Now before I go further, *everyone* who is on my friends list, and currently everyone who lists me as their friend (basically the same list). I *know* from reading in your journals, and for a few of you from interacting via email and/or IM's that you all are people who I truly want to be friends with. Now I am wondering why I am writing (and even if I will finish) this.
The people who I know read my journal don't need to hear it, and the ones who should read it most likely won't even see it (and prob. wouldn't read it if they do).
As the Nite Mirror I have been online for over 10 years now. I sometimes act naive because frankly in those 10+ years I have somehow avoided most of the nastiness I have seen happen to others. Now, and maybe I'm asking for it, but I just don't care as much if I draw fire as I once did. If I can take it away from friends, I'd even welcome some.
Part of the problem is that the Internet depersonalizes things. We are just words that pop up on computers around the world. I try never to fall into the trap of forgetting there are other people behind those words. Some I think don't realize that. It is the prank phone call moved to hi tech.
I honestly don't think anyone would have a flame war in a newsgroup, or write hateful email to someone if they had to face the person they were talking about. It is a "oh look at the filth I can spew and look at the reaction I got!" type thing.
A minor form of terrorism. They attack just to try and control the reactions of others -- exactly what terrorists try and do (granted on an infinitely smaller scale). They want a reaction, on their computer. Maybe I was wrong a second ago. Maybe they don't care others are on the receiving end. Although I do still think if they had to face the person they couldn't say the things they wrote to the intended recipient's face.
Ok, end of my rant.
