Those Nasty Interwebs

Has the internet made us nastier as a collective people or has it just amplified and given an easier outlet for the hatred that already lied inside us?  There are both plenty of good points to be made for each side of this philosophical argument and fortunately none of these points will be featured in this piece.

It is not making us nastier:

It’s not like human beings lived in an idyllic paradise before the dawning of the internet comment board.  Think about all the terrible events in human history that occurred pre-internet and imagine if the unwashed masses had access to a comment section.  If you think internet discourse is bad now, I shudder to think at the comments that would have accompanied an article explaining how it’s about time woman got the right to vote.  It would be hard to tell which would be worse to read, the posts of misogynists uttering disgusting vitriol or the constant one-upping between people on the same side.  I would also bet that there would be many a conspiracy websites and shitty truther youtube videos discussing how Abolitionists are giving slavery a bad rap in this country and are secretly aligned with the freemasons in a plot to form a new world order that would enslave all those noble sons and daughters of the south.  Technology simply makes it easier for us to indulge in the old ritual of being terrible, terrible humans.     

It is making us nastier:

Rape and death threats have become the go to and usually only way people respond to opinions that they disagree with online.  I don’t know much about the Anita Sarkeesian controversy to really address it, but I do know that she does not deserve to get death and rape threats for putting out videos about misogyny in video games.  Instead of sending out horrific death and rape threats and thusly proving her point about misogyny, why not watch her videos and if you disagree with her points make a counter video or write a blog/article about why you don’t agree with her arguments (of course these articles should be written using legitimate points and be done respectfully and should not resort to using misogynistic ranting and ravings).  Back in the olden days this was called “debating” and it was quite popular I understand.  Let’s bring back this ancient form of discourse because the only useful thing about sending death and rape threats is that it helps notify the proper authorities about who needs psychological help and possible prison time.

Those are my two points on internet civility and discourse.  I would like to hear your comments on my simplistic points and whether you believe the internet has made us a nastier bunch.  If you would like to say my writings suck I’ll welcome that as well.  It’s just nice to get a comment that isn’t me in posting from an unknown account (teardrop).