I have a theory and I would like your opinion. I am interested in the psychology of people in an online?

Question

environment. Anybody who has ever spent anytime in chatrooms, Yanswers, etc. knows all about the repressed anger, and meanness of people on the internet. I believe this is a revelation of peoples true nature. (when they do things anonymously) The indication is that there are many angry and messed up people in the world. I deal with people every day who are friendly while they go about their everyday lives. I think these are the same people who get on the computer and show their true nature. There are some really angry, messed up people in the world. Your thoughts please

another example would be constantly reporting abuse for things that they themselves have probably done

I guess it's true that there are no saints in the world

nice point alucard

Answer 1

Well, you are right... When a person has NO fear of repercussions of their actions then they let it all out...

You get the 100% true person. But... It is at that particular time.

You may have a really bad day at work and then carry that over to the Internet. Or a really good day and carry that over too.

But either way it is a true reflection of that person on that particular day in what ever emotional state they are in at that time.

:o)
Jerry

Answer 2

It's like shaking your fist or giving the finger to someone through your car window because they carved you up on the road..... chat rooms are just faceless nicknames floating around cyberspace.

In the car situation, we don't know if the person carving us up is elderly, having a heart attack, lost, is ill, or on their way to an emergency! So by giving them the finger we completely assume that we are in the right to do so.

Just the same online - It's easy to lose the human touch and remember that typing on the screen has come from the fingertips of another human being, with a face, a name, a family, a history, perhaps illnesses and obviously their own share of troubles.

I can't remember who said it but the quote goes, 'We are here to see each other through, not to see through each other.'

I do think though, that the chatrooms and forums allow some people a chance to express themselves (not always rudely) where they may not have ever done in real life. So the Internet can be therapeutic for people too.

Answer 3

DON'T GIVE UP! And don't give anyone the power to humiliate you! Your hopes and dreams are beautiful. I personally have never done the online dating thing, so I'm not too sure how it works. Do you belong to a church, or any other kind of group? I'm not pushing religion at you, I just know my church is really big on Small Groups that meet once weekly outside of church and do bible study, eat, or just hang out to get to know other people. A recent one they started was a singles one where people could meet each other who might have the same ideals and goals as you. Its just another option, and a bit more personal and "hands on". And as far as the losing weight comment posted earlier, if you are comfortable and happy with your body, keep it. I am 23, weigh 130 lbs, have had 1 daughter, (yes i'm married), and I have NEVER minded a big guy. Everyone has their preferences, and you WILL find the right girl! Maybe you could join a car enthusiast club or something, and then if you meet someone there, chances are y'all will have plenty in commen! Just don't settle for anyone either! It sounds like you did with your last relationship. I'm sure you cared deeply for her, but she didn't deserve you, trust me! When you find the right women, she will contribute just as much to the relationship as you do! Don't lose hope!

Answer 4

I do not want to speak for other people who are online because I cannot be sure that what I am saying is the truth about them.

I want to speak about myself instead. I know I am anonymous on YA, but I don't believe that gives me the right to be mean and nasty online. When I answer a question, I try to give honest and helpful answers. Sometimes, I have told about my own personal experiences to show the person that they are not alone in whatever they are feeling or whatever problem they have.

If I feel angry about something and I cannot control my anger, I prefer not to answer the question. Sometimes, I am angry, but I will only answer, if I can refute the person's ideas in a thoughtful, reasonable manner.

This may sound strange to you but I believe I am being the best I can be as a person online rather than using anonymity to release anger - it is releasing my potential to be good and kind.

Answer 5

I think there are some parrallels to be drawn with "Road Rage" too. Although it's an IRL situation, when in a car its similar to the internet, in that you have a degree of annonymosity; you are in your own bubble and you can't "connect" emotionally with the other person.
So, you accidentally cut someone up on the road. The next thing you know, their horn is blowing, headlights flashing and you can feel the rage coming from them
.
It's similar on the internet in environments where peoples paths cross annonymously. People are released from the pressures of modern life (IRL=in real life), and having to be totally responsible for their actions.

If you bump into a stranger in the street, you will make eye contact and say "sorry". Unless a pyschopath, thats the end of it; you connected for a moment and empathised with the other person.

Its the same reason its easier to shoot someone with a gun than it is stab with a knife; you are detached from the other person. (not from personal experience btw!)

It can also swing the other way too. The internet can make people gush with unreasonable empathy. People will report someone for harassing another person online but that same person would probably not do a thing if they saw somebody being mugged in the street.

Just my 2 cents...hope it gave you something to think about.

Answer 6

Oscar Wilde said that if you give a person a mask they will tell the truth
I believe the internet is the mask for todays society.
I believe people are more honest when they are faceless, ive told secrets online Ive never told to anyone before!! Im sure we all have, the anonymity brings down the barriers that normal social interaction builds.
Whether the rude people online are repressed is only conjecture though, they might be rude or outspoken in real life also.

Answer 7

Well, you gotta think about it. Are the messed up people that are mean in the world also the ones who spend time on the chatrooms, etc? Or are these the nice people that turn sour online? There are many possibilites of arrangement to this phenomenon. I personally would say that people on the internet have more liberties of expression, but that would be a sociological rather than psychological theme to answer to.

Answer 8

My theory on it is as follows: in an anonymous setting the person on the other end is essentially an unknown, a single dimension. so in order to justify the feelings that arise from the interaction an individual mentally assigns attributes to this unknown. The same thing happens on dating sites and my space. with the anger its obviously negative attributes that apply, on dating sites it would be all the ideal attributes an individual seeks in a mate. I find the behavior less disturbing than than what it implies about the person acting out. how does a simple question (regardless of intent) get to someone in such a way? I would think that it hits a nerve, it questions a belief or value that the angry person does not fully believe in or can not reckon the belief with their perception of reality so they become defensive.

Answer 9

I entirely disagree.

When online, a person is free to speak as they please.

The messed up people you mentioned only appear that way in response to the particular question asked.

For instance, you know your true nature, I know MY true nature, and if we were to go back through our answers, do you think they'd reflect our true natures?

I don't think mine do, at least. Even though we speak online in a certain way, when there can be no retribution for our actions, I honestly don't believe that it reflects our true nature.

Ask yourself if you can say a mean thing to someone online, and then directly to their face.

In an online environment, the other people are less human, because they only appear as names. In real life, the fact that the other person is a fellow human is overwhelmingly clear.

Anyway, the true natures of people can never be judged by what they say.

Only WE can judge our true natures...

Answer 10

The Internet gives people with hostility a place to sound off. Society doesn't generally invite the same kind of sounding off in person, and some of the angry people on here wouldn't dare to say what they say on here to someone in person.

I, personally, don't say anything on here that I wouldn't say if a person asked me the same question in person. I think I'm pretty reasonable and kind on here. There is one exception, though, (but even then I'm pretty civil) and that's when I spot some horrendously ignorant, put-down, remark about a group of people (women, different races, etc.). Then I decide to "let the person have it" with my answer to them mostly because the person who makes horribly ignorant bigoted remarks deserves to have some reason thrown at him/her. Even if he/she never goes back to read the answers (which I suspect many bigot/ranters don't) I figure I still got some reason "out there" connected to the stupid remarks someone else made. It can feel like "stamping out ignorance where you find it" (whether or not answering some of these people's foolishness is a giant waste of time).

Finally, I don't know about other people, but I'm as phony on here as I am in my real life. (Its not that I'm phony, but there's a whole lot I don't say either in real life or on here - so I guess I'm a little bit phony by omission.)