Are People getting ruder and ruder?

[ex8404]

Rudeness isn't a POTCO thing. It is an internet thing, a "kid" thing and it is becoming a USA thing.

People have been rude on the internet for years. It is nothing new and it strikes me as a bit naive to be surprised by it. It exists for a lot of reasons.

First and foremost, it exists because we are all happily anonymous. Anonymity breeds confidence. Anybody can be a tough guy when know one knows who they are. And no matter how well you think you "know" someone, you really don't. Not on the Internet anyway.

You know me (or not) as ex8404. What does that say about me? How old am I? What is my gender? Why do I call myself "ex8404" and not by a piratey sounding name?

Another reason it happens is that the last couple of generations have been raised by their televisions. And on TV, being rude or anti-social is considered funny. being rude becomes a "learned behavior" and some of us less rude people have to bear the brunt.

(because lets face it, you know that parents will let their kids play games that aren't appropiate to their age according to the rating.)

The game is 10+. What kids are you talking about? 3? 7? 9? Trust me. If an 8 year-old is on the computer, he has heard the word noob and didn't learn it on POTCO.

The thing that strikes me as most naive though is this concept of "friends." Internet-only friends are not your friends. If I am on your friends list and you know me as ex8404 or Jim Squidbones or whatever, I am NOT your friend. Want me to prove it? Ask me to borrow $10 or help you move a sofa. Try walking into my house and helping yourself to a cold drink out of my fridge. If someone can do that? They're friends. Oh...and knowing THEIR REAL NAMES helps.

Someone said, "Be nice, the noob might have a bunch of level 50s." And? Are they going to come over TP my yard? Respect is not a number, it's a way of life. A way of life that we are losing.

Pirate J? You were disrespected by a stranger. Not a "friend" because "virtual' friends" are just that. Strangers. You did the right thing. Take him off your list and forget about him. And don't take such offense at such a silly comment. "THAT GUILD ITS A GIRLS GUILD..." could be followed up with, "...AND GIRLS ARE ICKY!" Why get so worked up over what a child says?

Semper Fidelis.