In this article Freedland talks about being a different person on the net. I can quite relate to that. As someone who might not retaliate in person, I take up issues on the net. Bad service, faulty product... and I am online making a complaint. I have found it quite effective.
Freedland states that just as a car windscreen can make a person ruder than he would have been as a mere pedestrian, the computer screen also has some sort of a similar effect! It brings out the darker side of the person! He states -quote - For reasons not yet fully understood, the internet seems to have robbed many of embarrassment. Unquote.
Interesting. Does it work the same way for you? I think I should mentally put myself behind a screen when I have to take up issues next time.
Freedland states that just as a car windscreen can make a person ruder than he would have been as a mere pedestrian, the computer screen also has some sort of a similar effect! It brings out the darker side of the person! He states -quote - For reasons not yet fully understood, the internet seems to have robbed many of embarrassment. Unquote.
Interesting. Does it work the same way for you? I think I should mentally put myself behind a screen when I have to take up issues next time.
I agree!
ReplyDeletehmm interesting i guess because we do MOST of our works these days over net so the level of anger raises jsut a bit more ...
ReplyDeleteI do get angry sometimes
Bikram's
To an extent it is yes.What i am not able to talk in person or face to face i write on the net.Sometimes in real no one has time to listen what you say but in net you have people who read and appreciate you.
ReplyDeleteAnd also i feel what we can't communicate orally can be easily communicated by writing it....
Handling and cribbing about things on the Net has another advantage, which makes me more enthusiastic about , say, a bit more sharpness in my language on the Net.
ReplyDeleteWhen you speak about your problem, say on the phone, or to a person, you interact only with that person. When emailing someone , I always do some research on the outfit/company, find out the email of the management person, and then send off a tougher than normal email with a bunch of Bcc's, and cc's. Mostly works.
You can't do this in person,. and many times it has the desired effect. I've successfully dealt with Tata Motors on an issue in this way. And yes, not seeing the opposition, gives you that much more bravado....
I've never really thought about this before!
ReplyDeleteWhile making a complaint? Before we started using internet so much, I've had to make some complaints over the telephone. I have to say that I used to get so annoyed while being passed from one 'customer care person' to another, that I used some pretty rude language.
I find I am less aggressive online because I have time to reread what I have written. I think that sarcasm works better than aggressiveness online. :)
Perhaps more aggressive than I would be face-to-face though.
This is a valid thought! We don't face immediate reaction and stop in mid sentence what we want to express about anything. But here, in the internet, we can pour ourselves out without any immediate retaliation. Most of the time, most of our friends do not know us too, but sympathise with us. We need it sometimes!
ReplyDeleteI am not good at conversation but good in expressing myself in writing. I follow this method with my sons too! I email them if I want to discuss about some serious subject, point by point in writing!
Completely agree...!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting observation.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Dont know.. I think its the other way round for me, I sometimes may sound harsh over the phone but the same thing comes out quite subtly in writing! I am actually very good tempered on the net!
ReplyDelete@Nona, P Ravikumar - Glad I have company!
ReplyDelete@Bikramjit - Just a bit - that's nice
@ Saritha - That's what I feel too.
@ UK - You nailed it - not seeing the opposition - that does make a difference.
@Manju - I would like to be more aggressive in my face to face dealings
@Sandhya - I would not dare do that to my daughters - I would probably get a return mail - reply in the same style - point by point. ( Like UK says - easier when you do not know the opposition!)
@Rajesh - I thought so too
@ Arti - Just the opposite!
I differ in this. I think I am more sober online! :) Here you can choose your battles. In the real world, the battles choose you!
ReplyDeleteSo true, the screen...there is something in it that changes us. Your comparisons were real nice.
ReplyDelete