Angry People

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

<--- 2nd amendment.

(Not sure what it has to do with this thread though.)

Because shooting people is the same as forum posts? I think?

Didn't someone equate shooting others at the movies to being mean on the internet?

I've been reading these boards for two months and I haven't felt any anger. People are blunt, everyone has an opinion (it's like real life!) and other people are passive-aggressive and sensitive (just like real life!)

I've seen more passive aggressive posts on this board that cause the blunt people to just speak their mind, and then people get all angry when the blunt people speak their mind when in reality it was the passive aggressive person starting the whole damn thing...

For a weight loss board, I could imagine actual bullying, rudeness and mean spirited things being said, but they're not.

I think its because there are not really any consequences for your actions - I could be horribly rude and mean and terrible on the internet and what is anybody really going to do except call me an *kitten*? If I was rude and horrible in real life - I would probably get what was coming to me.

Also, how easy is it to hide behind an avatar or a screen name? Super easy

You're right, they're different, but not in the way you think.

If you're horribly rude and mean and terrible on MFP, you die. Seriously. MFP will kill your online persona. Well, okay, they don't actually start there. They start by completely silencing you in public. They take away your voice. Then if you continue being rude and mean and terrible, they kill you.

If you're horribly rude and mean and terrible in real life, you *may* die...but probably not. In fact, you'll fit right in with all the other horribly rude and mean and terrible people.

TL;DR - the bar set for "meanness" on MFP is *waaaaaay* lower than in real life and the consequences are relatively far more severe.

It's funny that many people expect interactions on the internet to be exactly like real life, in certain ways, but at the same time don't notice things like how creepy/weird it would be to walk into a room of strangers and announce to everyone, "who wants to be my friend?"

Wait. Other people don't do that?

I certainly agree with what you just said. Its scary out there.

speaking of angry …is reddy in here yet?

:explode: :explode: :explode: :explode: :explode:

Insecurity, personality disorders, mental illness, poor social skills, an elevated sense of false importance, the ability to be powerful in anonymity...

Constipation. It happens to the best of us.

Oh, and I'm a lot nicer on the MFP forums than I am in real life...because in interpersonal interactions, I can judge the reaction and push the limits. In text, I take a more measured approach and am slow to escalate it. Well, that the CG (all hail) in real life isn't nearly as restrictive as it is here.

*shrug*

Why would you push the limits ?

Oh, and I'm a lot nicer on the MFP forums than I am in real life...because in interpersonal interactions, I can judge the reaction and push the limits. In text, I take a more measured approach and am slow to escalate it. Well, that and the CG (all hail) in real life isn't nearly as restrictive as it is here.

*shrug*

Why would you push the limits ?

Push the limits of humor. Most of my comments on MFP that have elicited an accusation of being "mean" have been humorous. In real life, you can scale up or down based on your immediate audience...but online, you don't have the same kind of immediate feedback or control over your audience. You're effectively talking to *everyone* and *no one* at the same time.

TL;DR - it's who I am.

Got it, that makes sence .

I'm a little slow tonight.

Insecurity, personality disorders, mental illness, poor social skills, an elevated sense of false importance, the ability to be powerful in anonymity...

I think you have it backwards.

Anonymous posters have no power over other anonymous posters.

Some of us realize that and our posts reflect the expectation that our posts have no power over anyone else. In those cases it is the exact opposite of an elevated sense of importance.

Insecurity, personality disorders, mental illness, poor social skills,

I would argue that these are more likely to result in someone being the victim on an anonymous message board, rather than the perpetrator.

Because I'm a fat worthless nerd and I need to belittle others to feel better about myself.