Don’t read the comments.
It’s the first rule of using the Internet. Nothing good happens there, and there’s a 99.9% chance you’ll be wishing you could get those precious few moments back that the comment section ripped from your fingers. Now you’re fuming because KoolGuy2596 said all (gender, faith, race, and / or nationality that describes you) are idiots.
It’s not the Internet alone that makes people say terrible things, but it sure helps.
And why is that?
Because it’s anonymous. [footnote]Ok, not really 100% anonymous, but anonymous enough to be the righthand man of foolishness.[/footnote]
It’s the same reason that we wish the most horrible kinds of evil on that person who cut us off in traffic.
We lose sight of reality. The reality that crazy commentators and wild drivers are humans. We have no personal connection with them–only an emotional reaction to something they said or did.
That person writing comments thanks to the magic of the Internet? That’s your political enemy who you must destroy. Not a person.
That guy driving recklessly? He’s a homicidal maniac willing to unleash his vengeance on whomever he wills so he can make it to work on time. Not a person.
A person behind a veil is hard to view as a person. And the Internet and cars and other things that don’t allow us to come face to face with other people are most certainly veils that keep us from seeing clearly.
Veils bring anonymity.
Anonymity is a problem because we feel we can get away with anything–either in the form of an improper comment, action, or a just-as-bad reaction.
So if anonymity brings rage and fear and truckloads of frustration, what is the solution?
Accountability.
When we know that we will have to face repercussions for things we’ve said or done, we have a much stronger filter. We think about what we’re saying. We keep in mind the emotions of others. We feel empathy instead of unleashing our anger. We may become angry, but often times we’re at least slower to sin. Feeling angry isn’t the problem, it’s our response that gets us into trouble.
Accountability changes things because we care how people view us. And this extends far beyond comment sections and road rage. Anonymity is one of the greatest partners of sin. If we think we can get away with something and no one else will find out, we’re more likely to do that thing when tempted. The reality is, people almost always find out, and even if they don’t, God already knows.
There is no lasting anonymity. We have an option to choose accountability and choose to remember our humanity and need for mercy.
This is a reminder to all of us.
The people behind a veil are people. They are broken. They make mistakes. They need grace.
And when we’re the person doing the irritating? Well, I encourage reminding others of your humanity whenever possible.
A hand wave as a gesticular, “My bad!” when you cut someone off in traffic makes you a lot more human. You’re less likely to be on the receiving end of a string of profanities you won’t actually hear. Instead, you look like a seasoned wartime negotiator and bringer of peace rather than a despicable psycho with a penchant for taking out innocent drivers.
As for commenting on the Internet, there’s no way to bring humanity to that situation. Stay far, far away.