It is in the way we were raised.
Only someone who has excused themselves from the use of logic would insult others on social media; I believe.
I have recently been abused several times on one social media and it left me with a sour digital taste in my mouth.
Believe me, I can be very opinionated on issues of interest to me but I will never hurl crass missiles on anyone on any public domain aside from strongly speaking my mind on issues. However, some people cannot stomach divergent views and will use obscene language if they differ with other interlocutors on social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is one thing to say to someone:’It is quite a stupid thing to say’ but totally another to directly lash out:’You are stupid’ or ‘F*ck you’ on a public space like Twitter or Facebook.
If I come across such crude language directed towards me I normally respond politely by thanking the assailant and telling them how intelligent and civilised I think they were and it ends there. They rarely follow up on their anti-social behaviour and one can only deduce that the message has registered; that in time they will be cowering in shame.
Whatever we say on social media is read and processed by everyone with access to the internet including our parents, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters and friends and acquaintances, our colleagues and our employers or our business partners. Now, who in their right mind wants their loved ones, friends, children, etc, to read such crude expletives fom them just because they could not control their temper involving certain matters on social media?
What if you have verbally attacked someone over the weekend on a certain social medoa platform because your differed on a matter that you feel very strongly about without really knowing who they are and on Monday you meet them at that workshop they are presenting for your employer and upon their perusing the list of attendees they made you and actually approach you about your behaviour during teabreak?
Advisably, we need to govern our emotions and bridle that interactive tap of our fingertips on those keys on our smartphones, tablets, phablets or laptops. We can always be heard much more clearly in politeness as opposed to shouting our lungs out in these digital halls, fallaciously thinking that if we insult others on social media our posts will receive more ‘likes’ or more positive ‘comments’ when we are plainly exposing how bovinely crude our sociability really is.
Our behaviour on social media is actually a window through which those who interact with us could view the type of upbringing we had as children and how we were raised by our parents or our guardians.
As a point of fact, the person who is predisposed to launching insults on fellow interlocutors on these platforms will do the same on the street or in a crowded mall regardless of who is listening or watching and they will even go as far as rolling up their shirt sleeves to fight in public without fear of causing disrepute to their name.
‘If human dignity lies in thought then let us all strive to think well’_Pascal
Apr 17, 2016 at 5:12 pm
There are many such people around, can’t help! This happens with other person.
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Apr 17, 2016 at 5:47 pm
Exactly.
The best defence under the circumstances is to either ignore the affront completely or reply in a very polite manner and round it off by thanking them.
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Apr 23, 2016 at 10:24 am
It’s a sad fact. And what you mentioned “Advisably, we need to govern our emotions and bridle that interactive tap of our fingertips”, is a piece of advice not always taken. People nowadays are reckless online. Yeah, either you ignore them or turn it around.
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Apr 23, 2016 at 12:30 pm
You are right.
Ignore or turn it around by being extra nice to them such that they feel uncomfortably ashamed of themselves.
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May 15, 2016 at 9:49 am
People who seem to be so reckless on social media , according to my understanding, either are not concerned about their public image, or are not aware of the consequence, or are… Probably… A victim of the Freudian defence mechanisms. Some people are too reserved in their expression in their physical world. So social media turns out to be a good place to express without having to suffer physical consequences. Unfortunately… They don’t know… That their virtual behavior CAN have real effects!
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May 15, 2016 at 9:56 am
Precisely.
We need to defend our reputation at all times and being polite is one way of doing just that. We must always be in position to govern and edit what rolls off our tongues and our behaviour.
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May 15, 2016 at 10:03 am
Exactly. Many people believe in the freedom of expression. But freedom comes with responsibilities. You may be free to use abusive language as a reaction to something you don’t like, but you are responsible to take care of the person you are talking to. These people won’t (and I am sure they can’t) talk so rudely when met in person.
You nailed it by saying that they need to be ignored. Rude social media comments come from frustrated, angry hearts. I would rather pray for their happiness than comment back.
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Jul 21, 2016 at 1:50 pm
I cannot even imagine leaving a response so vulgar and mean. Nor can I imagine receiving one like that. What has the world come to? 😦
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