Using the Internet, we can meet and communicate with people from all over the globe, without ever leaving our bedroom. An optimist would look at this as a great advancement in technology, opening an endless amount of "new doors" for communication. Although a pessimist would look at the systematic flaws of this technology and argue the negative impacts it has on society. Cyber bullying is one negative consequence to digital communication.
I think it's safe to say that all of us, at one time, have felt the impact of cyber bullying. Whether it was a "mean girl" on MySpace, an anonymous commenter on Tumblr or a scorned friend behind a text message, most young adults today have had their feelings hurt via digital outlet. These new ways of communicating offer an easier way to insult someone, without ever uttering a word.
My parents always told me growing up, "think before you speak." As I grew up I came to understand how important that advice is. When I was younger, I was just as opinionated as I am now and I felt it was my right to say and defend my every thought and feeling. Through a series of awkward and enlightening adolescent years, I learned that sometimes it is just as important to say quiet, as it is to speak up.
When you vocalize your opinion in a room, and you offend someone, you have to face them and deal with the guilty, awkwardness that follows. This has happened to me so many times, but with each stupid remark I made, I was forced to learn, "think before you speak." Eventually I started to learn my lesson (though I can definitely still say stupid things). But everything changes online.
Online, when you offend someone, there is no actual person to face, and words can get passed by much faster. There is no one starting you down, making you feel like a jerk for saying what you did. When you can't see the face of the person you are offending, then you are much less likely to feel bad about it. Online, making rude remarks is easier to get away with, but it doesn't mean the impact of the words are in any way diminished.
Taking responsibility, admitting our wrongs and learning from our mistakes is how we become better people. But what happens when you aren't made to take responsibility for your key-strokes? It's the digital communication devices we use that are causing this disconnect from what we say and its repercussions. I'm not arguing that digital communication is bad for society, but the issue of cyber bullying is certainly one of it's negative impacts.
I absolutely love the message that you conveyed. Cyber bullying is often laughed at or shrugged off but it is a real issue that I believe, deserves more attention. I agree that digital communication is not bad for society in general, it all depends how you utilize it. It has a lot of positive impact on the world that we live in. As you mentioned, being able to communicate with anyone in the world from our bedroom is one incredible part of it. I could never argue against something that. Some impacts are truly positive, but cyber bullying is the opposite. I am perhaps too careful with my words, I speak up less than I should, and I often avoid confrontation in fear of dealing with someone I might offend personally. However, online, the temptation is there to comment something that I would never utter in person. Not in a bullying way at all, but even just a disagreement with a point or a too harsh opinion on a certain topic. Cyber bullying however, is what some people use their internet and social freedom to do. It is real and it does happen, and people are personally affected by things others say. I do believe that because the people bullying don't see the outcome, it is much easier to do it. What is also scary to me, that although comments can be deleted, they can never be taken back, just like in person. Just because you delete a comment doesn't mean that the person didn't see it and wasn't already hurt by it within the four minutes it took you to change your mind. I think the internet should make us more cautious of what we say if anything because it can be spread and shared so quickly, but unfortunately for the same reasons, it has made us less cautious. You made great points and I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree with and everything you said! One of the things that I thought about was another negative thing about it. You never know the reactions that people are going to have to what you say. There are so many different ways to take a single statement. And like the book said, now a days punctuation is going down hill, and punctuation can change the meaning of everything
ReplyDeleteThe most harmful thing that I see coming out of all of this is that you can never take back something you say on the internet, and if you do say something harmful its much more difficult to mend things with a text or an instant message, and like you said, words are cheapened digitally.
I love that you think about it in an optimistic and pessimistic manner. Some can go along with a little of both sides, like myself. I have learned- still learning- to keep my big mouth shut. I do have the tendency to be tougher behind a text, e-mail, or status. This is what the technology world has shown us, isn't it? That communication is much easier without actually facing the other side of the conversation? It's not our own faults, but rather, how we've been immersed in this media. I agree with the optimistic side of meeting new people and "opening new doors" because of how I met my boyfriend 6 years ago- through the internet. I have never seen this in a negative way, and I probably never will. Facebook, twitter, and instagram have their cons to "real-life" but they also impact it in great ways because we can constantly share our feelings through different outlets. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more with your entire post! There are so many positive aspects to the internet and it is amazing that one person can make such an impact on the world while simply sitting on their couch or bed. Like Lizzie said above, it is all about how you utilize it. When used for the right reasons, technology and digital communication can be a wonderful and beautiful thing, but when used to purposely hurt someone, the internet and turn scary and even lethal. Cyber bullying is never acceptable and is an issue that I feel deserves to have more attention. It is easy for a person to hide behind their computer and write obscene and hurtful things to their peers, but that does not make it okay. As you said, if these hurtful comments were to be said face-to-face, would a person even think twice about saying it? They're actions would have to be addressed immediately and they would face the humiliation that follows. Being behind a computer screen instead of actually facing the person gives the bully the chance to speak out of turn, irrationally and without immediate consequence. Some people think that it is okay to be hurtful online because they do not have to think before they say anything, they can simply say whatever they want and not have to deal with it later. What does this teach the current and future generations? That speaking without thinking is okay? That it is alright to be hurtful because you won't actually have to deal with the consequences right away? Technology and digital communication have some great usages, but the greatest downfall of them all is cyber bullying. You're reflection was perfect and I could not agree more!
ReplyDeleteYes, there is nothing quite like the feeling on gets of discussing philosophy while wearing comfy pajamas, is there? LOL.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, with any new technology comes new ways for insecure jerks to make them self's feel better by bringing down someone else. It is a real problem and it is just about as difficult to enforce as traditional bullying. The only good thing about is it leaves behind a trail of evidence that can be used against the bully.
I can relate as I experienced traditional bullying in High School (was before the net). Our systems of bully control are no better now than then. If reported, bullying becomes worse because now the bully is mad because he was caught and punished, and will attempt to turn that punishment back on the victim. Bullying, cyber or traditional can only be stopped one way. The picked on must rise, and make the bully understand that picking on them is not worth the cost. The bully needs to either spit teeth or watch their mother board melt in front of them.
It's so great that you were able to relate the reading to an even greater problem in society. I agree when you said, " I learned that sometimes it is just as important to say quiet, as it is to speak up." Many people don't realize how essential this is. There are so many people in the world that will talk and talk, but without any worth behind their words. I feel like silence can be even more powerful. However, silence is hard to attain through the internet. It's easy to ignore somebody's post or text, but it doesn't have the same punch as a few witty words.
ReplyDeleteCyber-bullying is something that has been happening for years now and it should definitely be recognized for the harm that it is causing. Anybody can be a cyber-bully through the internet, without realizing they are hurting a person because of their words. It's so easy to throw out a few jabs at a person through a comment and leave without a second thought. However, the other person could be left hurt and wondering what they did to deserve such cruelty.
It's a never-ending battle with the internet's purpose. Let's hope people start to realize how important it is to be kind to one another.
I've actually never been the victim of cyber-bullying, but I've seen it happen and I agree that there's little doubt that it's a huge problem. A friend of mine who thought he was just having harmless fun online at someone else's expense ended up getting in trouble with our highschool and picking up a few detentions as a result. He's since learned his lesson, but at the time he really didn't know what he did wrong. The internet makes us capable of great things,and it's certainly not going away, but cyber-bullying definitely needs to be addressed in a bigger way.
ReplyDeleteI've actually never been the victim of cyber-bullying, but I've seen it happen and I agree that there's little doubt that it's a huge problem. A friend of mine who thought he was just having harmless fun online at someone else's expense ended up getting in trouble with our highschool and picking up a few detentions as a result. He's since learned his lesson, but at the time he really didn't know what he did wrong. The internet makes us capable of great things,and it's certainly not going away, but cyber-bullying definitely needs to be addressed in a bigger way.
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