad.

 

It's basic math really.

 

Math is evil.

Your equation is missing anonymity. People on the internet ain't afraid of the consequences their words could have, so they feel free to say anything they want. Not thinking about thyt they are tracable and that it is possible to connect their statements to the person behind it and that the internet doesn't forget, so it might come around and bite them one day.

[AlrikFassbauer]

I agree with Drudenfusz here.

 

Anonymity = Shelter. That's what people believe.

And out from their save shelters, they do things.

[ImpactHound]

And yet the people that still do random HAM radio broadcasts to one another are generally honest and polite, even across cultural and language barriers. I think things will clean up as technology advances to the point that there's forums built around slightly larger Vine recordings instead of written posts.

[Kaedusz]

All this means is that internet brings out what you/we really are,thanks to anonymity.Why are you insulted by it instead of finding it interesting to observe?

[theUndead]

All this means is that internet brings out what you/we really are,thanks to anonymity.Why are you insulted by it instead of finding it interesting to observe?

 

I disagree. In my mind the internet does not bring out what we really are but rather makes us something we are not. I mean have't you seen YouTube comments or even more sinister sites such as 4chan? A site like that does not bring out the best in people but rather a breathing ground to post the most vile offensive material without any fear whatsoever.

 

I would go even further and say that because of anonymity people are free to become someone else which means they get to say anything they wouldn't in real life which in of itself means their morality goes out the window. Say for example someone posts a video of themselves singing and it attracts comments many of which will be negative and you know why? Because the internet for it's good things and yes there are good things also hides people and therefore allows them to be vile. So in the end we can discuss the interesting aspects of it but don not for a second think that people are not aloud to be insulted.

[Kaedusz]

^

I don't see how this contradicts what i said.Except the first 2 sentences in which you say you disagree.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Kaedusz

[theUndead]

^

I don't see how this contradicts what i said.Except the first 2 sentences in which you say you disagree.

 

It contradicts you because I don't agree that it's good that the internet brings out the real in a person. I feel that people have a right to be insulted.

[chuixupu]

I disagree. In my mind the internet does not bring out what we really are but rather makes us something we are not. I mean have't you seen YouTube comments or even more sinister sites such as 4chan? A site like that does not bring out the best in people but rather a breathing ground to post the most vile offensive material without any fear whatsoever.

 

I would balance that out by saying we all have both good and bad sides to us. We all have a shadow, some people's shadows are bigger than others, and different people choose to vent that side in different ways.

 

Yes, sometimes people behave in ways they would not prefer to because of peer pressure or getting attention, but even that shows us something about who they are.

[Kaedusz]

I don't agree that it's good that the internet brings out the real in a person. I feel that people have a right to be insulted.

 

Except i never said it's good. I said it's interesting to observe.

But yes, you are right about having the right to be insulted.It's just that it's something i personally would not do.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Kaedusz

[theUndead]

Except i never said it's good. I said it's interesting to observe.

But yes, you are right about having the right to be insulted.It's just that it's something i personally would not do.

 

Fair enough. People unfortunately have softer skins so yeah.

[bionamaster]

Nothing short of a world with totalitarian rules over politeness on the internet will keep people from speaking rudely and coarsely to each other, and even said totalitarian rules wouldn't entirely stop it. As someone said, people become much braver when placed behind a computer, and for most this manifests not as an increased desire to socialize, but a desire to spread as much wanton misery as possible for everyone else. Sad, but true. Oh, and fun fact: I've ran into some Imps in my time questing and exploring various shared worlds, and they seem to be rather friendly. I help them with whatever mob or boss they're fighting, we exchange /salutes, /waves, or a few words in /say, then go our separate ways. This is actually more pleasant than actually dealing with Republic-aligned players. Makes you wonder why the trolls seem to gravitate towards heroic factions in these games......

[ralphieceaser]

if there were no trolls or ragers the internet just wouldnt be fun

For the few of us who can handle it, and actually enjoy watching a good barrens chat