Why are people such jerks on the internet?

[Shanks 10,816]

Because some people are complete and total cowards who don't have the guts to say something to peoples faces so they hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen like a little bitch so they can spew insults to people to project their own insecurities onto others. People do this is real life to by talking behind peoples backs and starting rumors, I went through that shit in high school because people knew that if they said something in front of my face that I would shove my fist down their throat. I am not saying that is the answer but I towered over most of my fellow students and had one nasty temper back then.

[Bright Honor 2,671]

Pretty much what everyone else says. On the internet, your just anonymous and people think you can say whatever you want without consequence. I'm disheartened by people who act like jerks just to be that way. Being nice is not hard.

Edited December 1, 2013 by Bright Honor

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

People believe that they can get away with anything they say on the internet...well, not everything, especially on these forums here. 

[Wayzer 1,418]

Because some people react to complete anonymity and feeling secure you can do and say whatever you without repercussions or real-world consequences very badly. The temptation to turn loose you're inner asshole can be a powerful thing.

Yeah I understand what you mean but I can't see what's so tempting about being an asshole.

It's so much more fun to make somebody happy then it is to make somebody feel bad. What are you helping the world with by making people feel insecure or unsure or just bad about themselves. I really don't understand what's wrong with those people.

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

Yeah I understand what you mean but I can't see what's so tempting about being an asshole.

It's so much more fun to make somebody happy then it is to make somebody feel bad. What are you helping the world with by making people feel insecure or unsure or just bad about themselves. I really don't understand what's wrong with those people.

 

Everyone has a dark side, it's just that some people have more self-control over it than others.

[Mutemutt 773]

Um, I actually see plenty of comment sections devoid of hateful, insulting comments and even when one pops up it usually gets buried amongst all the other commenters except for the ones with a need to feed trolls. Honestly, I think this is being blown way out of proportion. 

 

Yeah, some people act like assholes online for one reason or another (anonymity, they're just jerks in general, having a bad day; so on, so forth), but most don't (well, except for when you're playing GTA V online or something like that...). I don't know if some people are just hate magnets or if I'm just really lucky...

[SC_coolguy44 32]

I would rather if people are nice irl, they should be nice on the internet as well, even if it's considered more 'fun' for them to be total assholes on the internet. That's a way I'd like to see it, but unfortunately it can't be like that. The internet is the internet and we all have to accept the reality and live with it being like that.

[789456123 23]

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Edited September 26, 2018 by Infrared
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[King Sejong 859]

   I feel that the internet is perfect for cowards, that would love to troll and bully, but not have the stomach to troll in person. It is also a great way for the troll to make an hit and run insult, and not expect consequences and repercussions for their ignominious raving, because the internet is anonymous, and with so many people on the internet, the bully can ambush anyone, any time, anywhere in the world. I would not pay them any attention; I would not believe anything they rant about; nor would I blame whole nations because of one troll, as people say on the internet don't feed the trolls.    

[Cygnus 60]

I'm more curious about why religious and political arguments continue to take place online without any new information. It's almost like a form of masochism where all participants know nobody is going to win or change their mind, but they must fight for the glory of their side of the debate.

 

Watching people do this, I can only marvel at how much it's like beating your head against a brick wall before I go off to get something done. An hour of petty squabbling is an hour during which my kitchen wasn't cleaned, my friends weren't visited, and my short story wasn't written.

Edited December 1, 2013 by Cygnus

[Hypn0ticD 1,213]

Gears of Halo Duty V along with every other poster here pretty much hit the nail on the head. The anonymity the internet gives people free license to say whatever they want to whomever they want and suffer no negative repercussions. Sadly, that's also what makes it so ubiquitous.

[Gone Airbourne 21,977]

Such is life funny isn't it? 

 

But you know I totally agree with you on every aspect there. Just be that kind of a person one who is kind to others and understanding. Let those who choose to be mean do what they do it will come back to them in the long run. Plus that is just how this world is and how people out there are nothing you will ever do will stop that. But I do agree with you and wonder all the time why people in the world are like that.... But with that being said I'm just going to say just stay the way you are no need to let others change who you are. 

[DokiLoki 519]

I think the main reason why people even act like jerks on the internet is because they've been upset by other internet jerks too or if they just find teasing people ''funny''.

Its not fair to me overall that people are treated like this. 

I love your reasoning points too.

[Malinter 3,064]

its the anonymity. Pretty sure folks would be nowhere near as vile as they can be if everyone can see there real names and faces and where they live. They'd risk the same retribution and conscequences they would expect if they had said it to the person's face. 

[Iron Shield 88]

Why are people jerks on the internet?

 

There is probably a variety of reasons, trying to compensate for something, thin-skinned, anger problems, imagined slights, some people just want to watch the world burn, narrow minded in their opinions, only had a bad day, never got hugged as a child, daddy issues, controlling and so on.

 

And of course it's easier to do things on the internet and it makes yourself feel good... but only for a bit anyway I should add.

[SharpWit 2,669]

(Sarcasm) well, why do you ask such stupid questions?

[CloudFyre 848]

People feel a need to exert authority/anger/frustrations/etc. that they can't do in real life. Thus, the Internet is an anonymous alternative that has no significant consequences for actions. It's unfortunate, but true.

And while we're at it, your mom

...is a genuinely nice person.

 

Edited December 2, 2013 by CloudFyre

[Derpaholic 1,155]

I thought this was self-explanatory.
People are jerks on the internet because they can get away with it.
Inside each and every one of us resides a larger-than-life douchebag that just *begs* to be released from the bonds of decency, and the internet offers the perfect opportunity for us to let that inner douchebag loose from time to time.
Of course, there are people who just seek to alleviate their own feelings of unbearable emptiness and misery, and tear random strangers apart online in order to at least temporarily feel good about themselves. 
Whatever the case may be, all of us have had our assholey moments online at one time or another.

Don't you even try to deny that.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Just because you can be anonymous isn't a good reason to be an asshole. I still try to be a nice person towards people on the internet, even if I disagree with them about something. The only time I would be rude to someone is if they are being an asshole to me first.

 

Problem with a lot of people, there's no immediacy of a person being there.  It's just text on a screen, text that you can distance yourself from whenever you want.  Because of that, there's less of a sense that they are talking to a real person.  Me, I realize that when I write this, I write this with the understanding that I am responding to a person with real feelings, so therefore I speak to you with some level of respect. 

 

Also, there's no sense of engagement.  Me, I consider a place like MLP forums a place to hang out and talk with people I like.  But for these assholes, forums like this or any other (or even facebook, youtube, etc.) are a place where they could mess with people for a while and move on.  They don't care about the destruction they cause because the place and the people there mean nothing to them. 

 

In short, none of this is really "real" to them.  Which is kind of a sad and socially destructive way to go through life, not caring that there is a face behind every post.

[Sweet Dreams 1,893]

People usually act like jerks on the internet because they know they wouldn't have the guts to say the things they say out loud. Generally people like that are trying to make up for their lack of ability to stand up for themselves by attacking people with different opinions that they think could be exaggerated and used to hurt people.

Other people just think they're better than the 'random losers' on the internet, and they find humour in making others upset. I guess there awesome pretty sick people out there.

[Thrashy 2,800]

Anonymity definitely acts as the basis for why people think they can get away with saying anything online. It's not a good reason to act this way, but for many, that's all the reason they need.

 

In terms of why people online tend to overreact to differences of opinion, I'm guessing it's because people have a hard time dissociating themselves from the things they enjoy. For some people, if you say CoD sucks - and they happen to really, really, realllllllly like CoD - it amounts to telling them that they suck as a person simply for liking it...at least, that's what it amounts to in their mind. Realistically, that's not true in the slightest. I, for one, loathe FPS games, reality TV, dance music, the doge meme, and many other things in this world. Does this mean I necessarily hate anyone who enjoys any of that? A lot of people seem to think so, hence why you can't express such an opinion on the Internet without someone flipping their shit. It's just a sad fact of the web that it seems we're doomed to try and live with.

 

...I will say, however, that some people who express their opinions could definitely make a better job of it. After all, is it not at least somewhat understandable when some Nintendo fanboy freaks out and tells you to kill yourself because you said something like "Zelda is shit?" It's a valid opinion, sure. And it's your right to hold that opinion, sure. But unless you bother explaining why you think that way, it's not a worthwhile opinion; unless one can present a well-reasoned opinion that's worth listening to, one should really just STFU...IMHO, of course.

[qwertyuiop 28]

how i act on forums/reddit/tf2/whatever is how i act in real life.

 

people do most of the things they do because of near anonymity.

simple as that really.

[Koelath 445]

There are three ways to determine a person's character:

 

1) Give them power.

 

2) Observe how they treat their inferiors.

 

3) Give them anonymity.

 

 

Personally, I encourage it. A person fearing no consequence is a person who lacks any reason for dishonesty or falsehood.

[Rainbow Pusheen 1]

Because, they probably just want to start something or starving for attention....

Edited December 2, 2013 by Rainbow Pusheen

[ded 121]

People like to hide behind their little computer screens, thinking they're safe and better than everyone else.