The Internet: Serious Business - Page 2

On August 21 2008 14:23 UmmTheHobo wrote:


True that.

On August 21 2008 17:28 BottleAbuser wrote:
Why not take the internet seriously?

In terms of being open, honest, consistent, and polite? Because there's little incentive. People you live with, you'll be pleasanter around because they affect your life. People who won't know what screen name you'll be using tomorrow, you really don't care one way or another. So it's not a big wonder why people are less "serious" on the internet.

People you happen to see in real life also - how do you treat them? It's not unheard of for people to shout random insults at other people whom they never expect to interact with again.

There's also the expectation of reciprocation - or rather, lack thereof. Johnny spends half an hour thinking out what to say, pouring his soul into writing a quality post. Jim spends 3 seconds to decide that Johnny's post is too long to be bothered to read, and simply replies "you're a fag." Johnny is less likely to spend time thinking about his posts next time. Sure, it could happen in the opposite direction, but it's less likely to, because it's so much easier to just say "you're a fag."

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On August 21 2008 23:28 Hawk wrote:

Internet is an escape from the daily grind of life. I don't come here to be serious. I come here to blow off steam, entertain myself and pass some time. Being relatively anonymous on the internet is what makes it so great. I'm serious from 9-6 and then in class after. There's no need for that here.

On August 21 2008 16:18 KlaCkoN wrote:
Well because if everyone treated the internet as serious as real life the internet would in fact not be very different from real life, sort of removing the point of hanging out here?