It’s Not Just the Internet. It Never Has Been.

[redqueen]

You hear the lament again and again, while reading about anti-woman trolling online.

“Oh, the anonymity of the internet makes people behave badly!”
...

If you think guys getting pissy and escalating matters because you told people to stop making sex jokes is a feature of the internet, well, you’ve never asked anyone to stop making jokes that make you uncomfortable. (“Oh *that* makes you uncomfortable? Let me now tell you 10 jokes about dead babies and Nazis! Ha, that will show you!”)

If you think that inappropriate comments and requests for sex are an internet thing, you’ve never tried to stop a coworker or boss from hitting on you repeatedly, or a head of security, or the guy at the convenience store across the street.

If you think that being shouted at and asked to show people your tits just because you present as a woman only happens in chat rooms and online games, you’ve never walked past a frat house, or, unfortunately,through the main thoroughfares of either university I’ve attended.

...

http://www.thisview.org/?p=99

I don't understand the basis for the 'its just the internet' rationalization / dismissal.

This is an excuse for anti social behavior that hasn't been accepted for any other form of communication, so why the internet? Can you imagine someone calling you and saying horrible things, then if you complain you're told, 'I don't know why you're taking it so seriously, it's only the telephone!'

Not only is it simply not true, as this woman explains, it also simply makes no fucking sense.

[zazen]

1. K&R

[Arcanetrance]

2. Cause that would require society to admit a culture of rape and abuse does exist towards women

and it's not isolated but very mainstream

[BainsBane]

3. I do think it is often more blatant online

Just as racism is. People feel free to say whatever is on their mind without social sanction because of the anonymity of the internet. I would never say it is ONLY the internet, however. Everything online is a manifestation of the off-line world.

[redqueen]

4. IMO it is no different, it is only the increased exposure which causes the illusion

that it is any different online.

[seabeyond]

6. personally i think our guys, ok, SOME guys, have gotten in the habit of talking to women in an ugly

manner that it is manifesting in real life like we have never seen in history.

[ismnotwasm]

5. The Internet simply proliferated what already existed

Whatever's ugliest; from misogynists to child rapists; now has a place for cheerleaders and proponents.


There's a lot of beauty as well, lets hope the good outweighs and beats down the bad.