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Are you a jerk?

Nathan Bransford does a great job here:

Don’t Be a Jerk

“The Internet has opened up many new avenues for people to express their opinions. It has empowered the crowd, it has emboldened the masses, it has allowed just about anyone with an Internet connection to fire up their computer and start telling the world what they think.  It also allows people to be a jerk.”

“How do you know if you’re being a jerk? Let me help.

  • If you call someone a name on the Internet you’re not getting something off your chest, you’re being a jerk.
  • If you call a book a piece of trash on the Internet, you’re not  expressing an opinion, you’re being a jerk. Someone wrote that book, and there are better ways to express yourself.
  • If you mock and belittle someone who has done something wrong you’re not helping them learn from their mistakes, you’re being a jerk.
  • If you’re knocking someone down to make yourself feel better you are absolutely being a jerk.
  • If you’re knocking someone down period you’re being a jerk.

We’ve all got to live together on this thing called the Internet, and last I heard they’re not kicking people off the cyberspace island. Behind every faceless avatar and screenname is a living, breathing human who you can seriously damage with your words.

So don’t be a jerk.”

If you think most people think you’re being anonymously brave, or a stellar critic, or a brilliant revolutionary . . . think again.

Stephen

 

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Posted on: October 21, 2011, 6:01 am Category: Uncategorized

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