Paraphrasing an article by Time Magazine's Joel Stein:
The Internet's personality has changed -- once it was like a geek with lofty ideals about the free flow of information. Now the web is a sociopath with Asperger's. [ Submitter's note: the "Sociopath with Asperger's" comment is not my addition, but a verbatim phrase in the source article ]
The people who relish their online freedom to act under influence of the online disinhibition effect are called "trolls." Trolling is, overtly, a political fight; but it has become the main tool of the alt-right, an Internet-grown reactionary movement that works for men's rights and against immigration. They derisively call their adversaries "social justice warriors" and believe that liberal interest groups purposely exploit their weaknesses to gain pity, which allows them to control the leverage of political power.
When sites are overrun by trolls, they drown out the voices of women, ethic and religious minorities, gays -- anyone who might feel vulnerable. The alt-right argues that if you can't handle opprobrium, you should just turn off your computer. But that's arguing against self-expression, something antithetical to the original values of the Internet.
The article closes with a description of an exchange between Stein and a detractor. In meeting the detractor in real-life, he was surprised by her lack of bravado, to which she responds, "The Internet is the realm of the coward. These are people who are all sound and no fury."
Stein ruminates in response, "Maybe. But maybe, in the information age, sound is as destructive as fury."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by archfeld on Saturday August 20 2016, @04:13AM
I hear echoes of spastic webrage. Must everything have a label or a hashtag these days ? No one can just express an opinion, it has to fit under one of the socially acceptable labels.
#Hashtagsarefordouchebags
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 20 2016, @03:21PM
I don't like hashtags myself, but it looks like they might stick around a while. Language and culture evolves, emojis have become a big thing, and I think hashtags will be similar. They are a useful device for categorizing thoughts. There are other trends I don't like, but I'm trying to pull my annoyance back and realize it is better to go with the times instead of fight the inevitable. At least when the inevitable isn't a world ending trend!