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In Reply to: Netiquette posted by news junkie on December 22, 2006 at 14:36:22:
Thanks for posting articles on this subject. I've come to the conclusion that the rudeness happens on the Net in large part because we're not making face-to-face contact AND we tend to view on-line relationships as disposable, unlike relationships in the workplace or families.
The lack of face-to-face contact means we often forget we're talking to a living, breathing human being with feelings. It also means we don't pick up on nonverbal cues when our rhetoric starts to become too aggressive or incomprehensible to the other person.
Sometimes I wonder if certain people are drinking when they post, largely because I've been guilty of this myself, and I know what a difference it makes in my self control and willingness to say outrageous & obnoxious stuff. If I'm in a face-to-face communication with someone who's loaded, I can pick that up pretty quickly and disengage & dismiss whatever is coming at me as the booze talking.
As far as the disposable relationships thing goes, I've gotten to the point where I genuinely care about a number of people who post on the exer boards, and I look forward to hearing what they have to say, even if I don't agree or I have the feeling they don't much care for me in return. I've developed a much better understanding of my own beliefs and greater respect for the beliefs of others through the exchanges on the exer boards. I don't see the online exer community as a disposable source of mutual support and personal growth that can be easily replaced, so I do try to mind my manners. I'm just not always as successful as I'd like to be.
