October 23, 2011

Internet Vs IRL

Let me just start out by saying there is NO difference between these two.

NONE.

Anything and everything you do in either/or effects the other.  I'll break it down for you by using the most common reasons people think that the Internet "doesn't matter" nor do their actions on said Internet.


1. No one knows it's me.

There is no true anonymity.  Everything you say, do, or go to will come back to bite you in the ass at some point.  You are always tracked and your IP can ALWAYS be obtained and you can be tracked down.  The only true way to keep from being known is to not go online.   People have lost their jobs for things they have said online and it was linked back to them.

2. It's the Internet, English doesn't matter.

Proper English and grammar are necessary to prove you are an intellectual and competent being.  Society didn't get where it is today by saying sentences such as "O Mah Gawd, look at tis me so 1337."  If we had used such language in the past, we would not be where we are today nor have the advancements we have.  Using this language dumbs down everyone around you and teaches them improper spelling, grammar, and English.

3. There are no rules on the Internet, I can do what want.

Oh, how wrong you really are..Back in the 90's when I was in computers class, they taught me a little word such as Netiquette.  It's etiquette for the web.  These are rules and guidelines of things you DO NOT do unless you wish to be shunned by the community.  There are also many cyber laws that can and will be enforced should you break them.  Cyber terrorism, harassment, threatening, bullying etc.  are all offenses and the FBI is none too friendly.  Stealing/Pirating is against the law as well, currently, anyways.  Just because it's on the Internet, doesn't make it yours to take and do with what you please.

4. TLDR (Too Long, Didn't Read)

You may think you are being funny by saying this, but you aren't.  TLDR is just the asshole way of saying, "Fuck you, I don't care what you said."  It's also LAZY, stop being so lazy and learn something.  If you practice TLDR on the web regularly, then chances are at some point it's going to cross over into your real life activities.  Like instruction manual reading.  ALWAYS read the manual, no matter what.  Do not practice, TLDR, stop being fucking lazy and read it.

So to summarize this fine post, anything and everything you do is or can be tracked, there are most certainly rules on the Internet, Spelling and grammar are very important, there is no TLDR.

12 comments:

Webbstre said...

To put it simply, I disagree. Unless you are someone who only interacts with people you know in real life on the internet, then there is always the option of just blocking someone you don't want to put up with, quitting whatever game you are playing, or just plain signing off for good. That's a safeguard that you can really only have online, because it is so easy to do. That kind of mentality stays with you, whoever you are. Maybe it'll change some day, when our online access is enabled via a retina scan or something, but for now that's just how it is.

You can't deny that it is possible that everyone you know purely online could just get up and stop talking to you, and make it so they aren't even aware of your existence. They can do that without having to upset their everyday lives.

For the reasons I mention, I do keep my online life and real life mostly separate. The fansite is an online hobby, and the only reason it intrudes into my real life is because it has given me new things to put on my resume, and business connections that I never would have had otherwise. Outside of those connections any online friends I've made are just that, online-only.

Superawesomeman589 said...

Eh, I disagree with your disagree.

Yes, I understand that there is always the option of just leaving but you shouldn't do that, that's the cowards way out. At least be a man about it and say, "Hey, friendship is over if we can't work things out." You need to think about how what you did effects the other person emotionally.

People seem to forget that online people are people as well and as such have feelings and emotions. Feelings that you hurt when you abandon them or block them with no last words.

If people try to do that to me, I fight back and get my answer. I do not take kindly to people just walking away. Sorry, but I'm attached so sit your butt down and let's talk and see if we can't work things out.

I feel that you should always strive to work things out between your friends and that friends should stick it out together unless you just can't. Then that's when the block/remove thing happens.

That's how I view things anyways. Like I said, fucked up views and all.

That fansite you run Webby, is fantastic and big part of your life.

Webbstre said...

I don't think anyone isn't aware that people on the internet aren't real people, it's just part of the whole mentality of how people deal with things that don't affect them directly. I know people are starving in Africa, that human rights are massacred in China, and people on the internet can cry real tears, but they all get categorized in the "somewhere else" part of the brain. As long as that wall of impartiality can exist, it's going to make people act a certain way.

Hawkn said...

Thought I'd hop in and say, just from a psychological standpoint, there is a massive difference between an online persona, and your "real life" facade you put on. Aside from the obvious things such as bodily communication, and tone of voice, there are things in your brain happening that change your behavior, regardless of if you realize it or not. The feeling on anonymity exists, and isn't something you can simply take away, or force out of people's subconscious. This in turn will obviously affect their behavior.

Hawkn said...

Also, seeing as I have no clue how to edit my post, I use TOR. So yes, anonymity can exist if I so desired.

Webbstre said...

And while we're commenting: OMG Super find a way to put the comments on the same page as your blog post and not in a separate pop-up window. :P

Superawesomeman589 said...

@webby

I hear you, but it's how I feel.

@hawkn

Hmmmmm

@webby
I have it that way on purpose and I'll tell you why. Since the blog doesn't have a quote feature it's a pain to have to scroll up every single time to read a comment because you forgot a part of it and then scroll back down to reply.

The way I have it now, you don't have to. Just scroll to the comment you want to reply to, place the box next to it, read it, and type a reply.

I can look into other ways of handling comments but honestly I like it this way.

What is your main source of distress from it?

Superawesomeman589 said...

Hmm, do I not allow editing of comments? I must check this, because I can't seem to do it either. I forgot a reply to hawkn.

@hawkn TOR isn't 100% you can be tracked through it, it just takes time and dedication, if someone really, REALLY wanted to track/find you, you can't hide anywhere on the net.

Same goes for in real life. There is no true anonymity.

Webbstre said...

Just because something isn't 100% doesn't mean it is 100% worthless/failure. You could be 99.999% safely anonymous and your statement still stands, which makes it not a real argument.

Thanks for switching the comment system. I hate little pop-ups like that. :P

Superawesomeman589 said...

Eh, I don't like this comment system, I'd be unable to reply halfway up the page. Why is there no drop down box or quote feature?

I may have to switch back to to the popup one because it's too hard to reply to comments and it takes too long when my other method was faster.

Still though, you can always be tracked, plus TOR is very unpractical for everyday and always on usage. It's made for a few things here and there but if you use it all the time it's sloooow. It's also not very good for gaming or im clients

Superawesomeman589 said...

Alright, so this comments system is much better.

Is that better Webb?

Superawesomeman589 said...

Oh yes, before I forget, there is no apparently way to edit your comments so make sure you say what you want to say and how you want to say it lol.