can some give me some advice? what do others do when you see vicious comments

[sasha031]

for instance one of my followers on twitter posted this video

homeless in america
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdASkfrcglQ&feature=related

They're in my backyard!? I'm getting my gun.

there are other that I can't stomach to read never mind post...

they are not isolated incidents, I find youtube and allot of the comments vile. What I find most disturbing is allot of the meanness comes from the young.

I am a person that has lived well over 1/2 a century. and I remember all to well of never experience such contempt when I was in my 20yrs.

so much for my rant, thanks for listening

[Ian David]

1. Call them on it. Maybe say something short and to they point like, "Wow. Stay classy." n/t

[sasha031]

3. yes I usually try to ignore them, your right stay classy

but this is all the time.

they troll around youtube and look for anything progressive or that should draw compassion and slam it.

I've been around for awhile, and trust me when I say this country has become so mean.

[tsuki]

17. Some of them are dime-a-dancers. I heard the going rate is 5 cents,

more if you trigger a response.

[Bluerthanblue]

20. I'm half a century myself, and

while I think people have always been mean, they haven't always had such an opportunity to be mean, and rude without having to face any consequences.

What really disturbs me is how people are proud of their mean-ness.

:hug:

I don't read my newspaper online, the comments there are just incredibly cruel and ugly.

[Drale]

2. People will post things on the internet

that they would NEVER in a million years say out load in real life.

[WingDinger]

4. Shoot first, let God sort out the edison man.

[snooper2]

5. You have just discovered the World of trolls

:)

There were trolls in 1940, you just didn't notice them as much...

Now they are on the intertubes and you can't get rid of them. At least you haven't got any of those stupid ass pocodot replies lol

[JackintheGreen]

6. I agree with Ian

Call them on it. People stay idiotic things because they can get away with it via internet anonymity. But if you're one of those non-confrontational types, use the same anonymity to your advantage. CALL THEM ON IT. What do you care what they think of you? But if inappropriate behaviour is called out enough it might sink in.

Unless of course you get the feeling they're baiting the world. Then don't waste your time.

[gratuitous]

7. You don't have to respond directly

But, for example, the "getting my gun" remark could be offset with any number of rejoinders. The one that comes to mind is, "Well I suppose that's preferable to wetting your pants. Again." Of course, if you don't want to sink to their level (and you'd be a far finer person than I), a simple "I hardly think that's appropriate" will point out their insensitivity without engaging their stupidity.

[sasha031]

8. thank you for your help

what I did post is "I feel sorry for you, it must be tough to live with so much hate"

[gateley]

9. Those are my sentiments, too. And I grew up in the 60's and was stunned to

see people who would have been the age of my children had I had any, bigoted and intolerant. I'd think -- wow, didn't these people's parents teach them what we learned when we were that age? Sad. Fear. :hug:

[BanzaiBonnie]

15. In NonViolent Communication the way to connection is

to make a statement of fact ~ without judgement.

Let me see if I can try this.


"I'm guessing that the video brought up a lot of fear for you to express that you were wanting to get a gun."

If they are open to that and willing to discuss, perhaps I would give them feedback in the form of what I was feeling, "It scares me when you talk about getting a gun. I see potential for a horrible outcome."


One of the most important needs we have (after our physical needs of air, shelter, food, etc.) is to feel secure. If you can check in on what that other person is feeling and what the need is behind the feeling, you can go a lot farther than berating them or making them feel guilty for how THEY are feeling.

Perhaps with further exploration, together, the two of you could come up with a solution that would make them feel safe and secure (other than the gun).

[sasha031]

16. Speaking of Guns...

one of the gadgets on my google page has Funny Cat photos,it refreshes every minute or so. I adore animals.

Yesterday there was a picture of a beautiful kitten sitting on a windowsill. Some monster was pointing a gun a her.
At times it get's more difficult to turn on the pc or watch the news.:(

[BanzaiBonnie]

10. People are full of anger

I'm not going to excuse them, but many are doing the best they can. They have been raised in a way that is crazy making.

My experience is that when people's needs aren't met, they become angry, stay angry, spew anger all over the planet. They have become disconnected from life, nature, themselves and don't know how to be happy because they don't know how to get their needs met, let alone being able to identify their needs.

Most of us were raised under a dominator mode of relationships where our needs are denied and denigrated. We don't count. Our needs don't matter. The only strategy in the dominator/competition model is to get your needs met by force. Anger is one means. Cause another person to fear you and they may submit to your will. The trouble is that even then, they are not fulfilled because our deepest need to have connection with others is not met.

Until we do the work to make changes, people will continue to commit atrocites against one another.

[patrice]

12. 1+ Right, it's not that so many reject alternative, as much as at least a significant minority just

has never experienced anything else in their upbringing and for many of them a different experience might be at least just a little significant in terms of giving them some grounds for comparison.

[patrice]

11. I understand your concern.

When people are not at peace with themselves they create enemies out of thin air, well, perhaps not so completely "thin" air in some cases. But I too feel overwhelmed by the systemic, casual zest displayed for violence, no restraint, with practically ANY justification, just fill in the blank ____________________ ; might makes right and no one seems to appreciate how "just joking" about it increases the tendency, because it becomes more and more automatically assumed. We are habituated to it, so it's hard to get others to perceive it. The implications, in terms of our relationships to the less advantaged, are really concerning, not only for our victims, but also for how those implications lead inevitably to our own consumption by the shear inertia of trends rising from just the numbers of reactionary persons, people without awareness/concern/control/desire to change.

[1776Forever]

13. My husband and his brother were having a discussion the other day and it got kind of nasty.

What they were talking about was over his Repub feelings about it is OK for me to have but not for someone else. I told my husband to tell him to stop being so bad spirited about poor and middle-class people who are trying to make a go it and to start to realize it is Wall Street Thieves and Hedge Fund Fundies that need our anger! I think that the Repub's have been brainwashed to believe it is the poor on welfare that are taking away their American Dream and they just can't grasp how much has been stolen from our treasury by GOP Corporate Robbers!

[patrice]

18. + a Trillion, or 4 or 10 Trillion $$$, not to even consider the costs of their

Projects (as in PNAC), Un-Ending War for Wars 'r' U.S., death & destruction for hire from Cheney et al . . . the costs of which TRILLIONS doesn't even consider the costs accruing to the Carbon Footprints of Warssssss, which costs are not usually even referred to as part of the MISSING TRILLIONS in the "Defense" Department, especially when the people are really ready for smaller economically denominated alternative energy CHOICES and long-distance, high speed commuter railroads.

[JI7]

14. sometimes it's better to ignore some of the ones that just seem trollish

seeking attention, just looking for people to respond to their comments .

i would respond to ones where it looks like people really do feel that way and are likely to say it in public. like when people say things like homeless ended up that way because of their own choices . or i would like to help them but they use the money for drugs .

[Ratty]

19. Seriously, how long have you been on the internet?

It's like that out there in the unmoderated wilds. Read any comment on Yahoo news. You either just accept that's the way it is out there and ignore it or you go crazy.