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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 07:27 AM Jul 2012

Why Is Everyone on the Internet So Angry?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-is-everyone-on-the-internet-so-angry

With a presidential campaign, health care and the gun control debate in the news these days, one can't help getting sucked into the flame wars that are Internet comment threads. But psychologists say this addictive form of vitriolic back and forth should be avoided — or simply censored by online media outlets — because it actually damages society and mental health.

These days, online comments "are extraordinarily aggressive, without resolving anything," said Art Markman, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. "At the end of it you can't possibly feel like anybody heard you. Having a strong emotional experience that doesn't resolve itself in any healthy way can't be a good thing."

If it's so unsatisfying and unhealthy, why do we do it?

A perfect storm of factors come together to engender the rudeness and aggression seen in the comments' sections of Web pages, Markman said. First, commenters are often virtually anonymous, and thus, unaccountable for their rudeness. Second, they are at a distance from the target of their anger — be it the article they're commenting on or another comment on that article — and people tend to antagonize distant abstractions more easily than living, breathing interlocutors. Third, it's easier to be nasty in writing than in speech, hence the now somewhat outmoded practice of leaving angry notes (back when people used paper), Markman said. [Infographic: A Typical Day on the Internet]
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Why Is Everyone on the Internet So Angry? (Original Post) xchrom Jul 2012 OP
Bite me taterguy Jul 2012 #1
Fuck Off, Hitler! xchrom Jul 2012 #4
LOL! OneGrassRoot Jul 2012 #17
Haw! Curtland1015 Jul 2012 #6
Why should the internet be different from real life? nt bemildred Jul 2012 #2
IMO Mr Dixon Jul 2012 #3
Agreed. Curtland1015 Jul 2012 #5
I agree, but I think some people are influenced by the incivility of talk radio/political TV shows deutsey Jul 2012 #15
good article... agree. nt seabeyond Jul 2012 #7
people not on the internet are angry too ThomThom Jul 2012 #8
If it comes out of the mouth of most polititions it's a lie..Simple Meg_Griffin_1 Jul 2012 #9
yes lots of lies ThomThom Jul 2012 #11
Another factor -- very few comment KurtNYC Jul 2012 #10
We see it everyday on DU. Le Taz Hot Jul 2012 #12
Yes, that's how I see it too. GliderGuider Jul 2012 #16
How dare you insinuate I'm angry!! Lint Head Jul 2012 #13
Ermm.. ananda Jul 2012 #14
Have you looked at the real world lately? 99Forever Jul 2012 #18

Curtland1015

(4,404 posts)
5. Agreed.
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 07:56 AM
Jul 2012

The e-warriors of the world say all the racist, bigoted, and/or just plain MEAN things on the internet that they would never DREAM of saying to a person in the same room as them.

It's the new extension of people screaming at you from inside their car.

deutsey

(20,166 posts)
15. I agree, but I think some people are influenced by the incivility of talk radio/political TV shows
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 09:40 AM
Jul 2012

as well.

ThomThom

(1,486 posts)
8. people not on the internet are angry too
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 08:44 AM
Jul 2012

most people are not pleased with the way things are going
some just don't know who is responsible
and who is lying

KurtNYC

(14,549 posts)
10. Another factor -- very few comment
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 08:52 AM
Jul 2012

Statistically on YouTube there is one comment for every 1000 views. So 999 people did not leave a comment at all.

On DU there are about 1 comment for every 40 page views. So it stands to reason that only those with strong feelings or opinions are motivated to comment. A thread on DU that people disagree with will get more comments than one with which they do. A story about how some DUer overheard or had a clever conversation with a Freeper/RWer/Tea bag gets very few comments but lots of recs.

My theory: People who disagree with the OP, the video or other comments are the ones most likely to comment and their comments are therefore not likely to be gentle. It is the worst on YouTube and the comments seem to be disproportionately from young males.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
12. We see it everyday on DU.
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 08:59 AM
Jul 2012

People so entrenched in their belief system that they've wrapped up their egos in them and demonize anyone and anything that goes against that belief system.

It's an amazing and tragic thing to watch. And the thing is -- few on this board or anywhere else will recognize themselves in the article's narrative.

 

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)
16. Yes, that's how I see it too.
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 09:45 AM
Jul 2012

I've made it a part of my daily practice to watch my reactions come up as I read messages on DU, then deliberately step back and see the emotion as just another "thing" appearing in my field of perception. My feelings aren't "me", any more than my fingernails or a fact I learn from a book. This "stepping back" gives the wave of emotion time to roll by, and keeps my fingers off the keyboard long enough that I don't add to the feedback loops.

I have found that over time this has helped me respond to posts with more kindness and empathy rather than anger and self-righteousness, more from compassion than inner pain. It's still a work in progress, but at least I'm seeing progress. Who knew that posting on DU could turn into a self-awareness exercise?

Lint Head

(15,064 posts)
13. How dare you insinuate I'm angry!!
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 09:29 AM
Jul 2012

When someone accuses me of being angry it makes me angry. Now I need to feed my angry angry Hippo and clean my angry bird cage.

ananda

(28,782 posts)
14. Ermm..
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 09:33 AM
Jul 2012

Online comments are to blame for damaging society and mental health?

You know what. This sounds like yet another attempt to deflect blame
from the incessant violence and abusive language young people are
surrounded with as they grow up in order to foster an excuse for
internet tiering and censorship. Ugh.

99Forever

(14,524 posts)
18. Have you looked at the real world lately?
Thu Jul 26, 2012, 10:43 AM
Jul 2012

I mean beyond your own life? Some of us are dealing with some REALLY tough situations and getting ZERO FUCKING help from a system we worked hard, paid into our entire life. It's a little easier to live happy happy joy joy when you've got a job that affords you hose luxury items like a home, food and medical care. I see Mittens isn't the only one out of touch.

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