# Does the internet makes people more bold? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474 "2006-09-05T03:46:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/21 "2006-09-06T15:36:32Z")
Hey **diggleblop** , It’s too bad we have these pesky computer moniters seperating us or I’d give you a good ol’ fashioned ass whup’n I tells ya!! No really, I would!! I’m not a scared of you!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kairos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecc23a/32.png) [@Kairos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kairos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/22 "2006-09-06T21:49:52Z")
I think it makes many people bolder, but I think I actually “talk” less in a forum like this than I do in real life. I’ll think of a pithy/interesting/informative response, and instead of blurting it out I write it down, then rewrite it, then change my grammar, then convince myself it’s a stupid comment anyway and delete the whole thing. I’m paralyzed by the thought of not only having said something stupid, but having it forever memorialized in ones and zeros, so everyone can look back on it and laugh at me. Hi! I have issues! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/23 "2006-09-07T10:06:48Z")
It can. Some people will take advantage of the anonymity and protection of the type of communication to be abusive. Trolls would never get away with the things they do online in real life because people would get violent with them. Because they don’t face immediate and personal consequences for their actions, they think they can get away with it. I’m pretty much the same way on the board that I am in real life. I’m more formal in written communication, but other than that, I’m not much different. I don’t like arguing. Debate, okay; argue, no. If someone starts to get too emotional I end the conversation. Same thing online. I don’t flame and I don’t continue posting if someone starts to get abusive. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/24 "2006-09-07T13:46:12Z")
Well, how many people have you asked IRL this week about lopping of a section of your dong? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/25 "2006-09-07T15:32:51Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] Dude, considering the middle sentence, I’m not in the least surprised. With the best will in the world, and I say this out of pure-minded Christian love 😛 , I wouldn’t want to hear you discussing religion or politics IRL unless I had a towel handy, if you get my drift. [/QUOTE] It must be nice to live in a fantasy America where atheists aren’t the [least trusted group in America.](http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2006/03/24/67686) Given how often gays get bashed or otherwise mistreated, it’s not paranoia for someone from a _less_ popular group to be nervous. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474/26 "2006-09-07T16:48:18Z")
Yes more bold, but not always in a “muscle flexing” way. There are some people who, if I knew only their political or religious opinions, I’d avoid like the plague but online I have the chance to learn their politics, religion and hobbies and can interact with them in the forum of my choice. IRL I’d avoid anyone foaming at the mouth about politics and probably never discover that I agree with their position on religion. Um, “for instance”. Yeah… that was hypothetical. The times I’ve been a major jerk on here trouble me as much as if I said it to a real persons\* face, so I try to avoid it. Also, people IRL probably find me as boring as you all do, but here I can finish my sentence without _knowing_ that I’m being ignored (until I start a thread and get zero replies). And now I am going to go learn about Asberger’s syndrome. \*I don’t know that any of you are real. This could all be an AI experiment/Turing test type thing sponsered by Google and Wikipedia and the LIBERAL MEDIA! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-internet-makes-people-more-bold/371474.md?page=1)