Social media is a weird thing. More specifically Facebook. The inter-connectedness of everyone throws up some odd surprises. As opposed to status updates telling all and sundry what he’s been up to, a friend of mine likes to post links to articles about 9/11 conspiracies, UFO’s, or… well actually any conspiracy theory really. Every now and then we get into a discussion about it, which to be honest is more like each side stating why the other is wrong and often degenerates into a slanging match. Yesterday the subject was the West’s intervention in Libya. Governments doing the oil companies bidding? Humanitarian aid? Or protecting the national interest?
Being the nature of threads, anyone who is a friend of his can join in. On this occasion, someone I knew from college popped up made a comment which I replied to, saying his view wasn’t the case, he then says I shouldn’t address him because I make his flesh crawl. Naturally I pointed out the feeling was mutual but if he doesn’t want me to address him, then maybe he shouldn’t comment on the thread. So he blocked me. On the basis we never got on, I wasn’t about to send this individual a friend request anyway, so it doesn’t concern me at all that he feels that way, but I am fascinated by such behaviour.
The event struck me as odd and it would only happen online. After all, if it were in a pub, who would go up to a group of people join in the conversation and then when someone replies, tell the other person not to speak directly to them before walking off. That’s just weird. However, such conduct is a product of the internet. We can sit safely at home, knowing that if we want, we can be as rude as we like and no one is about to come round and punch us. Consequence is limited by the ‘threat’ of someone blocking you.
The first fully connected generation is growing up now, what will that do to the social skills of the world? Will rudeness become more acceptable in the physical world? Will the people “brought up properly” be left behind? I think it’ll be fascinating to watch society evolve and with the speed of the net, it will evolve quicker than ever before.
Social Rudeness
22 03 2011Social media is a weird thing. More specifically Facebook. The inter-connectedness of everyone throws up some odd surprises. As opposed to status updates telling all and sundry what he’s been up to, a friend of mine likes to post links to articles about 9/11 conspiracies, UFO’s, or… well actually any conspiracy theory really. Every now and then we get into a discussion about it, which to be honest is more like each side stating why the other is wrong and often degenerates into a slanging match. Yesterday the subject was the West’s intervention in Libya. Governments doing the oil companies bidding? Humanitarian aid? Or protecting the national interest?
Being the nature of threads, anyone who is a friend of his can join in. On this occasion, someone I knew from college popped up made a comment which I replied to, saying his view wasn’t the case, he then says I shouldn’t address him because I make his flesh crawl. Naturally I pointed out the feeling was mutual but if he doesn’t want me to address him, then maybe he shouldn’t comment on the thread. So he blocked me. On the basis we never got on, I wasn’t about to send this individual a friend request anyway, so it doesn’t concern me at all that he feels that way, but I am fascinated by such behaviour.
The event struck me as odd and it would only happen online. After all, if it were in a pub, who would go up to a group of people join in the conversation and then when someone replies, tell the other person not to speak directly to them before walking off. That’s just weird. However, such conduct is a product of the internet. We can sit safely at home, knowing that if we want, we can be as rude as we like and no one is about to come round and punch us. Consequence is limited by the ‘threat’ of someone blocking you.
The first fully connected generation is growing up now, what will that do to the social skills of the world? Will rudeness become more acceptable in the physical world? Will the people “brought up properly” be left behind? I think it’ll be fascinating to watch society evolve and with the speed of the net, it will evolve quicker than ever before.
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Tags: Facebook, Internet, Social Media
Categories : Comment, Technology