Real life versus internet

[jojo man]

  WoogieMonster said:

There's really no need for a big explanation, it can be summed up in one small word: safety. On the interwebs, you can be as big of a flaming douche as you like and not have to worry that someone like me will rip your arms off.

 

 

To quote a post I made on the Bungie.net forums(and they're the epitome of this exact problem):

 

  Quote

The anonymity of the internet provides the opportunity for fat, jobless, uneducated, acne-plauged, friendless, "still living with their parents" 35 year old virgins the opportunity to compensate for their sub-par pe**s sizes without the worries of getting the broken jaw they deserve if they had the stones to talk any of their sh** to your face.

 

And before somebody points it out: I deliberately went overboard with the stereo-type. It's commonly refered to as hyperbole.

[tungol]

  exanimis said:

<snip> It's simply their way of escaping the world.

 

Good hypothesis.

I had a friend who back in the '80s just went to chatrooms just to assume alternate personas and jerk people around. Probably lots of people approach a forum or chatroom the same way they approach an MMO. Everybody gets his kicks in his own way.

Opening a forum that's exclusively available to paying members is a good way to minimize trolling. Though obviously it has its downsides as well.

[PureSnipe]

My theory? People can do things they have always wanted to and get away with it. I sometimes get flamed for my views over the internet, or for how I look if someone sees a picture of me that I've posted. It that were to happen in my face? The person would have some broken limbs. It's usually people that are insecure of themselves in real life, so they create an alternate reality where they get to shape who they appear to be. Those of us that are genuine and don't change from place to place sometimes have a hard time understanding them. I just happened to realize this because a friend whom I know personally decided to start flaming me over the internet since I wasn't there to do anything. One little threat to him that I could get in the car for 5 minutes and come over there and shut him up got him back into reality. Again, it's insecurity. Let me see. After you read this, look at my profile and if you don't understand me already, you will. I say I'm a fat black woman. (Not being racist) Now, until you look at my profile, you have no idea whether or not I'm telling the truth, do you? Truth be told, I'm exactly opposite of what I initially claimed to be.