...maybe because, so far, most people using the internet are highschoolers and young people. Or maybe because I'm such a nerd and most online communities I've traversed are ones dedicated to videogames and rock bands.
Anyway, point is, most online communities I've stumbled upon are cliquish, harsh on newcomers, and generally are typical examples of a highschool type of environment. Though I'm sure very little of this can be considered cyber bullying, the type of behavior you common online is just like the kind of behavior you'd find in the real world.
The people who weren't or couldn't be bullies in the real world seem to enjoy being able to have another chance online, sheilded by a veil of anonymity. Meanwhile, real world bullies are bound to use sites like facebook and myspace as places to extend their ruthlessness. As a resident assistant, I have had some unique experiences with residents who set up facebook or myspace pages dedicated to bullying others.
Unfortunately, I can't share them, because that wouldn't be very professional, would it?
another blog
15 years ago
#1 - I miss the pink layout.
ReplyDelete#2 - are you telling me people really set up face-space pages just to be mean?
This is merely an elaboration on your post, but the idea of interactivity is awesome...the fact that you could have meaningful and enlightening exchanges with people in places you may never go has such power. But it really is undermined by the human impulses to be a total (shall we say) coprolite. And thus we rob ourselves of all sorts of cool things. Of course, watching the cliques and flames unfold can be entertaining!
I suppose my post is kind of one sided. Sure, there are plenty of enlightened conversations to be had online. It's just that they're almost as hard to find on the net as they are in, well, "real life".
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah. That really does happen.
ReplyDelete