People often feel that they do not act differently online as they would be in person; however, for so many this is simply not the case. When we find ourselves in a situation where we feel some sort of protection, or disconnect from the person/people that we are communicating with, we tend to be more emboldened than usual. Many times these situations happen when hot topics are being discussed. Casual conversations can easily turn into heated discussions and even cases of cyber bullying. Some of these hot topics include: religion, politics, civil rights, sexual orientation, etc. Additionally, people may find themselves in a situation where someone is being more verbally explicit or forward than they would be in a real life instance. Online dating is often where this occurs.
Online behavior is normally very different than someone's behavior in reality. People become brave online because they are behind a screen instead of having to take responsibilities for their actions in person. Social media has become a major concern in teenagers and young adults because of the bravery expressed during online sessions. People are more likely to express themselves in a more elaborate, dramatic way online than they ever would in person.
People are more apt to openly expressing their sexuality, posting immodest photographs, cyber bullying, and taking a stance on issues that are important to them.
I believe people are more open to expressing their sexuality online, because they feel as if there is a bigger support group online, than taking a stance on their own.
People who post immodest photographs online, do this for attention seeking, or body building purposes. In their regular lives, they would not dress in the way that they were dressed when the photographs were taken.
Cyber bullying has become a very extreme issue within the last decade. People feel fearless on the web, and think that they can say whatever they feel like saying to someone else. The things people say to others through text messages, or an online messaging system are things they would never say in person. This is the fear of not being accepted in normal life.
People who don't normally stand up for their beliefs, political stances, or any other personal stance, are more likely to do this online. They feel as if they can get every word out, they need to say without being interrupted or immediately judged.
The problem with the way some people behave online is that they think it cannot be connected to their real lives. This is, ultimately, not true. However, some of the things people do online but would not do in real life include:
1. Openly declaring a political position which is not mainstream or generally acceptable. Online, people are more likely to ally themselves with political stances which, offline, would generate controversy in their social group. For example, people may online express affiliation with fascist or white nationalist groups on sites such as Reddit or Stormfront, while maintaining a moderate position offline.
2. Openly expressing sexual fetishes or unusual desires. Those who harbor sexual fetishes or desires outside of the ordinary, such as BDSM practices, may find that they are accepted far more readily on the Internet than they are in real life, where they may feel unable to express such views. This could also include such practices as people swapping nude photographs of themselves with strangers and engaging in virtual sex.
3. People who identify as gay or transexual may feel more able to express themselves on the Internet, where in real life they might fear oppression from their community.
No comments:
Post a Comment