For this topic I looked at The Guardian online and was quite surprised at how negative and angry the comments seemed to be. I have always associated the Guardian as a respectable newspaper, but some of the comments shocked me because I didn’t anticipate people to ‘rant’ as much as they did. That’s probably naivety on my part because there will always be controversy and disputes between what is raised in the press and the public, I just hadn’t connected it with responding to a newspaper. XXXXX
Screen-names – out of the 7 comments posted on the story I looked at, only 2 had screen-names containing their actual names, and even then they were just forenames. I raise the question that although these ‘comments’ are purposely used so people can voice their opinions, do their screen-names act as a way of hiding so people can’t tell who they are. The posts are arguing/questioning against the actions of the police-force, one comment was actually removed from the site. Therefore although people are voicing their opinions and expressing themselves in a strong manner to get themselves heard, they still don’t have complete freedom in what they are saying/typing, linking into the power of the media. XXXXX
I think the users who comment online, would discuss these issues with the same opinions offline, more so however within a ‘group’ with the same opinions, alike the comments that other people would be leaving. I don’t think they would be as passionate about the subject if they weren’t in the knowledge that other people around them would be backing them up. Additionally, it is easier to get carried away online because people don’t know who you are. XXXXX
Here's the link, if you wanted to know what I was talking about....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/feb/05/police-giant-snowball?commentpage=1
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I think that if anything I'd be more likely to edit my opinions when expressing them with others face to face than I would be online. If I knew that everyone else I was talking to all disagreed with a topic, but I agreed with it whole heartedly, I'd be likely to ackowledge their opinion, and then tone down my opinion if it were particularly radical. Conversely, online I would be less reserved when expressing an opinion which was completely different to everyone elses.
ReplyDeleteI think that part of the reason for this would be the immediacy of their reply. Face-to-face someone would immediately disagree with me, online they'd have to think about and write a response, and I would have the opportunity to have a thought out reply to justify my opinion.
rincy
ReplyDeleteDo you think that maybe modern life requires us to be so polite and persuasive (think of Coms & Pers unit) that there's a whole backlog of bile waiting for a chance for expression?
ReplyDeleteYes, being online allows pent up opinions/emotions to be expressed without the repercussions that could potentially come from 'meatspace.' There is some still control about what is said because users can be removed and their comments deleted. Overall however, there are restrictions within what can be said in society and this combined with peoples opinions could be a reason why people become so much more outspoken and passionate online through forums and comments etc.
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