I have my own theory on why people behave like jerks on online games, ahem:
It is not just the fact that they are anonymous that has the effect of jerkness, rather I believe it stems from the competative nature of the game itself. I mean lets have a look at a grand stadium football match (I'm talking Aussie rules here), you take one look and you can see that the players are getting up in each others faces, throwing punches and generally being as mean spirited as possible. Then you look at the audience and it is divided according to fans and let me tell you, I've seen some really angry people getting riled up over what is essentially a game. People who have never even met are swearing at each other, players get booed on mass by the audience and the losing team leaves with bitter and empty hate in their veins.
Now you take that same 'must win, must win, must win' attitude and then go to a video game and have the addition of no one knowing who you are and what your face looks like and then bam, suddenly your allies are only getting in your way, everyone who is against you is scum and there's no fun involved. Only victory, no matter how petty.
That's my theory anyway, anonymity plays its part, but the competatative side of people who see it as more then just a game, are the main cause.
To answer the OP though: I do not try to be a jerk online, because in agreement with Yahtzee, I believe there is nothing more cowardly then insulting someone on the othe side of the world who you know nothing about just to feel 'tough'.
