The World Is Mean (Online)

[Tommy92l]

This is not about me personally, or any interactions with people. It is about what I have noticed online.

Why is it that when you browse through youtube comments, and comments on websites, everyone is so mean? I know it sounds bizzare, but the world seems to be filled with 100% negative people. Not even talking about trolls who just mess with people. It's almost like it has to always be an argument.

 

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[Vigilante]

[video=youtube_share;UE6iAjEv9dQ]http://youtu.be/UE6iAjEv9dQ[/video]

 

[The-J]

Real life sucks for them. So they feel more powerful by being mean online.

 

[socaldude]

Why is it that when you browse through youtube comments, and comments on websites, everyone is so mean?

I have noticed this too. Here is my theory: Anytime you remove the "personal face to face" situation and you replace it with something such as a car or the internet that is very unpersonal where you KNOW another person is controlling it but you don't really see them face to face, its WAY easier to be mean and unleash the beast.

Think about road rage. People get really mad when you cut them off. But what if you cut them off with a shopping cart at the grocery store? You will probably smile and say excuse me. Just food for thought, think about those two different situations and how people react, even though its technically the exact same thing.

 

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[Mike39]

Think about road rage. People get really mad when you cut them off. But what if you cut them off with a shopping cart at the grocery store? You will probably smile and say excuse me. Just food for thought, think about those two different situations and how people react, even though its technically the exact same thing.

Bro, you haven't met me at the grocery store yet. I'm on a mission when I have a grocery list and you better not cut me off, for your own sake, don't cut me off....

 

[Halffull]

It has to do with how our brain processes fear (threat of retaliation) as well as empathy. Both have much to do with being able to see someone's face.

 

[socaldude]

It has to do with how our brain processes fear (threat of retaliation) as well as empathy. Both have much to do with being able to see someone's face.

True.

People will call someone an idiot online or when they are driving but most would not have the audacity to go up to them face to face and call them an idiot directly.

This is why online dating is so popular because most people don't have the courage to strike up a conversation with a stranger.

 

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[av1atic]

 

[Mike39]

credit: MJ

The real reason I can't go to B&P....

 

[theDarkness]

Agitation can be a stronger impetus for senseless intertubes commenting. A piece of content has to be really super-awesome for me to comment about how awesome it was. Meanwhile it might have to be only mildly upsetting to make me want to type up a nerdrage comment.

Which I find is the opposite in real life: I love commenting on things I find awesome when I'm in person. And I have to really be bothered by something in order for me to not simply brush it off.

In person there are many incentives for like-minded people to talk about what they find awesome. How many drunken conversations have I had with a buddy about stupid crap we loved when we were kids? Yet internet forums aren't as conducive for this imo. "I loved it, awesome!" "+1!" "So cool!"

Maybe writing lends itself to picking apart things, being critical.

In person there are more ways to express shared passion.

Of course the anonymity stuff is huge too. I don't really disagree with anything that's been mentioned so far. In my experience though this dynamic does play a part.

 

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[joona]

As many of you have already noted, it's the facelessness of it all that makes it easier. You can say (almost) whatever you want to whoever you want and get away with it. And since often you can use a nickname instead of your own name, it just lowers the threshold to be mean.

Compare this to some comment systems what you see in blogs that require you to login with Facebook/Twitter. Not only do you (in most cases) use your own name and your face, the others have a way of seeing your account and contacting you. Makes it a lot more difficult to be mean. At least that's my observation.

 

[mayana]

Agitation can be a stronger impetus for senseless intertubes commenting. A piece of content has to be really super-awesome for me to comment about how awesome it was. Meanwhile it might have to be only mildly upsetting to make me want to type up a nerdrage comment.

Which I find is the opposite in real life: I love commenting on things I find awesome when I'm in person. And I have to really be bothered by something in order for me to not simply brush it off.

The common thread, I think, is a "fear" (or dislike) of a negative reaction, or feedback, from our comments.

In your example (which is similar to my personal experience), I will be less likely to receive or witness a a negative reaction from my comments in an online atmosphere because there is anonymity. If I tell someone in person that I hate the way they look at me, I will be much likelier to receive a negative response from them. This is a really powerful aspect of social conditioning.

We are conditioned (instinctively?) to like positive feedback, which is why we are much more likely to point out that we love someone's new haircut.

The internet has created a really dangerous situation, in a lot of cases, where the normal social constraints are missing. Even on places like Facebook, people who usually KNOW each other personally, will say things to each other that I am almost positive they would never say in person over Thanksgiving dinner. There are several members of my family that don't SPEAK to each other because of some political conversation on Facebook... jeez.

This conversation struck a chord with me, for sure! I still believe that people are the same as they ever were, but we will have to just evolve our social norms to encompass the relatively new online environment.

 

[The-J]

I'm convinced that none of you are real people, just cats.

I'm not sure that I'm a human myself.

 

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[^eagle^]

woof

 

[santa]

I think this thread has covered the main probably reasons and some of the dynamics

Even on places like Facebook

This is an excellent observation. I've read some interesting stuff about how friendship dynamics have changed for some based on their use of social sites like FB. It's interesting how the medium of exchange can effect what behaviours expand

Anytime you remove the "personal face to face" situation .

The above from socialdudes great post still hold true there and can effect how people interact with each, view things and so forth

 

[jfub]

The amount of fighting on youtube is simply incredible.

I'm currently attempting to harness all of the power and energy that is expelled by the internet thugs.

Meow.

 

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[Brander]

but you don't really see them face to face, its WAY easier to be mean and unleash the beast.

The veneer of civility is just that. We are barely out of the jungle (George Carlin).

 

[MJ DeMarco]

The amount of fighting on youtube is simply incredible.

Sadly, this is why I don't read YouTube comments and most of my videos don't have me commenting and/or replying. So, if someone actually has something to say positive, I won't read it. If they have a question, I won't read it.

Trying to read and respond to YouTube comments is like trying to fix a sewer in a tuxedo.

While I know there are respectable, good people on YouTube, mulling through comments to find them is a foolish endeavor. Excluding the few within my videos, I've can't ever recall commenting on a YouTube video.

 

[vtlambo]

I just find it a waste of time to scroll through comments on youtube. If I'm there for a music video or something informative, I watch it and move on. There are folks who mental masturbate on there all day and provide nothing significant.

 

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[santa]

I just find it a waste of time to scroll through comments on youtube.

It depends, there can be TONS of great gold in them too

 

[vtlambo]

It depends, there can be TONS of great gold in them too

I completely agree with you on that one.

 

[jfub]

It depends, there can be TONS of great gold in them too

I agree.

Obviously, people go to youtube to watch videos. Also, theres people who try too hard and abuse the comment feature to try and snag a top comment position.

But there are so many comments that are absolutely hysterical. I find myself going to look at the comments all too often.

My theory: The millions and millions of Internet tough guys in the world just need a place to mingle and harass each other to no end. I think I have just what they need :icon_super:

 

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[buckmajor]

Don't be surprise if a 5-10yr old is bullying an adult online lol. Pointless trying to put some sense in them; it goes in and out the other ear. You can find some peace by ignoring them and saving your time

 

[andyredsox]

People can be what they want to be when they're online. Life has been mean to them and they want to be mean to other people to get even..

 

[JAJT]

The internet is an anonymous and unfiltered outlet for any thought that pops into our heads.

It's a mental costume party.

Sometimes that means people put on the racist hat for a cheap laugh on reddit. Sometimes that means wearing a prick jacket on youtube because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

And sometimes that means pretending like you're soon going to be a millionaire with a wallet full of cash a forum.

Then you log off and leave the racist hat, prick jacket and wallet full of cash online and go back to being yourself.

 

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[InMotion]

I have noticed this too. Here is my theory: Anytime you remove the "personal face to face" situation and you replace it with something such as a car or the internet that is very unpersonal where you KNOW another person is controlling it but you don't really see them face to face, its WAY easier to be mean and unleash the beast.

They cant be mean to every person face to face because they will get their asses kicked; so they do it online or when they have a quick get away.

 

[Roberteking78]

You see meanness and trolling, I see a cry for help.

[video=youtube;t0efvZbbmPk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0efvZbbmPk[/video]