Fuck You Die in a Fire: Bill Maher on internet hate

[arely staircase]

funny shit

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Some deadly serious biting commentary in the midst of the alleged humor.

I think Maher is exactly on target with his observations about the loss of hope endemic in the (formerly) working classes and the resulting explosive hate. If only all that rage could be channeled into constructive action…

[arely staircase]

2. I think to some extent it is true

however, I really think the ability to anonymously say whatever one wants to a wide audience has given a platform to nuts who have always been around. Look at youtube comments and how many of them are holocaust deniers (especially, god forbid you want to watch a WWII documentary). I don't think that such people really exist in that proportion to the population as a whole.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Sure, some have come out of the woodwork. But

others are being created, and in greater proportion than in the past, by the pairing of learned helplessness in the public at large and a vitriolic level of expression in the media, particularly (but hardly exclusively) the Fox/Rush/Liddy/Beck axis.

People are realizing that they're trapped, and they are lashing out at the victims put in front of them by the cynical messengers of the Overlords.

In somewhat similar circumstances in Germany in 1933, after 15 years of economic and cultural devastation following WWI, it was the Jews, the gypsies, the socialists who were singled out as the Enemy and the cause of the unrelenting misery.

Give it a few years--or even a few months if the Republicans smash us against the debt ceiling--and our own situation could be ripening toward a similar outcome.

[frazzled]

4. Happened to me right here on DU

One of this site's most prominent posters sent me a private message that went something to the effect: "I hope you die, bitch." (I think it was worse that that. Maybe: "You deserve to die, bitch"; I've blocked the exact words from my mind.) Though it was probably the result of heavy drinking, it truly creeped me out so much that I didn't come back to this site for nearly five years. I mean, I didn't even lurk to read. I unbookmarked it. I think it was the primaries for the 2008 elections that made me come back to see what people were saying. And since I've come back, I've vowed never to start a thread of my own. (A few minor exceptions.)

I never did or said anything to deserve that kind of hatred. I'm a really nonthreatening, relatively meek, and small, person. I will never forget the frightening moment of opening that ugly and hurtful message. And though I'm back, I will never respond to a thread that person posts. My silence is my protest.

[otohara]

5. This Makes Me Sad

I thought we were better than them.

[arely staircase]

6. i hope you informed admins

skinner would have run them off for that

[Brickbat]

7. Is that poster seriously still around? There's a sad, disturbed individual who starts up accounts

only to be able to send rambling, bizarre PMs about how the recipient should die. Death Threat Guy has been banned and has resprouted many times. If someone sent you a PM with a threat in it, you need to report it. That person doesn't belong here.

[arely staircase]

9. what were the past handles?

I have heard of the "death threat guy." but was never sure who people were talking about. you can PM me if you want. Just don't threaten me.

[Brickbat]

11. Never stays around long enough to make a noticeable public impact. Just lots of "yeahs" or "I agree"

until he has enough posts to send PMs. They seem to be random, not really connected to anything the recipients post. If you google "Death Threat Guy" on DU you'll find a lot of references to him.

[pscot]

8. I would have taken it to the admins

Nobody has the right to do that to you.

[freshwest]

10. Sorry about that frazzled, I wasn't even here at that time, but I know how it feels. At times, it's

felt like leaving DU for one's own physical and mental health is the right thing to do.

I avoid making OPs, although people often ask me to make OPs of replies, I tell them to do it for me as I rub certain people the wrong way, no matter how hard I try to understand their point of view.

I am glad you came back, just use the Ignore function when people are abusive or dishonest. I don't put people on Ignore just because they call me things or curse me out, as has happened or they dump on a comment with something that has nothing to do with the topic. Just sort of pick their person to take a dump on and I'm it.

I do put people on Ignore who I see trashing other DUers or going on the attack or writing such things as that. I don't listen to those who make threads to try to insult those who use the Ignore feature. I am not here to act as toilet paper for anyone.

I have gotten some ugly emails and I don't really know what to expect when I check my Inbox. Be sure to block the person who wrote that to you from sending you mail.

Just take good care of yourself.

[colsohlibgal]

12. I'm Glad Bill Addressed This

It's out of control. I even see it in responses to newspaper columnists writing of even mundane things. It's not enough for then to disagree, they gave to go after the person in a vile and often profane way, trying to demean them big time.

I do know what a trained psychologist or psychiatrist would say - you put down others to make you feel better about yourself.