No longer must we use smoke signals to communicate. Long gone are the days in which we used cave walls to document events. It’s an age of technology, a time in which we are supposed to be advanced. However, even in such an advanced age, it seems as though Internet society has become incredibly lenient about a variety of very important social issues.
I’m not a fan of making light of stuff that actually hurts people, and it’s not even a matter of being offended – I’m not. However, I do worry about how desensitized we have become to these issues.
I really don’t know when pedophilia became funny. Why is it okay to casually reference participation in sexual acts with children? Sure, I get it. You know that pedophilia is wrong, and for some odd reason, this is why you joke about it – a possible way of coping. However, I believe that the more we joke about it, the more laid-back we will become around it. We don’t take it as seriously anymore.
Do I think this joking will lead to common acceptance of pedophilia? Nah. I’m not a conspiracist like that. However, I wish that just for once we can let the fact that there are people out there who want to have their way with children break our hearts a little bit. These folks want to rob the innocence of young boys and girls, and we make light of it by posting a picture of Chris Hansen or Pedobear. That’s kind of ridiculous.
Rape isn’t cool, and joking about it isn’t either. I’ve never been a rape victim, and I can’t say I plan on it. However, the word “rape” is thrown around too casually on the Internet these days. (Just to clarify, I don’t believe usages of the phrase such as “raped my childhood” or “raped my memories” would fall under this category, but that’s really up to your discretion.)
Once again, this isn’t an issue of me being offended, because being offended does nothing in this world. However, I do worry that seeing rape jokes on the Internet may bring up some harsh memories or feelings for actual rape victims. If you’re heartless, you may believe that these folks need to get over it and stop living in the past. However, until you’ve actually had such an experience, I don’t want to hear that kind of opinion.
Ladies and gentlemen, why must you insist on saying you wish someone would die? I don’t care if you wouldn’t actually do it, but have we gotten to a point where such hateful thoughts are acceptable? Behind the wall of the Faceless Username, cowardly individuals will come out saying that they wish that other individuals should die or, even worse, that they would kill them if they could. We’re talking about the removal of a life, here.
I’m not referring to the casual, all-in-fun, “I will kill you if you do that one more time!” Of course not, for people tend to rag on each other all the time and say this. However, what I am referring to are words that are obviously fueled by hate and anger. If the intention of this (non-fruitful) death threat is to emotionally hurt the person on the other side of the computer screen, then something needs to change.
Right up there with death threats, we have issues concerning suicide. I’ve seen a few instances where someone posts online about their thoughts of committing suicide, and then people will swoop in saying things such as “do it” or “if killing yourself will make you happy, then go for it”. It’s akin to a person standing on top of a skyscraper with a crowd of people below, screaming for him to jump.
How disgusting is this? I understand that many folks have varying views on euthanasia, but here’s what I believe when it comes to the Internet. You are not a professional, you don’t know the context of the person’s situation, and you have no clue what their life is like. If anything, I would say report the post and provide them with words of encouragement. However, if you know that your words will seem condescending in any form or fashion… shut up. Please. You’re dealing with a life that has so much potential, and the slightest thing could ruin it.
Many of you may comment on here that folks that post these things are only seeking attention and won’t actually do anything. To that I say that you should treat every hint of suicide as if the person will actually do it. If you decide to make the call that they won’t, and then they do, there’s a high chance that you will live with blood on your hands forever.
These are just four things that I believe the Internet makes too much light of. Is it a perfect post? Of course not. However, I hope it made you think a little bit.
What other things should people stop joking about on the Internet? Do you disagree with any of the items mentioned here?
Tagged: etiquette • Opinion & Polls • social • social trends
