Does anyone else get annoyed with the term "hump day" ? It's always so misleading. ;)
For anyone that is new to this show, I work in technical support. I spend all night helping people with internet issues. I have been doing this job for over 10 years and up until recently I spent my time on the phones. Now most of the time I do support via online chat, so I can help 4 people at a time. And no, I do not get paid 4 times my wages as I now do four times the work. But that is not what I am going to bitch about today.
One of the many observations I have made since transitioning to an online support system is the anonymity that comes from chatting seems to give people a set of brass cyber balls the size of Texas. I have experienced a new level of rude and abusive behavior never before experienced in a phone conversation. Now I understand the frustration that comes when a service is not working correctly, but I've never understood how someone can have a complete lack of human decency.
This "cyber balls" phenomenon is not limited to technical support. Over the years I have been known to play an online game or two ::cough:: Geek! ::cough:: And I have observed many a "fight" online. People will fight and argue about anything and everything. Knowing that most of these people are prepubescent teenage boys sitting in their stank rooms hiding from the real world it amazes me the gall they muster. These kids would cower in a face to face confrontation, so what magical powers does the internet provide that makes these people invincible? And does it really matter who is more of a "newb" than the other?
I'm undecided as to what makes less sense, the people that decide to fight online or the people that let these online abuses affect them. I'm sure you've all heard about that gal that committed suicide because she was being bullied on MySpace. I'm sure there were other influences and issues leading to this drastic end, but really how can a person get so worked up over comments made on the internet. What happened to "sticks and stones...."?
Some of you may have even participated in an online "fight". What was it that made you feel so omnipotent that you disregarded another human beings feelings? Or for you "victims", what was it that made these comments from some random stranger hurt you? Maybe it is my over abundance of self confidence, or maybe it is my total lack of value applied to the opinions of all the inferior creatures found in cyber space, but I really don't understand why people fight online. Of course I'm not talking about a logical debate where valuable ideas and insights are exchanged, I'm talking about the petty personal attacks. "you're ugly and stupid!" "No, you're the ugly one and your mom smells like cheese!"
I once had a customer that was so upset that his service was disconnected because he hadn't paid his bill for several months. After using every swear word ever invented he became so desperate for an insult that he called me a "melon headed whale shark!" and then quickly left the chat. I cried myself to sleep that night.....
This topic reminds me of one of my favorite unpolitcally correct motivational posters: "Fighting on the internet is like competing in the special Olympics. Even if you 'win' you're still retarded."
Cya in 7
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LOL KG!!! Yeah we have experienced the online fighting too . . . it's kinda funny. I actually laughed out loud at your "does it really matter who is more of a newb" querry. My theory is that the internet removes ALL aspects of humanity from communication. At least over the phone you are talking to a person and hearing their voice and vice versa. Not so on the internet. Words magically appear on your screen and black & white characters on a screen are totally detatched from meaning other than the values we have assigned to them. That's my thinking as to why it happens . . . as for why some people allow it to effect them so adversely, I don't have a clue.
ReplyDeletelol! Oh my gosh.. this weeks post rocks. You melon headed whale shark.. ((what??)) That is my new favorite insult of all time.
ReplyDeleteIn your rant you wonder why people are affected by things that happen online. And why someone would be so upset over something that they would even take their own life. Since this seems to be a sincere inquiry I will respond. Some people were born with something called a sensitivity gene. I know you don't have one at all, hence the post you wrote a while back about being a prick. I'm kidding of course. But some people are honestly just more sensitive than others and prone to take things more personally. Women in general are more sensitive than men just as men are less emotional than women. We process things differently.
ReplyDeleteBeing sensitive isn't a bad thing. In fact, it is a strength. The world needs more sensitive people. If people were more sensitive they would be better able to see beyond themselves. Sensitive people are a big asset to this world because they care. I tell that to my daughter all the time who has the sensitivity gene. I could tell you stories about her from a young age that would make your jaw drop. She is wise beyond her years. It can be difficult at times since she often gets her feelings hurt by others, but what she has to offer the world with her gifts of kindness and charity more than make up the difference.
i agree with all the comments. i can understand where kg's coming from as well and i fall somewhere in the middle. i'm very sensitive but have really worked on it with kg's help. now i'm sensitive in the good ways but don't get offended as easily. but i can totally see how someone could take it as far as committing suicide. with that girl it was someone in her real life so she had to go to school feeling so uncomfortable knowing all these things are being said about her. if i was arguing with a complete stranger, i probably wouldn't be as hurt or care. but when it's someone you will see, it makes things very uncomfortable and makes me dread that scenario.
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