Is The Internet Meaner Today Than It Was 10 Years Ago?

[Lightbringer]

Saw something in another thread this morning, thought I'd ask about it. You've read the title so is the Internet meaner? The comment I read was specifically about this board but most people weren't here 10 years ago so I broadened it to the Internet in general.

I think it is meaner but I think that's because our society is meaner than it was 10 years and far less tolerant than it was 20 years ago. I also think there are some other things happening but this is enough to kick it off.

[Irish Exit]

Nope, it is just freer. People are too sensitive and a great many of the people offended are hypocrites who think they can be hateful and nobody else should be able to be hateful back to them.

[Lightbringer]

Nope, it is just freer. People are too sensitive and a great many of the people offended are hypocrites who think they can be hateful and nobody else should be able to be hateful back to them.

That's one of the other things I think is happening. Some people are not used to being talked back to.

[Frank Apisa]

Nope, it is just freer. People are too sensitive and a great many of the people offended are hypocrites who think they can be hateful and nobody else should be able to be hateful back to them.

This is one of those moments of agreement, Kacper.

I've been posting on the Internet for over two decades...and there was plenty of "meanness" as far back as I can remember. I was lucky in that I started on a site that discouraged (by rules) lots of the stuff that goes on in THIS forum...but the meanspiritedness was there.

At this site, we are allowed lots of freedom to express ourselves in ways that other fora do not allow.

I think it is a great idea...and if "hatefulness" or "being mean" crops up...so be it. We are adults...and should he able to handle it. Those who are thin skinned probably should find a more closely moderated forum in which to post.

[PostmodernProphet]

ten years ago I was at a board far more vitriolic than this one......

[Lightbringer]

ten years ago I was at a board far more vitriolic than this one......

10 years ago I was posting on USMB, I think that place was calmer than this place.

[Irish Exit]

10 years ago I was posting on USMB, I think that place was calmer than this place.

They were an OK site until Stormfront got shut down for awhile and the place became overrun with their flotsam

[Lightbringer]

They were an OK site until Stormfront got shut down for awhile and the place became overrun with their flotsam

That happened after I stopped posting there. Jim has another site now but it's not the same, it's a hardcore conservative echo chamber.

[Lightbringer]

....and Go Screw Yourself pulls into the lead. What a shock.

[PostmodernProphet]

They were an OK site until Stormfront got shut down for awhile and the place became overrun with their flotsam

we had the same problem with amazon.....

[Irish Exit]

we had the same problem with amazon.....

A lot of sites really took a hit when that happened. Seemed like SF astroturfed every political site until well after they finally rebooted.

[Irish Exit]

ten years ago I was at a board far more vitriolic than this one......

And I banned you, bitch

j/k

I hated being a mod at a site that actually tried to impose civility and prevent hurt feelings. I eventually sent a PM to the owner saying no more and never returned to the site even to see their response. It was hours of responding to PM's every day about how horrible I was for allowing X to say Y to Z and Z not being allowed to say Q to V.

[PostmodernProphet]

And I banned you, bitch

j/k

I hated being a mod at a site that actually tried to impose civility and prevent hurt feelings. I eventually sent a PM to the owner saying no more and never returned to the site even to see their response. It was hours of responding to PM's every day about how horrible I was for allowing X to say Y to Z and Z not being allowed to say Q to V.

That board, which was actually European, melted......didn't leave under a ban......

[Irish Exit]

That board, which was actually European, melted......didn't leave under a ban......

Are you talking about that stupid site than infracts you for one sentence responses? I forget its name but a lot of my posts were like, "Yes. This is obligatory Sentence 2. This is Obligatory Sentence 3."

The site I was at doesn't exist any more but was more world politics oriented which is really where my political interests are. The American crybabies were the ones that caused me to throw my hands in the air and walk away.

[PostmodernProphet]

Are you talking about that stupid site than infracts you for one sentence responses? I forget its name but a lot of my posts were like, "Yes. This is obligatory Sentence 2. This is Obligatory Sentence 3."

The site I was at doesn't exist any more but was more world politics oriented which is really where my political interests are. The American crybabies were the ones that caused me to throw my hands in the air and walk away.

no....the site I am talking about has been gone for ten years.....