Should web culture go up in flames?

[Barbas]

Well I have to admit watching it all go up in smoke would appeal to a sadistic element within me, the logical part of my brain is pointing out that it wouldn't make anything better. In fact it might make things worse without any established rules and all the steps we've taken, no matter how small, being erased.

Yes, I agree. Too few people think about who's going to rebuild it all after it's torn down, which is why it so often comes back worse than it was - if it does at all. Somebody once told me, "Revolutions are often called that because they end up going full-circle." The daily cost in minor frustrations is really a small price to avoid that.

Besides, what of the people who desperately need this kind of social interaction because they've been denied it for much of their lives? If we were responsible for pulling the plug on that, what could we even say to them?

OT: Welcome to the Escapist. Pleased to meet you!

No, I think the problem was never web culture. People say so often that without seeing the effects of your actions, you're much likelier to say something utterly inhuman to another person or treat them terribly, but that's something we'll have to learn to adapt to. Besides, almost every time I've heard that, it's been used to try and excuse nasty habits. It's humans that need to clean up their act. As Eclipse said, a lot of the scuffles are the result of misunderstandings. Giving the benefit of the doubt is something that doesn't hurt, which makes it the immediately preferable option.

The internet is still comparatively recent. We'll adapt to treat each other better over time, and the ones who don't will be left behind in their ever-decreasing cliques. Abusing the internet for the purposes of harassment, belittling and division and is really spitting on the work of the productive minds that made it a reality. This is not a high school playground, and those who hated their high school years so much would do well to remember that before they become the exact same people who tend to make those years so unpleasant.

Anyone who wishes to isolate themselves can do so. I often hear that MLP, GamerGate or whichever sensation happens to be sweeping social media and forums is "inescapable", but anything can be escaped by logging off. I think that quite little is truly "in turmoil" as you put it. What's popular will be popular. You can't change it, so why lose hair over it?

 

[Thaluikhain]

The internet is still comparatively recent. We'll adapt to treat each other better over time, and the ones who don't will be left behind in their ever-decreasing cliques. Abusing the internet for the purposes of harassment, belittling and division and is really spitting on the work of the productive minds that made it a reality. This is not a high school playground, and those who hated their high school years so much would do well to remember that before they become the exact same people who tend to make those years so unpleasant.

Er...not seeing how it's different from a playground. Yes, people are mean to each other on the net, but it's not like being mean was something the world had gone without beforehand. The internet is a new medium for us to behave the way we've always done.

 

[Barbas]

(Snip).

It's as good or bad as people want to make it. You can encourage people or drive them away entirely, boost their confidence or make it more or less impossible for them to leave their home. A lot more hinges on your self-control. Yielding to peer pressure online often produces disastrous results that you can't see. I'm bloody thankful I didn't have access to social media sites when I was an angry and vindictive youth.

It can be like a playground at its very worst, just as it can be like a monkey house. I don't see why it should be either.

 

[bauke67]

Would anyone mind explainig just what "recent events" that brought the internet into "utter turmoil" we're talking about? I feel somewhat ignorant since I've noticed no such thing, and everyone keeps frasing things in such a way that I can't tell what this is about. Is it another sexism thing?

 

[Starbird]

So I'm new here. Long time stalker of the Escapist and finally just up and made an account because why not. This is probably going to be a bit heavy and for all I know I'm putting it in the wrong place as because of the content it might entail.

Given....recent events we all know the internet is in utter turmoil. Lines being drawn in the sand and people at each other's throats on a near constant basis. Web culture and video game culture are probably the two most closely tied cultures on the planet right now. Pretty much everyone that engages in forum discussions like these are also gamers to one degree or another. I like to think of myself as an optimist. I've played video games for basically my whole life and try to see the good in all people. Given what I've witnessed lately though you'll forgive me if I don't see that second thing anymore.

So my question to you Escapist people. Should web culture just go up in flames now and never come back? No more forum chatting. None of this. Sites exist, you read them, but no engaging. I'm honestly at the point that I think it should. People hate each other. Extra Credits and TB are getting into it now. I've seen people call one side monsters. I've seen others try to make the other side look like a fool and not leave them alone even when they ask to be left alone.

We don't deserve to interact with each other it seems. This has gone from being simple opinion based nonsense and straight into "This side is right no matter what and anyone that disagrees I'm going to go out of my way to humiliate them, make them feel awful, and maybe even possibly enrage them even if I don't mean to!" At this point being completely isolated from each other would be better than anything I have witnessed lately.

Yeah I like to make a strong first impression.

I really don't think that a few forums and casters = 'web culture'. Not at all. The whole point of web culture is that it's not centralized.

Would anyone mind explainig just what "recent events" that brought the internet into "utter turmoil" we're talking about? I feel somewhat ignorant since I've noticed no such thing, and everyone keeps frasing things in such a way that I can't tell what this is about. Is it another sexism thing?

This. I've heard a few people quit a few publications. That's about it.

 

[Mezahmay]

(Video game) web culture is not that broken, I don't think we need to go scorched earth here. I've been following the mess from the side lines between classes and apathy and it's been interesting, but I don't personally understand the scope of said turmoil. It all occurs so far from me that it doesn't even register until something big happens, like hearing an explosion from a chemical manufacturing plant I never knew existed several miles away.

Anyway, I think we could do with some reforming to better facilitate actual discussion instead of stupid nonsense like uncontextualized Twitter posts. That isn't interaction and it's far worse than actually forming a structured clause or response to another's opinion. By your definition of interaction in the original post is that is not necessarily discussion: at best it's debate and at worst it's verbal poop throwing. Engagement isn't the problem, it's how the vast majority conducts said engagement that is the problem.