So I'm scrolling through my facebook feed earlier today and I come across a post about something incredibly mundane on a home decorating page i joined yonks ago (because who doesn't love perusing gorgeously styled homes, whilst sitting in a chaotic one 😂).
Anyway, i see that previously mentioned mundane topic had garnered hundreds of comments which i thought was odd so i opened them to see what the fuss was about, boy do i wish i hadn't.
One person made a statement about the mundane topic, i did not see the issue with the statement (I'd like to think anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn't have). Yet the lack of smiling emojis caused quite a few people to take offense and claim it was a judgemental statement.
Big surprise, people on the internet are offended by nothing, whatever...
It's what it all descended into that really horrified me though. Before i knew it, these women were slinging vile names at each other, making threats of physical violence, bringing each others kids/families into it (even deceased children). I don't think i can describe how awful it was!
Grown women. Mothers. Being so brutally vicious (ironically, some of them had those 'say no to bullying' stickers on their profile pictures.
I left the group, i ain't got time for that bullcrap but this whole dispicable display (and countless other similar online scenarios I've observed over the years) just got me thinking, why is this happening on almost every social media platform and soo frequently!?
What is wrong with people? Is it boredom? Is it narcissism? Is it an anger issue? Is it for the momenrary validation they get? I just do not fathom it...
I couldn't even imagine wishing death or injury to a person (or their families) because of something as stupid as candle placement or some fucking fairy lights!
We wonder why bullying is such a problem in school aged kids, it's really not hard to see why when parents and adults are engaging in cyber abuse all day, every day.
It blows my mind and it scares me a little bit. My faith in humanity has plummeted after what i saw on this thread...
7 Replies
I certainly think anonymity makes people more hideous!
I read somewhere that people who are really aggressive and opinionated online are trying to make up for how unimportant their lives are. Apparently it's common among middle aged women who are unhappy with their lives.
And I say unimportant reluctantly, all lives are important, I just can't think of a better word but I know there is one 😂.
Perhaps you're looking for the word unfulfilled 😊
But i totally agree, i think a lack of something in life is a driving force here.
All the time.
I’ve cut my social media right back. So now I only engage with groups with very heavy moderation. So I mostly avoid the drama, but occasionally I’ll click on a random suggestion and the comments on them are often horrifying. Not just women. Men are just as bad.
It makes my heart hurt how mean people can be.
I hate seeing comments on news articles sometimes, there was one where kids had drowned while running from police and the comments were vile. Laughing emojis and people basically saying its a job well done. That kind of thing makes me sick. I would love to see pages to have the option of choosing which emojis are available to use on each post, example articles on the massacre in NZ should not have had laughing emojis, and insensitive comments should be deleted. The media run pages seem to do very little in controlling comments which makes it worse. It's like all the most opinionated rednecks come together in one spot and show the world how fucked up we are.
Oh god, i can't even bring myself to read the comments on news articles anymore either.
Some people's cruelty and callousness in the face of a tragedy turns my stomach.
Yes yes yes!!!
Social media spreads so much negative energy and I have to remove myself from groups all the time.
I believe negativity feeds negativity and it’s a cycle people get stuck in and only grows / feeds people’s egos and righteousness or superiority they feel they have.
Social media seems to have desensitised people and I sometimes I wonder if they realise how their words could affect someone.
In saying that I think only small percentage would dare say it to someone’s face. They feel protected behind their computer screens and sometimes fake profiles.