Gossip Girl Syndrome

When I was in high school in the late 80s, things were a bit different. For one thing, gossip was easily traced back to the person who initiated it and the victim of the gossip could easily confront the gossiper if they chose. Either things were straightened out amicably or an agreement to meet after school at 3:00 led to fists flying. (What can I say? I grew up in Brooklyn.)

But understand, this way of dealing with gossip and backstabbing was the norm. It was considered “cowardly” to talk about someone behind their back. It was more respectable to have the courage to say what you had to say to the person’s face. It was an open atmostphere, for the most part. Not so today.

As a matter of fact, dishing dirt and ranting from the safe haven of anonymity has become the norm. And it is even worse when it is all done on the internet.

We all love interacting and giving our opinions, especially on forums that enable us to discuss issues with people from other regions. It is refreshing to be able to come together from all different parts of the nation to sound out. But sounding out has become synonymous with being vicious, cruel, and spiteful. (And it goes beyond the typical hot-button topics such as politics and religion.)

I navigate forums such as Yahoo!Answers, Experience Project, and a few other smaller blog communities. I’m interested in hearing about many different issues and seeing how different people think and react. But I haven’t really learned much except that people armed with an anonymous username and a made-up profile can show their true colors (and psychological imbalance).

Which makes me think: is the original Information Superhighway (remember when they called it that???) becoming a venue for the depraved, the rude, and the ignorant to have a voice without accountability? Is it ok for these voices to drown out those moderate voices that come to the table seeking true discourse and interaction? What does it say about our society?

What do you think?

Cheers!

Ebony