are people meaner on the computer, phone, or in person.?

Question

i ask this question cause alot of people are MEAN on the computer. just because i don't know who you are and you don't know me, that ain't any excuse to be rude to someone. all we are doing is asking a simple question and we get a response back that isn't polite.

Answer 1

they might seem ruder on the computer. this is because on the computer when someone says something thats usually interperted as rude such as the "f-word" ..we usually take it as they are being mean. but many times thye might just call you it as a joke. On the phone, people might not be that rude, less rude than the computer. They might be a little mean, if you tell them you have to go when their in the middle of telling you something. But its defenitly less rude when your actually talking in person. cause then you dont have to like..think bout what to say like u have to when on the comp or the phone..so its less likely that someone will be mean in person, unless they dint like u

Answer 2

People are meanest on the computer, because it's static text but supposedly the target cannot attack the perpetrator back (a sufficiently dedicated or experienced haxor most certainly could, but that's a different issue).
People are not quite as mean over the phone but it's easier for them to get mean there because there's still a separation and distance from the person on the other end: you can't see them and don't really know where they are, nor they you.
People are least likely to be mean in person because (whether or not you believe in evolution) humanity has had a long time to practice getting to know another person face-to-face, and eye-contact is very important to convince most folk that you're "real". Of course, this is not to say that people can't be mean in person, it's just that it takes much more effort and practice to do so.

Answer 3

I would say that people are meaner on the computer then the phone then in person. In person people don't have the balls to say what they say when you can't see them. I don't like when people are mean just because they are having a bad day and need to take it out on someone.

Answer 4

Meaner on the computer...if some of the stuff we did on the computer we did in public, we could be charged with assault, issuing threats, and so on....I wonder if there is any connection between the advent of the computer and internet, and seemingly the less respect young people show for thier elders compared to years ago...

Answer 5

Some r meaner on the computer because they don't know who u r, but actually it shows what type of personalitty they have. They r probably mean all the time and have very few friends. Feel sorry for them, don't be mad at them. That just puts u in their catagory if u respond back to their childish behavior.

Answer 6

People are definitely meaner not in person. Just because people don't know each other on the computer they think it's ok to go around being mean without suffering any consequences. They need to SHAPE UP!

Answer 7

It feels that way on the computer because the written word can't be softened by tone of voice, facial expression, or a little chuckle that let's you know the person was just kidding. Email guides warn people to stay away from irony and sarcasm in emails, because it's so easy to misunderstand.
The other part is that people are cowards and they will hide behind their anonymity in forums like this to say and do things they haven't got the nerve to do in person. Sort of like road rage--you know?

Answer 8

hq3 is right. In person, because being "mean," smart-alecky or brutal is just words.
Killing someone, genocide-raping them, or robbing them, generally has to be done in person.
It doesn't get any meaner than that.
I do understand that anonymity makes rudeness, brutality easier. That is why our enemies have "nicknames" to reduce the idea that they are sons or fathers. You might be able to kill a "grim" with less guilt than a 22 year old teacher who is the father of a bubbly 3 year old girl.
By reducing them to a thing, they lose their humanity. And you do , too.

Answer 9

i'd say on the computer, coz you woul'dnt have the conscience after saying mean things to someone because you don't even know that someone and you're not even sure if that person really exists. while when talking to someone in person, you tend to be more tactful of what you say or do, i don't know why but it's a human thing. and on the phone, it's not as mean as the computer thing, because when talking over the phone there is this thing called voice, and voice is part of the human feature, so it will remind you that you are talking to a human with feelings.

its just my opinion.

Answer 10

I'd say computer, because over the phone you still have a human voice, which is an aspect of the human Face. Communication over the computer makes more difficult to realize that there is another human being on the other end of the line.