There’s a whole world of people out there, and boy, are they pissed off. The anonymity of the Internet encourages online ranting, from election-season tirades to mockery of celebrities.
On political blogs, the invective flies. Posters respond to the latest celebrity gossip with mockery or worse. Sports fans set up Web sites with names that begin with “fire,” hoping coaches, athletic directors and sportscasters lose their jobs.
And though there are any number of bloggers and commenters who attempt to keep their postings and responses on a civil level, all too often interactive Web sites descend into ad hominem attacks, insults and plain old name-calling…
One reason for the vitriol that emerges on the Web, experts say, is the anonymity the Internet provides. Commenters seldom use their real names, and even if they do, the chance for retaliation is slim…“A lot of times, real anger is an attempt to get control over a situation where the person doesn’t usually have it,” he said. In that respect, comments to blog posts are attempts to strike back…
“Some people are just bitter and angry,” said psychiatrist Dr. Terry Eagan, medical director of the Moonview Sanctuary in Santa Monica, California. “Sometimes, they’re against everyone, other times against a specific group. That person can get really stimulated and can say all sorts of horrible things. But I don’t think it’s not like they didn’t exist before.”
Whether the problem will get control of us, or we will get control of the problem, is in the way we face up to it, he says. Anger, he says, is rolled up with anxiety and fear, and nothing creates more fear like a lack of understanding.
Good thing we never experience anything like that around here, eh?
So in the true spirit of the article….
Since we now have elected a minority to the highest position in the land, does that mean we can drop all the affirmative action laws on the books. Or are all white males still racist?
Well, we’re all MAD AS HELL AND WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE !!! And if we RANT AND RAVE HERE, well we are able to LET OFF SOME STEAM !!! And it’s WAY CHEAPER THAN HEAD-SHRINKERS !!!
That’s the kind of stupid story you jerks are always running which reflects upon your Momma’s parenting skills you dumb dumbs!
Anonymous
Which is why I don’t have a blog. Once you invite unsigned comments you receive intimidation from bitter wackos and have to steer a legal minefield to stay out of trouble.
“On political blogs, the invective flies.”
You’re fucking kidding, right?
Eidard is a fag!
I am very angry but not at the new President Elect Obama, I am angry with the republican party who let a bunch of idiots get into leadership positions that thought abandoning conservative values was the way to win an election, I am angy a bunch of pseudo conservatives who thought that moving left would attract democrats and liberal independents from the party that owns liberalism.
The republicans won when we stood strong on our values of true conservatism not kinder gentler conservatism that spends like a drunk sailor and is bought and owned by lobbyists
I only hope the fools at the top get run out on a rail and the party returns to its roots
#7, Paul,
Gee. A little bitter?
#7 – Did you say “roots?”
http://tinyurl.com/5udr3s
Flame wars aren’t new. This is a website that’s been around about 10 years with sketches about various web personality types. Funny, except that some types are scary, and some of them might just be you or me.
http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/
#7: you just might be one or more of the Flame Warriors…
#7,,
You are so right. When the Gingrich’s and Limbaugh’s started spewing their distorted versions of reality, a lot of real republicans left the party. Give Obama credit, he did hold down the viciousness and tried to project a vision of what he saw for America. If the right had picked up on his form of campaign, then there would have been a different turnout Tuesday. However more trust me statements when they are drowning in a pool of despair of their own making, while catering to the superstitious base, will keep them the party of the slime, and never earn them back the respect they lost in 1988.
BHO got elected, so there’s no reason for liberals to be angry anymore.
#12 – Even though you didn’t vote for BHO, he is still your president and will represent you regardless of the fact that you are a douche bag.
#12: Moderate Democrats (I’m one) never were all that angry, and neither were the moderate Republicans. It’s the wingnuts on the far fringes, left and right, that get cranky.
Mr. Fusion…are you listening? Hmmmmmm?
I’m glad everyone here is always perfectly civil 100% of the time. I know I always have been. Of course I have.
#13 – Worship noted. And since populists never last long, I’m not too concerned about my President doing anything I don’t care for.
#14 – Unfortunately that’s not how the media is playing this: They’re saying everyone left of center was pissed of. I consider myself to be a moderate Republican, and the only anger I see on my side is disappointment in the quality of our candidates (which in and of itself always happens after someone from the “blue blood” wing of the party is in office).
OK I think we all need a group hug, ready?
Ummmm, maybe not….
Okay, but Eidard, keep your hands to yourself…
Actually, I’m in a pretty good mood, thus all my juvenile comments about Eidard.
It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on.
Fusion and Mustard be afraid be very afraid because you have no one to blame now if under your watch things go to hell in a hand basket, you have the Presidency, the House and the Senate. Victory is sweet but it also comes with accountability
So What!?!? What makes you think any of us are interested in this !!! You are the reason these spout so much anger. It’s posts like this that set off like me and get me started.
***Post censured for your psychological hygiene***
#22 – Pmitchell,
Victory is sweet but it also comes with accountability
I don’t recall that ever being true about a republican president. Let’s see … borrow a boatload of money to make the economy look better. Let the next guy look like a schmuck for paying it back.
It’s only worse with W because he borrowed the money and failed to make the economy look good. He mortgaged the country to China to pay for his war and the economy still collapsed.
Now Obama’s going to look bad because China’s going to come to repossess the country. Some accountability.
Just remember, fixing this crap is going to take years, if it can be fixed at all. So, keep your accountability where it belongs. In 4 years when you’re blaming all of this on Obama, don’t forget that the collapse happened on W’s watch. I don’t know what it’s going to take to fix this.
I only hope that we stop allowing companies to abscond with short term profits and then push their losses onto the government. Perhaps, dare I say it, the corporations need some rules enforced. Perhaps, dare I say it, putting real regulations in place should be part of the deal for bailing them out for their own stupidity.
But, that wouldn’t be a “free market”. A “free market” is where the government gives the corporations welfare with no controls on any of it, only to bail them out when they screw up. How is that free again? I think I missed something.
#24 “I don’t recall that ever being true about a republican president.”
Or, of a Democratic Pres. Like when the sleeper cells that were placed during the Clinton Admin hijacked some planes. The Dems blamed Bush…
Goes both ways. A real bitch isn’t it?
Jeez people. EVERY administration bleeds into the next 1-2-3 or more administrations. Blaming the one before never makes any sense.
I never get angry. I am always very calm when typing. The problem is most of you guys ARE COMPLETE AND UTTER FUCKING MORANS!!!!
http://tinyurl.com/Paddy-O
#27 – Well stated, anus breath.
Just watch. In order to quell all this anonymous online hate speech (once known as “free” speech) I predict the new Congress will put forward new controls on eliminating all anonymity on the internet. It will be packaged with the new & improved Fairness Doctrine.