I used to get very angry over things people used to say online, mostly because there was nothing I could do, people are awful on the internet, and I wasn't the most mature of people 4 years ago. Now I get just as stressed if someone says something about me that simply isn't true, but I calm down relatively quickly by telling myself that person is well beyond my reacj, and what he is saying is just that. Needless to say, I don't care. When was your first time talking to people online, and what's the worst experience you've had online.
People can be awful almost anywhere. Somebody that picks on you, probably isn't a very happy person themselves. It'll help to remember that. The best policy is to ignore these internet people. My worst experience was when I wrote an article mocking myself. They created the article, but I added a lot more and was actually kind of proud of my work. It all began when I got accused of 'white knighting.' So this internet person turned on me. Strangely, they soon got bored with me, even although I wasn't ignoring them.
You might think about moderated communities... I prefer staying away from people who make trouble... you can add them to your ignorelist, if necessary... well you might think about becoming a full member on EC and joining the chat... (*hug*)
I suppose it depends on the place on the internet too. A few days ago I made a thread praising Bioware for showing gay characters true to life because I didn't know anything about gay people two years ago, I then get bombarded with people saying I'm an idiot, a crusader, blah blah blah. The stress began when it was assumed I still knew nothing about gay people after 2 years, my age was asked to which I responded, and then I was called an attention seeker for making the thread that has since been closed.Perhaps it was my fault for responding to the age question, and for creating the thread, but it was in the off topic section I then made another one saying how difficult it is for a gay teen to ask someone out, once again I was called an attention seeker, trouble causer, etc, etc. And then for some strange reason, this person joins the fray of at least 3 other people essentially ganging up on me, and then lectures me about how I should get off the forum, focus on my schoolwork, not worry about relationships (even though I explictly stated the aforementioned difficulty is the exact reason I don't get into them?) Etc, etc. I made 3 comments about how people had consistently either not read the post properly, put words into my mouth and assumed things about my character that simply aren't true. I don't know if he read them or not, but he then says I'm going to learn things the hard way, I won't listen to anything that isn't sugarcoating the issue (strange considering I'm the usually the one dishing out the "cold, hard truth" if you will) and that I was a waste of time. That REALLY got on my tite. I've since deleted my account on that particular forum because I really, really do not need that right now.
It depends on the place. I like being here since this place is practically devoid of trolls whatsoever. I also frequent a site that's dedicated to learning languages and has several language-oriented chat rooms. These are not moderated and the person who created the site actually told me that he doesn't want to have to bother with complaints from other people. Anyway, the site has become ridden of unwanted scumbags, for lack of a better term. There was an instance where someone hacked into my Facebook, took my profile picture, and created their own fake profile and tried to pose as well. Sorry, but that's really uncalled for. I went to the creator, the one I just mentioned, and he blatantly told me that he would delete both of our accounts since he couldn't tell which one of us was telling the truth. He assumed that I was tattling on the person, just to get them kicked out for no reason. What the heck? He has my profile picture and a lot of people there know that it is actually me and that I'm not making this up. So, I've pretty much stopped using that site. I don't like dealing with trolls. There were also a bunch of people who didn't actually come to the site to learn languages, but rather just to flirt with girls and get them to talk offsite. Remember, there were no moderators, nothing like that. So, they could say and do the most horrid stuff and nothing would happen to them. So, I left. I managed to get contact of those whom I had gotten to know (this was over the span of 2-3 years, even before my time here on EC) and we've just talked offsite as of now. As for how I deal with them, I just try to mute them and not talk to them. I've stopped caring, became more apathetic and tried to enjoy the positives and talk to people who do actually want to talk to me back and not troll. In that rare instance, I just went to the higher level, the creator, which proved to be somewhat good, I suppose, and forced me to really secure my Facebook and block it from everyone. I seriously do not want to go through an episode like that ever again. I hate trolls and I hate being made out as a liar from the beginning. That was really uncool of the creator :dry:
I've been part of online communities for years. I've had access to the Internet at home, since the mid 1990s, but I didn't start utilizing it heavily until, about, 1997. I was a frequent user of the Yahoo! chat rooms (I'd be surprised if anybody even remembers, back when Yahoo! had the options for user-created rooms; God, I'm so old!), and multiple forums; some short-term, others longer. Even if I don't go to certain areas of the web anymore, I still do have some e-contacts, from my years of online presence. So, those are nice to utilize at times, especially when it comes to avatars and signatures. Each situation requires a modified approach. There isn't really a universal way of effectively dealing with e-assholes. Sure, you could ignore them, but that only sends the problem elsewhere. It becomes somebody else's problem, unfortunately. That said, I can appreciate a good troll. An intelligent one, who simply riles folks up, to challenge their thoughts and open their emotions -- the troll that makes others reveal their own ignorance and flaws, not for personal gain, but to make a point. But a decent troll is hard to find, as most of them are too immature, too poorly operating, and too obvious. For those purposely annoying and intentionally hurtful trolls, though, they can go die in a fire.
The good old times when the internet was filled with weirdos and no one did anything about it. Now all that was moved to the deeper parts of the web. Back then it was actually easy to find stuff, because the "companies" hadn't infested everything in their sights. Anyway... It's always fun to argue with a troll, but generally I view things like this. People are either deserving of my attention or not. If at any point in time I find it a struggle to "deal" with someone I just cut ties. This is an especially easy thing to do over the internet. It's quite easy to make and break friendship over the internet. It takes real patience and dedication to actually make long term friendships. You must realize that most people who act out on the internet are just as lonely as you are, and just fail to express it.
people aren't just awful on the internet, its just easier for them to show it there. people that actually care about helping others post on sites like this one. people that don't post elsewhere and just type whatever pops into their narrow little minds no matter who it may hurt. the first place I spent a lot of time chatting online was wayyy back when msn had free chat rooms (they eventually started charging people to chat and that killed off the rooms). I spent enough time in one room that I eventually earned owner status and was given a gold hammer (all that really meant was I was basically a bouncer at the door). I met someone in the room and we had a relationship over 2 years. she was a drinker (also an owner) and would come in and start nasty fights with me, use her hammer to kick me out and generally annoy everyone else in the process. the messy ending of that relationship started on a phone call and concluded on messenger.
When i was a kid it hurt a lot using the internet Now idgaf and laugh it off. If i am in a very personal passionate debate tho and i start to feel anxiety flare up i drop it completely because life is too damn short for that lmao like aient no one ever gonna read or remember that shit
I'm less offended now when using the internet, than when I was younger. I grew up pretty sheltered so when I first started using the internet, I was easily shocked and offended by people's comments. Usually, it takes a lot to offend me. It's pretty rare for me to get offended. If I am upset, I try to make an effort not to let my emotions create an emotionally charged response. I always end up regretting these types of responses.
If someone makes a nasty comment towards me or spreads some kind of rumor, I just give them the facts and I'm on my merry way. I don't have time to dance around in the mix of their little dramatic attention-calling episodes. If everyone else is so immature as to not ask me for my side of the story but instead believes the sh*t spewing from the OP's mouths, then they're just as bad and that's not someone I'd want to be around. They can sit there and create a nasty, negative world for themselves. I'll be over here finding ways to make myself happy.
I don't take much notice. Most of what's on the Internet makes for hilarious reading. I've never understood how people can get so upset about what ill-informed opinions someone who they'll probably never meet or even talk to in real life has of them or how their day can be ruined by the fact that a thirteen year old in, say, South Korea called them a "faggot" for not killing enough people on a multi-player video game.
I just ignore them now as my time is much more important to me then wasting it on them. I really can't be bothered with these self-inflicted friendless individuals.
