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Get over it
Jun. 8th, 2009 05:07 pmPeople say a lot of crappy things to each other on the internet. We have these computer screens as buffers, so we can say the dumbest, meanest, most inconsiderate, careless things to each other and feel a disconnect from our words. But you know what my least favorite of those things is? It's the internet: get over it.
That doesn't make the least amount of sense at all. The internet is a medium through which human beings express themselves and exchange information. The internet is just like the telephone or a letter or a newspaper or, on a more abstract level, art like painting or music. The internet is a conveyance for the idea in my head to get into yours. The medium itself DOES NOT make the message more or less important. You never hear anyone say: "It's just the telephone--get over it!" If I told you a loved one had died over the phone or over the internet, would you hurt less because of the mode I chose to convey that to you? If I use a racial slur to refer to you, does it make you angrier if I say it in a letter than if I tell you on the internet? Why should it?
If you're being a complete asshole, why does the medium through which you display your absolute assholism make any difference at all?
ETA: The post has since been edited, and comments locked. The post USED to read "I'm used to being blunt; it's just my personality. [A bit more I can't recall offhand.] It's the internet, GET OVER IT". That's what spurred the post.
That doesn't make the least amount of sense at all. The internet is a medium through which human beings express themselves and exchange information. The internet is just like the telephone or a letter or a newspaper or, on a more abstract level, art like painting or music. The internet is a conveyance for the idea in my head to get into yours. The medium itself DOES NOT make the message more or less important. You never hear anyone say: "It's just the telephone--get over it!" If I told you a loved one had died over the phone or over the internet, would you hurt less because of the mode I chose to convey that to you? If I use a racial slur to refer to you, does it make you angrier if I say it in a letter than if I tell you on the internet? Why should it?
If you're being a complete asshole, why does the medium through which you display your absolute assholism make any difference at all?
ETA: The post has since been edited, and comments locked. The post USED to read "I'm used to being blunt; it's just my personality. [A bit more I can't recall offhand.] It's the internet, GET OVER IT". That's what spurred the post.
