Are people less polite in discussions on the internet?

1. 69

   Arthur Windermereposted 14 years ago

   Are people less polite in discussions on the internet?
   
   I've heard many people say arguments on the internet are fruitless and demoralizing, and many 'experts' claim that the internet allows us to be rude without the consequences that would follow in face-to-face discussions. Is this true? Are people more rude and aggressive online? Why would that be? Or are they less rude? Roughly the same? Maybe people are just more sensitive about their opinions on the internet? Answer as you like.

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2. 60

   IdeaMorphistposted 14 years ago

   Most definitely! They don't have the physical threat factor, and they don't have to ever answer to the other person. The internet lowers a social wall in a way where our innermost self is able to come up. Even those who are intimidated in real life are outgoing on the internet, so why not be something else you are not in real life! I'm not saying everyone is that way, but, having a virtual barrier does make it easier for some people to act disrespectful without thinking twice about it.

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3. 68

   mkottposted 14 years ago

   I agree with IdeaMorphist
   
   That face to face discussion where one might feel the need to watch what they say and how they say it is non-existant when utilizing the internet.  I don't even go into the forums much anymore because respect and intergrity seems to lack with many.  It a shame that rudeness pervails on the internet and good discussions seem to thrown to the wayside.  It is really bad if someone disagrees with you on a topic that is being discussed because many lower themselves to being uncivilized.

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4. 61

   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   I've read that one major cause of people's feeling free to be rude, and even hostile and aggressive, online is that they can be anonymous. 
   
   I tend to think the person who is rude and hostile online is probably a person with a lousy disposition who hides his negative attitude toward other people in person (to some degree or another).  People bring their "issues" to the Internet and either forget there's a human on the other end of the discussion or else enjoy being able to hostile .  They're either "wilting flowers" in offline life and like the chance to share their secret, unpleasant, attitude toward people; or else they're bullies in offline life and just become verbal bullies online.
   
   On top of that, a lot of people have trouble grasping the idea that a person who has an opinion they don't agree with isn't necessarily a monster.  Online, the second, say, a Liberal expresses that he may have any number of people attacking him for his beliefs.  The same goes for Conservatives, people of any particular religion or no religion, women, men, teens, old people, people who like Santa Claus - anyone.  People are not interested in understanding other people's points of views or even in accepting that people who thinking differently may be perfectly kind, decent, caring, people.  In other words, people with an attitude problem in offlline life can have an even worse attitude problem online. 
   
   I'm the same polite person online that I am offline; and even with that - oh brother - all it takes is one little opinion and you get people calling you names, calling you "crazy", or otherwise acting as if you're monster!  LOL  You just have to laugh it off.

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5. 49

   123shawnposted 13 years ago

   no i dont think so the people that i speak up to whether in orkut ,facebook or any other any other social networing site they speak normally they are not aggressive at all they are polite

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6. 60

   bettanywireposted 13 years ago

   Indeed as what I have seen and observe most especially in facebook most of the people are being rude and polite less the way they speak a comment. Though not all but there are many are comfortable saying badly things over the internet regardless to the feelings of others.

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7. 0

   vinsanityposted 13 years ago

   They can be because you are not actually looking at the person and you could be talking to a random person.

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