Why is the internet different than not-the-internet? Options

[*ersatz*]

Why should the way you can treat people be different online? Why is it OK to have opinions about people, like, liking their presence or hating them offline but not online? Why are people suddenly not people once they log on? I don't understand.

[*Spencer*]

because apparently the internet is serious business. i don't see anything different, though.

[*davinci*]

Why should the way you can treat people be different online? Why is it OK to have opinions about people, like, liking their presence or hating them offline but not online? Why are people suddenly not people once they log on? I don't understand.

Anonymity, I suppose.

[brooklyneast05]

no clue
i act the same on the internet as off, i don't get why anyone would act different, that seems like a lot of trouble to change ur personality every time u log on

[*Uronacid*]

Why should the way you can treat people be different online? Why is it OK to have opinions about people, like, liking their presence or hating them offline but not online? Why are people suddenly not people once they log on? I don't understand.

Because it's anonymous. Anyone can say anything. The internet is no-mans land. It's a space where anyone can say anything they want without have to care about anything anyone does or thinks about what they say. You don't have to face the consequences of what you say. You're not going to get your ass kicked. It doesn't matter if people get upset.

I'll say this though, I don't try and piss people off. I don't go out of my way to disrespect people. I'm sure it must feel like that sometimes, but I mostly just joke around with people. If they want to get angry about what some guy said to them a thousand miles away. That's their problem.

If you want to take what I say as a joke or play around and have fun. I'll play around and have fun back, and we'll all have a good time. If you want to get serious, it's not going to rain on my parade. :P

[*stephinika*]

I think people just find that without actually facing each other that you can treat people differently. I don't know.

I think I act generally the same on and offline so yeah. *shrug*

[*SayBloodyMary*]

Anonymity, I suppose.

Well, yeah, but I mean it's still a persona, or a personality, even if it is quasi-anonymous, so one can still have feelings towards that persona, or whatever you want to call it.

I mean, the fact that someone says something to you '1,000 miles away' doesn't nulify the effect or validity of what they may have said. Why should the internet negate identity, but not distance? That seems odd.

Also, the need to have a tangible effect, or source for something to be of any value seems to be to be an extraordinarly limited point of view.

[michellerrific]

you are able to conceal your feelings regarding any subject or topic whatsoever. people who are afraid to come out and say things in real life use the internet as a getaway portal or a place to escape from their problems and situations.

[*ersatz*]

But I don't think I'll get beat up for what I say here either...like...if I'm mean to someone they won't beat me up. I don't talk to a lot of people who beat people up.

This is mostly addressing the "it's just the internet" mindset. Why is it just the internet? The fact that you haven't met them face to face does not negate the fact that they are a human, just like you...

[Jeng]

I guess I'm different from IRL and online, I don't know why, like online I'll swear and IRL I will never swear and all that :x

[*SayBloodyMary*]

But I don't think I'll get beat up for what I say here either...like...if I'm mean to someone they won't beat me up. I don't talk to a lot of people who beat people up.

This is mostly addressing the "it's just the internet" mindset. Why is it just the internet? The fact that you haven't met them face to face does not negate the fact that they are a human, just like you...

On that note, I'd like to address the inherent hypocrisy in that particular non-argument. If it isn't 'cool' for someone to react to something on the internet, why is it 'cool' for someone to react to them reacting to something on the internet.

The whole concept has never made any sense. If it IS 'just' the internet, then why are you bothering to mediate, or whatever it is you think you're doing.

[Crash2]

There shouldn't be a difference. Why change? You're still the same person.

I pretty much act the same online and offline, so it doesn't matter for me.

[bat19]

Well, yeah, but I mean it's still a persona, or a personality, even if it is quasi-anonymous, so one can still have feelings towards that persona, or whatever you want to call it.

I mean, the fact that someone says something to you '1,000 miles away' doesn't nulify the effect or validity of what they may have said. Why should the internet negate identity, but not distance? That seems odd.

Also, the need to have a tangible effect, or source for something to be of any value seems to be to be an extraordinarly limited point of view.

That sounds like something a pussy would say. Are you a pussy James? Hmm? Answer me you whiny polesmoker. Go listen to the f**kin beatles and sing like Americans, god you british people disgust me. If we were still in the civil war, Id shove a bayonet up your peehole.

[*SayBloodyMary*]

Why are you under the impression that I, as a British person, would be involved in the American Civil War?

Oh, and while you're pondering that, whether your posts are directed at me, or someone else, stop member bashing, please.

[*Michelle*]

Why should the way you can treat people be different online?
I'm guessing it's because in the internet, you can either take it or leave it more easily than you can in "Real Life." I mean, a person e-yelling won't have nearly the effect as real yelling. >_>

Why is it OK to have opinions about people, like, liking their presence or hating them offline but not online?
Huh? I thought that most people hated the people they hate either way; online or offline.

Why are people suddenly not people once they log on?
That's different for everyone.

I don't understand.
Neither do I. ^_^"

[1angel3]

I wonder the same.

[bat19]

Why are you under the impression that I, as a British person, would be involved in the American Civil War?

Oh, and while you're pondering that, whether your posts are directed at me, or someone else, stop member bashing, please.

Oh, son of a bitch. Im gonna fire my proofreader. Josh, you suck! Whatever Brit, you know what I meant. Two things come from Britain. The Irish, god what a waste of time. And tea. f**king tea. Our water is forever soiled by your goddamn tea. The so called "Boston Tea Party" was a bunch of limies throwing their own shit tea in our pure water to embed their soccer playing culture to our god given freedom. God loves us more, the british suck ass. Just look at V for Vendetta, thats all the proof I need.

Whatever homo, Id still stick a bended clothes hanger up your pee hole while you cry and sing God Save the Queen. God loves retarded people and Texans. Everyone else gets the boot, youd better learn that.
Soccer is for queers. Play real football, see how long your parliamentary obeying tap dancing bitches last against us.
Tony Blair was our presidents bitch. HAHAHAHAHA

[*SayBloodyMary*]

Most of the tea doesn't actually come from Britain... It's grown abroad, say in India, Sri Lanka, or China, among other places. Your proof reader really IS failing.

And really, given that I'm supposed to be the homo, it is you who is dedicating an extraordinarily disproportinate amount of posting time to my genitals or sexual behaviour. I mean, I know my penis is both fascinating and impressive, but dude, really?

Anyway, last friendly warning, please stop making a spectacle of yourself like this, because really, it isn't particularly interesting or entertaining. Next time, I'll give you a verbal warning and go from there.

[bat19]

Most of the tea doesn't actually come from Britain... It's grown abroad, say in India, Sri Lanka, or China, among other places. Your proof reader really IS failing.

And really, given that I'm supposed to be the homo, it is you who is dedicating an extraordinarily disproportinate amount of posting time to my genitals or sexual behaviour. I mean, I know my penis is both fascinating and impressive, but dude, really?

Anyway, last friendly warning, please stop making a spectacle of yourself like this, because really, it isn't particularly interesting or entertaining. Next time, I'll give you a verbal warning and go from there.

Umm, doesn't that qualify as a verbal warning you dumb shit. I dont know what it is about you man, its just fun to mock you. The fact that you try to discredit my efforts just increases the need to mock you even more. Furthermore, the fact that you agree with me about your penis is rather funny considering earlier I compared you with an insecure Asian boy and found yours wanting. Don't try to de-spectacle my spectaclations(not a word), your silly British ideals of class systems and feudal lords are laughable. Princess Diana looked like an ugly whore and her kids all resemble most of San Francisco. That means they look like extreme super-duper homos with the awful powers of penetrating any unsuspecting male dancers ass. It sickens me to the pit of my soul that there are actually Americans who gave a damn about your c**t of a princess. Her mouth looks like a Krispy Creme doughnut, well it did before a car ripped her head from her body. Should have worn a seatbelt bitch, the crash dummies taught their lessons for a reason.

[CrotchetTheLeper]

People who verbaly abuse others on the internet have it in their head that they're invincible, because it's impersonal in a way, simply because that person's not there in the flesh.

Basicly, people say things on the internet that they wouldn't say face-to-face, because on here, they feel untouchable.

That doesn't justify the verbal mistreatment of others, though.

A persons feelings can be hurt by words no matter how they're transmitted.

[bat19]

^You're a dumb bitch

P.S. The power of the internet. I feel like Elliot Ness

[*SayBloodyMary*]

Verbal Warning, Jeremy.

[CrotchetTheLeper]

^You're a dumb bitch

P.S. The power of the internet. I feel like Elliot Ness

Are you calling me a dumb bitch?
Ahahaha, you just unknowingly helped make my point!

[voguelove]

hmm, i dont know. maybe because youre not actually talking to them face to face? sometimes, i can get pretty mean sounding because i know i wont see the person. well, unless its a friend that ill see soon.

[bat19]

I do whatever the hell I want. When I want to act like an a-hole in real life, Im an a-hole. When I want to be funny or serious, Im both or neither. I can do what I want, I have intelligence. It lets me control those who are dumber than I, or just much more gullible.

"Yo Julio, you know Christine, right? She's got a big crush on you."
"Dude, I hate Christine. I wish she and her friends would just leave me alone."
"Well maybe you should tell her that kid"
"No way man, I think she'd try to kill me"
"haha, yeah probably"
"I dont know, just tell her Im not interested"
"I tried"
"damn. Alright"(user logged off)

[ClaudelGFX]

I believe its called "multiple personality disorder", i know a guy who was in the same team with me while we were testing a game and all the time we've spent in that camp testing as a team, he was pretty much normal but then again after the beta finished and all that i got to hear that he's playing like 10 games and in some of them he's playing an woman character and also "pretends" to be a woman, when i heard that i was like "wtf? you kiddin me right?" but then again i joined up playing the same games and saw it with my own eyes.

So as you might see there is a big difference between internet and not-the-internet as you call it, because real life is one and its the one where you bleed and all that, but here over the internet its all going up in our heads, anyone can pretend to be whoever he/she wants, and its pretty scary sometimes... and for sure its all about ego and attention.

[*Steven*]

I believe its called "multiple personality disorder", i know a guy who was in the same team with me while we were testing a game and all the time we've spent in that camp testing as a team, he was pretty much normal but then again after the beta finished and all that i got to hear that he's playing like 10 games and in some of them he's playing an woman character and also "pretends" to be a woman, when i heard that i was like "wtf? you kiddin me right?" but then again i joined up playing the same games and saw it with my own eyes.

So as you might see there is a big difference between internet and not-the-internet as you call it, because real life is one and its the one where you bleed and all that, but here over the internet its all going up in our heads, anyone can pretend to be whoever he/she wants, and its pretty scary sometimes... and for sure its all about ego and attention.

I don't think it's so much a disorder, but I do think you nailed it in your 2nd paragraph.
Anyone can pretend to be anyone without consequence (for the most part). They can talk as much shit as they want, and often little people who are mistreated or abused by society have things to say and things to do, i.e. blowing stuff up or killing people as a demonstration.

[ClaudelGFX]

Haha imagine this, me and some friends were playing counterstrike and we got a challange from some other team, darn during the game they were talking so much BS and cussing and all that, the next day i findout that one of em its the dumbest dude in the hood, can you guess what happen to that small skinny dude the next day ?:)))) ouch i don't even want to remember duh!

Sometimes i believe they pretend so much they forget that real life hurts ;)