Ladyhawk on Flame Wars and Internet Forum Psychology

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ladyhawk(1000+ posts)
Tue Apr-07-09 06:45 PM
Original message
Flame wars and Internet forum psychology
   
Edited on Tue Apr-07-09 06:49 PM by Ladyhawk
I've done a lot of thinking about behavior on Internet forums. I think there are differences between the way people act on an anonymous Internet forum and the way they act in face-to-face discussions. I'm actually so appalled by the behavior of people on Internet forums that it is starting to make me physically ill. Yet I still participate. (Maybe that's something to investigate another time.) I'm getting to the point where I hate Internet forums and what they do to people, especially Internet forums that deal with important topics like politics, religion and sex.

I believe Internet forum behavior is so bizarre and so different from normal day-to-day interaction, it deserves an in-depth psychological study. I don't have the training to conduct such a study, but someone with the knowledge and resources definitely should. The Internet has great power, but the strange behavior it engenders scares me half to death.

I've come up with some broad hypotheses that seek to explain nasty Internet behavior. Some of them echo what others have said, but here's the gist:

1. Internet anonymity makes it easier for a person to act like an ass, which begs the question: Is the forum poster a good person who only acts like an ass due to anonymity or is he/she an ass who behaves better in non-anonymous situations? Or is there a better question to ask?

2. A large percentage of human interpersonal communication is non-verbal. Written communication cannot carry as much information about the intention of the forum poster. That's why we rely on emoticons, which still cannot convey non-verbal communication. A lot of what a poster is trying to say gets lost and the threads quickly devolve into flame wars.

3. Everyone is pissed about the state of the world and comes to DU in a really bad mood. Certain threads in which most people agree on a particular subject tend to function as "mob mentality." Person A is pissed about giving money to rich people (bailouts), so Person B gets even more angry, which in turn increases the anger in person C. Pretty soon, everyone is feeding off each other's anger. Now these same people go into another thread where they disagree and all the built-up anger explodes. Boom! Flame war.

I think I had more hypotheses stuffed someplace in my brain, but these were the only three that came easily to mind. Honestly, I think this phenomenon needs to be addressed. Does the Internet have to be a place where our baser natures manifest? Maybe not. Maybe something can be done.

My favorite comment thus far:

leftstreet (1000+ posts)
Tue Apr-07-09 06:50 PM
Response to Original message
3. DU sorta disproves your theory
   
There aren't many 'flame wars' here.

Only occasionally do you see locked threads.

I don't get your point.

 

[Lord Undies]

I disagree.  I think internet people are exactly who they are. 

[lastparker]

Yay!!!!  Ladyhawk is back!!!! I have missed her so.

[franksolich]

Yay!!!!  Ladyhawk is back!!!! I have missed her so.

Uh-huh.

The bobbling primitive (the "bobbolink" primitive) has been absent for a while, and also the subway cat and the phalloscraping primitive.

[Chris]

First week of the month.  Maybe they're away for "therapy".

[happy1ga]

The bobbling primitive (the "bobbolink" primitive) has been absent for a while, and also the subway cat and the phalloscraping primitive.

Do I dare ask what a "phalloscraping primative is? Or which one it is?

As for are the people the same on the net off as they are on? I think most are, for the large part, but some people lie like rugs. I have actually made people angry because I am very open about myself on the net. I have had people act like I was a dumb 13 y old that was going to get stalking at the mall by the guy I was talking to on some site. I have told ya'll about my previous life with the ex-hubby I had, my life then would have made a whole Lifetime movie miniseries. After being stalked and nearly dying several times, (no, that really isn't an exaggeration), I don't worry about this stuff anymore. Of course, I am very, very fortunate to live in a guarded and gated community, which is attached to a large winery and resort, so it has great security, and I have a nice home security system. The .44 I carry at all times is just my last resort. I guess my point is, If I can't be myself, be honest and open about myself, then I had just rather not even bother even talking to anyone online.

lmodified by franksolich to correct formatting; sorry for the inconvenience

[franksolich]

Do I dare ask what a "phalloscraping primative is? Or which one it is?

The phalloscraping primitive is the "Philoraptor" primitive, once known as the "MoPaul" primitive.

The phalloscraping primitive was, unfortunately, one of the last victims of polio, just before the vaccine was developed.  The phalloscraping primitive is in his very late 50s, almost 60.  The phalloscraping primitive has been on social security disability nearly all his life, and thus has that "entitlement" mentality; the attitude that his problems are everybody else's faults.  The phalloscraping primitive plays in a band, and has the biggest posterior possible on a male.

The phalloscraping primitive has a history of calling for the assassination of George Bush; he might, or might not, have been the reason the Secret Service paid at least one call on the executive offices of Skins's island about three years ago.  If so, the threats were perhaps filed away because the phalloscraping primitive is just an impotent drug-addled idiot, not capable of hurting anybody.

It's very sad the phalloscraping primitive has had to deal with a debilitating physical condition most of his life, but one remains mystified as to why the phalloscraping primitive thinks anger, rage, resentment, and Hate can ameliorate his predicament.

[BlueStateSaint]

The phalloscraping primitive is the "Philoraptor" primitive, once known as the "MoPaul" primitive.

The phalloscraping primitive was, unfortunately, one of the last victims of polio, just before the vaccine was developed.  The phalloscraping primitive is in his very late 50s, almost 60.  The phalloscraping primitive has been on social security disability nearly all his life, and thus has that "entitlement" mentality; the attitude that his problems are everybody else's faults.  The phalloscraping primitive plays in a band, and has the biggest posterior possible on a male.

The phalloscraping primitive has a history of calling for the assassination of George Bush; he might, or might not, have been the reason the Secret Service paid at least one call on the executive offices of Skins's island about three years ago.  If so, the threats were perhaps filed away because the phalloscraping primitive is just an impotent drug-addled idiot, not capable of hurting anybody.

It's very sad the phalloscraping primitive has had to deal with a debilitating physical condition most of his life, but one remains mystified as to why the phalloscraping primitive thinks anger, rage, resentment, and Hate can ameliorate his predicament.

Coach, it all boils down to this . . . They're not happy unless they're not happy, and spreading their unhappiness.  If they can spread their unhappiness to enough people, maybe said recipients of their blast of unhappiness will join them, and look to the primitives as their leaders.

[The Village Idiot]

oscra, its theping primitive thinks anger, rage, resentment, and Hate

they don't deal with reality very well, its their enemy

[happy1ga]

The phalloscraping primitive was, unfortunately, one of the last victims of polio, just before the vaccine was developed.  The phalloscraping primitive is in his very late 50s, almost 60.  The phalloscraping primitive has been on social security disability nearly all his life,

My b-i-l is exactly like this, but that is where the similarities end. He has tried to work, and did for about 20 yrs, walking a lot, but it got to the point where he couldn't. He refuses to feel sorry for himself, there's the diff. And I do feel for these people like that, I do. But there is a point where you have to want to be happy,(that's where my s/n name comes from, I chose it over the bad), and these people, some more than others, choose not to. Sounds as if the phalloscraper just likes the wallowing in self-pity and the unity of wallowing with others of the same mindset. He wanted to off W, huh? And got interest from SS? Imagine that! Nutty bastard.

lmodified by franksolich to correct formatting; sorry for the inconvenience

Oops, sorry. I am not used to using the quote feature. I will try to do better.