world wide web (or oh, the humanity!)

i love the internet. it's an amazing tool for access to all sorts of information. wikipedia is invaluable for quickly answering just about any question. and don't even get me started on imdb.

but i have a specific concern. the social interaction between people on the internet has, in many cases, allowed for a flagrant lack of accountability. now, there are some instances where there is a degree of accountability, say, facebook for example, where you wouldn't be able to get away with whatever you like, since you have only one account, and it's based on relationships in real life (or at least it's supposed to be). but on things like message boards, forums, comments on articles, etc, it is allowed to get quite out of hand. people can pop up, make outrageously incendiary remarks, hide behind an alias, and fade into cyberspace as they never have to answer for the social and emotional impact of their words.

i struggle with this, because my aim would be that everyone in the world uses rational and focused arguments to support their points. so every time i encounter someone who's not doing this, my first reaction is to try to respond rationally and show them that people can have debates without resorting to bush league tactics. however, i've found that normally these people go keyser sose on me once logic is brought into the debate ("and like that, he's gone"). i guess some people just enjoy the former kind of argument. incitement vs incitement. you're like a girl - no YOU'RE like a girl. my dad's stronger than your dad. once they go at someone who will no longer perpetuate their fight, it's no more fun. peace out. sigh.

i guess i'm learning that i can't change the way people are. i feel you, rodney king. and i have no answer for you.

i just wish we as a society were more conscious of their own humanity and that of others. people like to categorize other people to justify their actions. if we just thought of each other as other people, with individual life experiences and history, i think we would treat one another so differently. i think about this a lot during my 40-minute commute. on the road, you can cut someone off, flick them off, and speed away, and 99% of the time, you will never have to suffer any consequence. but just imagine trying to do this on foot, rather than in a car. now THAT would be audacious.

this is applicable in so many instances in my life. i recently read a user review of a sufjan stevens album at an online store. he included a line that went something like "if you liked this song and you have a college degree, you need to move out of your parents' house." which prompted me to think "wait, i liked that song, have a college degree, own my own home, and have a moderately successful career! i should confront him with this, that'll show him!" right. i'm sure he'd be put right into his place with that information. why is it that that critics (and wanna-be critics) seem to think that to be "good", you have to be "a dick"?

similarly, i was this *holding thumb and pointer finger a half inch apart* close to joining a michigan fan site to inform some poster that had unfairly chastised a coach/player/recruit/opponent/(it was so important that i remember it so very clearly now) of my higher way of understanding the world and that he was being unfair. seriously? what am i doing with my life?

i'm somehow reminded of the scene in good will hunting when robin williams is sitting with matt damon on the park bench, and he's explaining why he freaked out when damon made a comment about his wife. "but you presumed to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine. you ripped my f***ing life apart." i feel like the social interactions here are so often justified with logic along the lines of "i'll bet they're the kind of person that..." and then that frees them to treat this person how they would treat THOSE people. we're willing to trivialize that person's entire life experience for the sake of, what, appearing intuitive? making a disparaging comment? seeming to have discerning tastes?

i do have to clarify by saying that the michigan fan site i referenced actually has a community of users that makes an intentional effort to discourage and disallow mindless word fights and i applaud that effort (it's mgoblog.com if you want to check it out). my hope is that the internet moves in that direction as people become fed up with the useless banter, instead of fostering the anonymity and creating an environment where that kind of garbage can thrive.

well, that post wasn't very funny. sorry. i guess i'm getting pensive in my old age. actually, i've always been pensive. i have no excuse.