[ziiz]

I hope it's OK to post something less positive here...

Anyway, I just really needed to say it. There are places like this forum, or in more professional circles, where people are great; they debate like adults and respect each other and so forth.

But everywhere else people are just absolutely horrible to each other. I hate it so much, I grew up playing games as a kid and the communities were wonderful, I met a lot of people that are still my friend over 10-15 years later.

Now they're all pond scum. They have nothing nice to say, and if they do argue it's just attempts to make each other feel legitimately bad about themselves.

I can't really interact with people in the real world and I really miss the way I could make friends in the games I played and online worlds. It's just so sad that people feel the need to hate each other. I know I don't have to logon to whatever place or activity I was doing but I wish I could logon and things would be nice once more... but nope

(Not actually all of them, but the ones who aren't long since starting keeping to themselves and don't talk).

I have been shocked, what with several political leadership races of late here in Canada and then the USA, at the views of people I have considered to be friends - sometimes for many years. It hasn't just been their views but the vindictive hate, racial bigotry, and defence of poison in the name of religion. The real shock is the level of hate they spew forth. I thought these people were level headed friends.

That's why I only use this site and LinkedIn. The Internet can be useful but also very damaging and I want to limit its impact and influence on me.

[healingme4me]

I was reading a USA Today article, last night that very much addressed this issue. You are very much not alone. The past several years thanks to social media and the wave of immediate response/backlash show that there's something akin to mob psychology/mob mentality. Out with the torches and pitchforks. It's really dismaying.

Many I know have resorted to observation as opposed to participation. Not that censoring one's speech is ideal, the harassment and pure hate filled rhetoric isn't worth time nor energy.

Where has the ability to agree to disagree gone to?

Mental health care needs to return to society.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk

[-jimi-]

I feel like everyone is really edgy these days, in real life and online. People escape their poor self esteem (brought on by lack of jobs and underemployment and things like that, financial troubles etc) and fear (who dares watching the news these days?) by hardening themselves, try to look better than they are by picking on others, and scapegoating some group, to feel better about them and the world.

Also once the tone is set, people feel OK chiming in with crap they normally wouldn't write.

I don't use big social media but I actually use some places to try to spread good vibes. It also rubs off on people. But it takes patience.

[Nammu]

I don't think the hate rhetoric is limited to the internet its spilled over into real life too, just look at the road rage incidents.

[TishaBuv]

I think people like to say mean things to people on the Internet (trolling) because they think they're anonymous. It's like punch a stranger and run away. Most other forums are probably teens and immature people.

[-jimi-]

I would not say the bad folks are young people. A friend had been on a gaming site for many years, and the people harassing her the most were adult females. She finally quit the site because of all the harassment and envy.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Guess I agree with this. But, nasty people have been and will always be, so too will the good ones.

[Sameer6]

I don't much interact with people in the real world either.

Agreed about the anonymity thing. Both of the forums I am on (here and another) there has been an aggressive member or 2 who have caused me to take a step back.

I don't know why.

[KarenSue]

I worry about the children growing up today. Figuring out how to take some things on the internet is hard for ME. I fear too many parents will not bother to protect their children from the world wide web.

My son and daughter-in-law are great parents. They have an 9 yr old girl and 3 yr old boy (who is autistic). They have ruled what their children are exposed to with an iron fist, beginning with TV. (I recall my granddaughter at 4 asking if the show on our TV was good for kids.) I fear they are parents in the minority of limiting technology's influence on their children.

Of course, once kids hit 14, 15 or so, a parent's influence wanes and the influence of classmates becomes more important to them. I'm anxious about my grandkids getting older, not knowing what they will face and what they will choose.

[LadyShadow]

I have to agree with this. I love to chat, I enjoy it (or at least I used to) immensely. But now chat rooms have become so filled with hate, nonsense, and fear. People bully each other and get away with it. All because they are "anonymous"

I miss the days of Yahoo and AOL where people came together and had a laugh. We joked, had discussions and genuinely enjoyed each other's company so we didn't feel so alone in the world. What happened in the past 10 years that made people so mean and bitter? It really boggles my mind sometimes.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

But we're not all like this, which is my main takeaway from this—there are crappy people everywhere.

[PinkPanda87]

Originally Posted by lizabeth406

It's true people come out with some shockingly hateful things, which is why I do my best to not read online comment sections anymore. It ends up making me feel even more depressed and isolated and I don't want people having that power over me.

This is the exact reason I stopped using Facebook. I know not everyone online is mean on immature but I'd rather not deal with it if I don't have to.