I think Ava makes a great point in this blog post. As much as we like to imagine the Internet brings folks together, it also acts like a wedge in our online society. Where matters were previously debated in person, typically in one session of words thrown back and forth until an agreement or a stalemate was decided upon, debates online prove to be a lot more complicated. People post comments directed at an individual’s opinion, usually in disagreement, but then often leave their keyboard, with some feeling of satisfaction at having “beaten down” the other. The initial individual may respond again, at an attempt to carry on debate, but the chance of a further response is just that, chance. There’s a disconnect from the foundations of debate. The Internet allows people to puff out their chest, state their opinion loudly, and then walk in and out of the room at will – participating in debate only when it suits them – as opposed to sitting down and carrying on a conversation with courtesy and a healthy back-and-forth. Rather than using evidence and logic, the Internet is rife with nonsensical statements & opinions from those who have not educated themselves, but feel secure in shouting out an opinion because they are behind a computer screen. If people acted like they do online, in real life, it would seem absolutely ridiculous:
Ranting aside, I think the Internet can be a great platform for people to debate and discuss their opinions where they might be too shy to, otherwise. However, it also provides this sense of “anonymity” that results in people getting a little out of hand when stating their opinions and disagreements. The idea of a “debate” becomes a little lost, and discussions end up looking more like a shouting match between individuals who won’t even attempt to find a middle ground. In the end, the ideological divide simply gets larger.
Leave a Reply