The end has come, folks. The sign is nigh.
I'm not talking about the end of the world. I'm talking about the rapid deterioration of manners, courtesy, and politeness. The internet has turned humankind into a bunch of trash-talking, mud-slinging, discourteous, rude, personal-attacking-of-people-we've-never-met, theoretical zombies. Only instead of eating each other's flesh, we attack and devour opinions, likes, dislikes, political views, religious views, personal appearance, orientation...the list goes on. And we don't have to look very far to find it. It's as close as YouTube, Facebook, Google, various blogs...
Yes, the internet is a wonderful thing. But it also proves that, given the opportunity to hide behind a screen name or a URL, people can be absolutely poisonous. It's as though the internet has given them the right to no mental filter. If you think it, you can type it.
I'm not saying that the right to free speech should be restricted. And I'm not saying that people shouldn't be open and honest with their feelings. I just don't think it's necessary to say something about EVERYTHING, especially if one strongly dislikes it. I mean, no, I don't like Justin Bieber in the slightest, but I don't go on to YouTube and tell everyone who likes him in as profane of language as possible, that they're all idiots. Even though it's not a choice that I would make myself, and I'm not inclined to his music, I don't see what's wrong with respecting the opinions of those that do like him. It's as simple as, don't like something, stay away from it. Don't try to ruin it for the people who actually like it, because then they'll just get defensive and voila, now we have an internet brawl.
Sure, words are just words. They don't leave black eyes or a lasting physical effect. But Human Decency demands that we have some respect for others, even if we think they are downright looney. As I've said in previous posts, I don't exactly feel great when I read things posted by friends that are explicitly against my beliefs, especially when the things they post have a confrontational, "let's make this personal" flavor. Example: a facebook friend posted a meme that read "If you think Obama is a good president then you should leave America," or something to that effect. Like somehow implying that any political beliefs contrary to theirs automatically makes anyone who differs in opinion not good enough to live in America. Or that because someone likes Obama, they must hate America and must be exiled.
Somehow, that just screams of unfairness to me. Equally unfair was one of that person's comments on said meme, "I have no interest in being friends with anyone that supports Obama."
America was founded on the idea that differing opinions could flourish, right? As a free country, people are entitled to think for themselves here. Part of thinking for themselves involves associating and learning from people with different opinions.
Yet, different opinions does not have to generate rudeness. After seeing The Dark Knight Rises today, I went online and read a few movie reviews, some positive, some really negative, calling the movie a bombastic, operatic, clunky mess.
The reviewer and I disagree. I'm not going to persecute him for it or let it ruin my day or the movie. But man, some people got really defensive about the Dark Knight Rises, threatening the reviewer, calling him names, saying he was too old to appreciate the movie...not one person wrote a comment that just plainly read "agree to disagree." And then, as if one attacking group wasn't enough, people started criticizing the criticizers of the reviewer, saying that they were nerds that needed lives, that they had no taste, that THEY were idiots, just this veritable jungle of unkindness. I found the same thing on some pictures taken at the Dark Knight Premiere criticizing Anne Hathaway's appearance/haircut, saying she looked "like a mental patient," and that she basically looked ugly. Some people were complimentary, some people defended her, which--again, sparked a comment war.
I don't go looking for these fights, but man, are they hard to avoid. It seems like nearly everyone on the internet has an agenda to hate, criticize, hurt, and tear each other to shreds. At least arguments in the past, even heated ones, have used some degree of logic. Not to say that we have absolutely perfect role models from the past, and that everyone in ye olden days was courteous, I just think they had a better grasp on it, and they could apply it in their daily lives. They knew when to draw the line.
Even worse than comment vitriol, though, is anonymous vitriol. I stumbled upon a blog (which shall remain nameless) that basically bashes on any woman who doesn't weigh in at a low 100lbs or less. Anyone who has a different body shape from very thin is ridiculed for not having their thighs touch or for having bigger breasts or a larger bum in the very harshest of language. They just have an absolute unwillingness to see any beauty in all bodies; the only beautiful people are the thin ones who have bones protruding or tiny legs. People who are curvy are deemed "overweight" and if people aspire to have bodies that are curvy, it is because the majority of women are overweight, apparently, and it's a sad reflection on society if people want to have a curvy body, because in their minds, curviness=obesity which represents overconsumption.
Thin is beautiful. Curvy is beautiful. Fit is beautiful. Healthy is beautiful. Why, oh, why does it have to be so black and white? Why does it have to be one way and not the other? Why aren't we allowed to celebrate our own bodies instead of constantly trying to fit into a designated size? If you want to be thin, be thin--but why is it necessary to inspire yourself to be thin by dragging down anyone who isn't a 00?
This anonymous blogger took a lot of vitriol for the vitriol that she spewed out over one post. I'm not defending her, but I still don't think that the way to fight incivility is incivility.
I don't know. Maybe I'm just too literary-minded/old fashioned for the internet age. Maybe I'm stuck in a time where people not only had opinions, they knew how to share them in ways that didn't threaten or hurt others' feelings.
So, folks, let's bring courtesy back. Let's start a manners revolution. Cut down on the hate, for crying out loud. Respect others' opinions. Try to learn something from them instead of doing your best to be rude and take people down just because they think differently from you.
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