I had an odd conversation today with a guy who works with me. He has two boys under 2 yr old. His sister has two babes about the same age. As we know they get sick all the time.

He saw his sister on the weekend, and one of his boys decided to have the pukes. One of her children the next day got the pukes. She posted on her facebook site how irresponsible it was for people to bring sick children to see healthy children.

He feels pretty offended by this.

Why do people post such comments?

What is the psychology?

I see it here,and more when I was a mod, the random use of abuse.

Do you say this sort of stuff to your family member? You forget what you have said? You can say whatever you want on the web and no one cares? Then why say it?

Why do people think they have some sort of immunity in their comments on the web?

I'll put a proviso on this. It has to be comments to people you know, and know you. Not just random chat rooms. So do you do this? If so why? Has it happened to you? How did you deal with it?

My friend is going to a BBQ at his sisters place this weekend. He feels totally uncomfortable.


I find it all a bit weird

Cindy, who does not have a facebook account and has never twittered and never suffered for either.

I've been using Facebook since I was in 6th grade. Now, I don't use it much anymore for basically this reason. People like to say things they would not say to another person's face on the site, and they feel a sense of power. They'll say something to you on facebook, then when they see you in real life, they won't say anything.

I deleted my grandparents on facebook, because they were both always checking my page and spamming the comments beneath with things I did not want there. It created a rift, and they both didn't talk to me for like a month over it. People take this site, and other social networking sites too seriously. Their personalities get all inflated and stuff.

I would tell the guy to just forget it happened. If he brings it up, I'm sure it is going to turn a small rude comment into something like a feud. I don't know why facebook has this effect on people. :/

People on the internet are moronic douches who think they have a right to write anything they want because people can't see them.

While I know that's not true for everyone, it's a lesson I've learned from going through chatrooms and online games since I was 12. ESPECIALLY online games.

I keep trying to teach my mother this lesson. She goes onto news sites like Yahoo and tries to fight people who make stupid or immature comments. It's a simple fact that these kinds of people just never learn because they don't want to, and it's a futile effort to fight over it.

The point is, people tend to lose every shred of respect they have in real life when they get on the internet. Like you, I'm not entirely sure why. Now I've had my fair share of being an ->-bleeped-<- on the internet when I was younger, but that's just the thing, I was YOUNG when I did that. There are people well into their 40's or higher that still act that way on the internet!

Anyway, to answer your questions, no, I try to be very respectful to my family members no matter how much I dislike them and regardless of what form of communication I use with them. When it comes to friends, I might mess around with them at times, but I try to avoid it usually or at least tell them that I'm playing around. Has it happened to me? A few times, and I didn't like it all that much unless I knew they were messing around.

As for your co-worker, in his shoes I would try to talk to his sister in private before the BBQ and ask if she has a problem with him. If his sister feels she has some type of power on facebook, he can turn the tables on her and show her that he has power in the real world.

Well, at least that's what I want to say. In reality, if I were in his shoes I would do nothing about it and probably sit down to lose myself in a video game. Blech, I'm just rambling now. I'll end it here.

Just like any social media, it can be used for good and for bad. I choose to use it for good. There will be those who have to go to the lowest common denominator to make themselves relevant or feel important. Their negative and hurtful commeets are a reflection on THEM! I have been helped by the many positive and wonderful comments on Facebook nd other social networks.