Glass*Soul

Does it matter how we treat people on the web?

Let me begin by saying that the behavior on this site is remarkably civil compared to much that I've seen.

Is civil behavior important beyond the goal of facilitating a good discussion or debate?

I've often heard it said, "It's just a BBS."

Does that ultimately excuse anything? Can we hide behind our online personae, say anything we'd like, and truly take no responsibility for the outcome? If someone is hurt by an exchange, is the responsibility entirely that of the person being hurt? Should he or she simply have been smarter, wilier, and better protected?

Lasher

No one is just a face behind the screen. Everyone has real feeling, real emotions, that can get trampled on just as easily on the web as in real life. The only difference is that you can't see the pain you have inflicted, so if you don't have to see it, then you don't care.

oriecat

Yes, it matters. If you treat people like shit online, then you'll probably treat people like shit in real life. Then nobody will like you either place.

HaysooChreesto!

It depends. If you're talking sports as in "The Raiders rule and the Broncos SUCK, and every Bronco fan is hillbilly trash" then really, who cares?
If you're talking things that require thought, then that's another matter. It's not so much as sparing the feelings of the person you don't see, but more a matter of being taken seriously.
At any rate, one shouldn't get too upset about what someone else says online.

meritocrat

That's an intriguing question.

Personally I don't think people should be obligated to treat people 'well' over the Internet. Ultimately you don't know anybody here and they are really 'faceless'. Besides I think most people who post on message boards or BBS' possess an 'internet personality' (, i.e. they change their characteristics when using an online persona) so it's best to take things with a pinch of salt.

Gurdur

Yes. Definitely.

As for myself, I behave exactly on the web as I do in real life (though in real life my innate beauty and sense of humour come over much better ).

I speak here as I would speak in real life, though given certain posting regs I am occasionally more circumspect in description of someone than I would be in real life.

Glass*Soul

I'm curious, meirtocrat. Do you have other types of "faceless" encounters in the course of your day?

Glass*Soul

Let me give you an example.

If someone created a secondary persona on this board and used it to very deliberately pick on people just for the fun of it, would he/she be less morally responsible for any hurt caused in that situation than such a person would if he/she behaved in that manner in face-to-face encounters?

Even if this is a game, are we players or are we game pieces?

meritocrat

Yes, occasionally.

Glass*Soul

Do you treat them however you like?