Sunday, November 7, 2010
Anonymity? Does it really matter?
I feel as though we have all been discussing a lot of what has been going on with emails, texts, etc. And last class, to me at least, really hit home. We talked about cyberbullying and the drastic effects it sometimes can have on an individuals life. This kills me! I have been cyberbullied before, as you all know, and I realize because of my personality and the person I am, it didn't really effect me too much. I mean sure I cried and was hurt and really upset about it because I thought these people were my friends, but I didn't think it was bad enough to take my own life. I wanted to see what you all thought about this recent trend of cyberbullying. The guy at Rutgers knew that it was his roommate who was posting details of his intimate life, and I knew the people posting the bad things about me. Do you think that has something to do with the severity of the situation? Do you think it would have made a difference if it had been a stranger? We always talk about how having a sense of anonymity can allow a person to feel as though they can do whatever they want because no one will find out, but is that really true? I don't think so. I think that being online is and has its own way of being anonymous. Meaning, by just being online, you can be a different person. Take me for example, my blog has a picture of me, and is by me, but it is by a much more open person, than who I am in "real life." I even just used the word "real life" which would make online a "fake life." I believe that being online, in any situation, because everything is so public and accessible, that it becomes this alternate you. Does that make sense? I really want your opinions on this. I knew who the people were who said the bad things about me, and yet it was different. In "real life" they talked to me and acted like they loved me, but then they got together on this "online (fake) life" and were completely cruel and acted the opposite. Why do you think that is?
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I definitely think that having some sort of contact with people in real life who are bullying you online can have an impact on how you handle the situation. Like in your case, the people were almost being two-faced because they were nice in person but mean online. In the case of the Rutger's student, the fact that everyone around him in real life knew was probably causing more stress than the fact that strangers knew. When you are bullied online, it may hurt your feelings, but I feel like it would be easier to get over it if you had no idea who it was and never came into contact with them in real life. I think you bring up a good point here...maybe it's the interaction of cyberbullying and real life that is what causes the most severe problems.
ReplyDeleteI really think it has a lot to do with the fact that it is so much easier to bully someone while sitting behind your computer screen. You don't have to see the pain or sadness come across the person's face when they hear the comments or watch them tear up after being insulted. In that respect I think anonymity is important. And it's probably partially the reason people are extra ruthless online. It seems like it was a factor in your case at least. Those people had things to say about you, but honestly didn't have the balls to say them to your face. I kind of think cyberbullying is even more cowardly than 'real-life' bullying. Not that any bullying is good or respectable... but cyberbullying is kind of a new low.
ReplyDelete>> I even just used the word "real life" which would make online a "fake life."
ReplyDeleteisn't it though? if you don't act like your real self on the internet how can it be compared equally? personally i think people take the internet way to seriously, as stated in my very first entry. that said, it makes it so easy for people to be absolutely horrid to others, even people they don't know.
freshman year there were two guys that lived next to me, and pretty early into the year they made it clear that they weren't compatible. one of the guys turned out to be a real jerk and did some pretty bad things to his roommate, such as peeling off the paint above his bed with duct tape so he would have to pay for it, putting crushed peppermint patties in his bed, unplugging his computer (desktop) and putting a virus on it. he also reversed the peepholes on several of the doors in the hall, threw snow on people that were taking showers, etc.
he took his bullying to the internet after this and created a fake facebook page for his roommate's grandmother and adding all of his friends. the page seemed legit at first and a lot of his friends accepted, only to read about how her hobbies were "eating mothballs" and other nonsense and poems like "roses are red, violets are blue", something about "spreading my legs just for you". needless to say the roommate was very upset and had to use my computer to try to find out what was going on because his had a virus. he called all his friends that accepted and told them what was going on and it caused him a lot of grief. the worst part was his roommate posted his contact information on some website and he started receiving hate mails and phone calls with death threats..
he was a little clueless in determining who was behind it, but after a little sleuthing realized his roommate had been terrorizing him for the whole year.