Does Cyberspace Bring Out The Worst Of People?

[george]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

[tuky]

I am not too sure what you mean George.

Are we talking about forums and chat rooms or the whole lot including pornography websites and deviant type of behaviour, flirting via the email and so on?

[george]

The whole Cyberspace.

[Wolfie]

That very much depends on the person in question, George.

I would imagine (dont have any basis to prove this on) that the internet/cyberspace/forums/whatever will bring out the worst in some people and the best in others.

Cant really see the point to this poll, just my 2 bahts worth.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

It can go either way,

It has made me be able to be more aggressive than I would normally be in real life, however, recently it has been a canvas for opening my heart and being honest.

Not like you to start your own thread George - what inspired it?

[Georgie-Porgie]

I think that George wants to know if people like, Butterfly, the gentleman, erco, Boon Mee, Georgie-Porgie, etc. are actually real nice, sensitive guys in the real world, who go wacko on a computer because they are anonymous.

[Richard Hall]

In cyberspace people can hide in anonymity which may sooner or later lure them into temptation to do or say something that they would have never done in real life if they really had to stand up and take full responsibility for it. Surely the major disadvantage of the internet and hence eventually also the unavoidable birthplace of all that annoying spam. Cyberspace a two bladed sword.

[Tornado]

Without a doubt - yes!

Forums:

I think you get a lot of small man disease idiots spouting off on forums, who would not dare say it in the real world - let them have there say here as they couldnt do it in the real world due to fear of many different types of reprisals!

sex sites:

Running a sex site in my opinion is a low class act and how many of these owners put there own names up in lights or discuss their daily work with there family over dinner?

When the internet became available to the general population, I think it opened the doors for the idiots in the world to "get there own back". Look at hackers, spammers and cheats - pathetic.

But as I keep getting told, "this is evolution" - I feel sad for the baskets as they are the looney losers that were used to sitting home with a penthouse magazine, a video, blow up dolls whilst wearing horn rim specs and dressing like a racoon. Now they are telling us this is the "new world".

The only thing the internet is good for is instant chat with your mates anywhere in the world.

When the military started it, it was used for information sending and now it is anything goes.

[francois]

hi'

the real question could have been " does anonymity bring up the worst out of people in cyberspace?"

this could have been more accurate

I do believe that anonymity makes it easy to hide our ownself behind a screen, which could explain the refusal of some not to show up in ThaiVisa meetings

just my 2cts worth here

just being myself is enough ... me think

francois

[The Gentleman Scamp]

In 90% of cases I'd say yes.

I found that as Ambassador, I was a lot more belligerent than I am as Scampy, and I said a lot of things that I would have said with a lot more diplomacy in real life.

Ambassador put people in their place, including the Doc, Americans and anybody who dared flame me.

In a way, it was the real me but the reality was that Doc had hurt my feelings after I'd confided in him, one or two Americans, the type that Americans don't like, the type that give yanks a bad name and cause anti U.S. flaming - well one had deliberatly stirred things up and needed putting in their place, and as for other flamers - I didn't care about them and was just very blunt and brutally honest with them.

I miss Ambassador, he was the side of me that didn't give a toss. However, I always apologised if I was out of order and I can admit to being wrong which is possibly why I am still here.

He is due to be released very soon but if bringing him back would be pushing my luck, then why wasn't Ambassador banned when the mods found out who he/I was?

Maybe George should have just banned Ambo altogether - then I won't ever fall foul to temptation and end up with Bluecat.

[Padkapow Guy]

Yes for sure. You will get lot of people who are shall we say " mice among men" that know they can talk a whole lot of crap to someone and get a way with it because they are hideing behind a pc. It's almost like haveing beer muscle, a false sense of security. These people would never dream about talking crap to other peoples faces, like they do on line.

Cyber space muscles!

[Nat]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

In regards to forums I wouldn’t necessarily say it brings out the worst in people, I’m a right bitch in real life but coming on here gives me a chance to be a nice person just joking. I think more to the fact cyberspace can be a playground for an individual’s alter-ego(s) and the personalities they normally wouldn’t display due to moral, social and legal constraints. Due to the anonymity one has in cyberspace it’s the perfect place to let the demons out. It allows Mr Hyde to run amuck without tarnishing Dr Jekyll’s lofty reputation. Pondering this, one can not help wondering how wide the gap really is between the public and the private persona.

This now leads into the “online” versus “real life” personality discussion. Are all forum users suffering from a “dissociative disorder”? I hope not but there are a few out there . For many there is a splitting of identity between what one usually presents to others in the physical world and what one likes to create in the cyberworld. One is not necessarily less "real" than the other. All are aspects of one's identity, although some may be hidden or unconscious aspects.

Dissociation is a common phenomena in cyberspace. It is a well known fact that people use the internet to express various aspects of their personalities. Some people even go as far as creating a specific online personality. They seem to have the same conscious control over the kind of wish fulfillment that fuels dreams. Interestingly individuals tend to express their shadow self (Jungian terminology for alter-ego) in dreams or other states of consciousness. This is where our anima or animus (equivalent to yin and yang) are kept in balance if not properly done so during waking consciousness – in a way cyberspace is becoming that “new place” (a place to dump our mental garbage ). I remember reading a paper that compared cyberspace to dreaming and the similarities were alarming – the net might be turning into another state of consciousness (very visible at any internet cafe ie all the zombies ).

The above has tended to focus more on the innate traits and qualities of the forum user, but the wording of George’s question is more environmentally / situationally focused ie the environment (cyberspace) brings out the worst in people (someone has a positive outlook – guess we aren’t all inherently bad ). So do people display nastiness due to their environment? Absolutely – the forum is a meeting place (an environment) just like any other and a rather small one that can get rather cramped. Apart from the differing opinions due to background, nationality, gender etc there is what I like to call the battery hen syndrome – basically it’s being cooped up in a small environment (eg the forum), so one starts pecking at everything and everyone. Then there are obviously the antagonists (a mixture of trait and situational components) who like to stir, for who knows what reason. Unfortunately, doubt very much things will change as every Tom, Dick and Harry has access to the net and to the forums on it – guess in these instances “netmania” takes on a completely different meaning .

[pnustedt]

I voted no - but as I vote I'm listening to Bob Dylan's "It;s all over now Baby Blue"

and it's late!

[rod_kalashnikov]

 

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

In regards to forums I wouldn’t necessarily say it brings out the worst in people, I’m a right bitch in real life but coming on here gives me a chance to be a nice person just joking. I think more to the fact cyberspace can be a playground for an individual’s alter-ego(s) and the personalities they normally wouldn’t display due to moral, social and legal constraints. Due to the anonymity one has in cyberspace it’s the perfect place to let the demons out. It allows Mr Hyde to run amuck without tarnishing Dr Jekyll’s lofty reputation. Pondering this, one can not help wondering how wide the gap really is between the public and the private persona.

This now leads into the “online” versus “real life” personality discussion. Are all forum users suffering from a “dissociative disorder”? I hope not but there are a few out there . For many there is a splitting of identity between what one usually presents to others in the physical world and what one likes to create in the cyberworld. One is not necessarily less "real" than the other. All are aspects of one's identity, although some may be hidden or unconscious aspects.

Dissociation is a common phenomena in cyberspace. It is a well known fact that people use the internet to express various aspects of their personalities. Some people even go as far as creating a specific online personality. They seem to have the same conscious control over the kind of wish fulfillment that fuels dreams. Interestingly individuals tend to express their shadow self (Jungian terminology for alter-ego) in dreams or other states of consciousness. This is where our anima or animus (equivalent to yin and yang) are kept in balance if not properly done so during waking consciousness – in a way cyberspace is becoming that “new place” (a place to dump our mental garbage ). I remember reading a paper that compared cyberspace to dreaming and the similarities were alarming – the net might be turning into another state of consciousness (very visible at any internet cafe ie all the zombies ).

The above has tended to focus more on the innate traits and qualities of the forum user, but the wording of George’s question is more environmentally / situationally focused ie the environment (cyberspace) brings out the worst in people (someone has a positive outlook – guess we aren’t all inherently bad ). So do people display nastiness due to their environment? Absolutely – the forum is a meeting place (an environment) just like any other and a rather small one that can get rather cramped. Apart from the differing opinions due to background, nationality, gender etc there is what I like to call the battery hen syndrome – basically it’s being cooped up in a small environment (eg the forum), so one starts pecking at everything and everyone. Then there are obviously the antagonists (a mixture of trait and situational components) who like to stir, for who knows what reason. Unfortunately, doubt very much things will change as every Tom, Dick and Harry has access to the net and to the forums on it – guess in these instances “netmania” takes on a completely different meaning .

I can't usually be bothered to read long postings, but that, Nat, was a particularly good one.

[pnustedt]

Me too - after ur recommendaton read the post more thoroughly. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" now playing - getting confused.

Surely people tune in to this site for practical info. Does anyone really care if some anonymous character has one hang up or another?

[Begs]

Try the chatroom to witness some real transformations of Character.

[RDN]

I voted 'no' because I think Cyberspace brings out everything in people's nature - the good, the bad and the ugly (a point made in Nat's long post).

In Forums, I can be helpful and informative (hopefully, in the 'visa' threads) and opinionated (can't think where, but I know I am , in other threads). Sometimes I like to stir things up, and then get flamed. It just depends on how I feel, how many beers I've had, what kind of day I've had.

But some people - like Bluecat - seem to be very consistent in their nature. Maybe he/she will change now he/she's 'angrycat'

[mbkudu]

Change is inevitable; can not be stopped.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

Cyberspace brings out the best in my nature.

On thaivisa I'm a kindly old bugger with a soft heart.

In real life I'm a vicious swastika-tattooed skinhead thug.

I knew that Rod ...

[Pink Mist]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

Cyberspace brings out the best in my nature.

On thaivisa I'm a kindly old bugger with a soft heart.

In real life I'm a vicious swastika-tattooed skinhead thug.

I knew that Rod ...

You are the mystery man Doc, I will never know the true Doc untill he has that beer with me.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

Cyberspace brings out the best in my nature.

On thaivisa I'm a kindly old bugger with a soft heart.

In real life I'm a vicious swastika-tattooed skinhead thug.

I knew that Rod ...

You are the mystery man Doc, I will never know the true Doc untill he has that beer with me.

There's too many buggers out there intent on inflicting punishment upon me Bronco. Can't stand still.

[mbkudu]

I voted no; not sure why.

[Pink Mist]

Does cyberspace bring out the worst in people's nature?

Cyberspace brings out the best in my nature.

On thaivisa I'm a kindly old bugger with a soft heart.

In real life I'm a vicious swastika-tattooed skinhead thug.

I knew that Rod ...

You are the mystery man Doc, I will never know the true Doc untill he has that beer with me.

There's too many buggers out there intent on inflicting punishment upon me Bronco. Can't stand still.

If you had joined me for a beer the most harm inflicted on you would've been a hangover

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A mild shandy on a hot day.

[tuky]

It can bring out the worst in some people, perhaps those predisposed to emotional/psych problems. Porn can broaden ones horizon perhaps leading to more deviant behaviour from the above described individual whereas they may never have had certainly deep and dark parts of their minds opened up without the stimulus eg the transition to child porn.

The perhaps most damaging aspect of cyberspace for me and my (family) life is the many hours spent reading/posting/chatting with you fine folks, other than the destruction of the family unit and personal relationships I think the internet/cyberspace is a constructive tool for learning and reaching out.