Why is it that people will say rude or obscene things in an online forum (such as this one) that I would guess they would never say to a person face-to-face?
2006-06-30 12:06:37 · 7 answers · asked by pax_rock2004 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Intelligence, like etiquette takes effort......(that's from me.)
In a recent essay, Kevin Kelly warns of the dangers of anonymity. It's OK in small doses, he maintains, but too much of it is a problem: "(I)n every system that I have seen where anonymity becomes common, the system fails. The recent taint in the honor of Wikipedia stems from the extreme ease which anonymous declarations can be put into a very visible public record. Communities infected with anonymity will either collapse, or shift the anonymous to pseudo-anonymous, as in eBay, where you have a traceable identity behind an invented nickname."
2006-06-30 15:37:36 · answer #1 · answered by Miss Anne 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Amen! I'm beginning to think no one has any class anymore. They can't spell. They have no knowledge of proper sentence structure. They say things and ask questions that are vulgar and disturbing and downright insulting. I have a feeling that half of the people posting as women are men and v v.
2006-06-30 12:11:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because there is a high degree of anonymity online. People often act on their desires in a way they would never do in public for fear of shame and embarrassment. Online, no one knows you so you can try other personas just for kicks.
Unless you are like me, and I'm just the same on and offline!
2006-06-30 12:11:05 · answer #3 · answered by Wondering 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are in a non-social setting, can get away with it with little or no recourse, and no one knows who they "really" are. They think it's ok because they know if Y! suspends them, they can just create another name and keep going... actually kind of sad because they have nothing better to do.
2006-06-30 12:18:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely people do it our of cowardice. They can hide behind a computer screen, be rude and obscene to complete strangers, and suffer minimal consequences.
2006-06-30 15:01:03 · answer #5 · answered by Eames 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People type things they normally wouldn't face to face because when you type, you are not actually saying it. and when you type, you can be who you're not and try new things. its all the process of finding your true self...may i suggest astrology?
2006-06-30 13:01:56 · answer #6 · answered by KrabbyKayla 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because people are mean and rude when you don't know who they are and you can't really do anything to them(e.g. punch them in the face)
2006-06-30 12:10:47 · answer #7 · answered by bender00101101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋