Trolling and online manners

Back in the 80’s I conducted planning workshops throughout Micronesia. One of the exercises we did at the workshops was to discuss the important values in the community. Throughout much of Micronesia, a value frequently mentioned was respect. It was the glue that held the community together. If the elders at the workshops complained about anything it was the worsening lack of respect.

When I was child my parents and teachers made a great effort to teach me manners. Good manners were necessary, if you wanted to live in human society. You treated people with respect, even if you disagreed with them on some issue. Disrespect got you into fights, lost friends and resulted in hours of detention after school.

The idea of respect and good manners seems to have gone on vacation. If you follow the social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, there is almost constant insults and put-downs. Gossip and slander are common. There is a smorgasbord of opinion, rarely substantiated with facts, and no tolerance for anyone who disagrees.

I used to subscribe to a social network site for deacons, and I’m still on a network for canon lawyers. In general, these two sites are professional and courteous in the postings that are found there. However, I avoid Facebook, Twitter and their ilk because they cause a spike in my blood pressure!

Many of the social networking sites allow the user to hide behind a user name that makes him or her anonymous to any readers of the particular site. The anonymity allows the user to post almost anything to the site and get away with it. They can harass someone on the site and get away with it. They can insult anyone on the site and get away with it. They can spread gossip, be rude and act in ways that any civilized human being would avoid and still get away with it. They are protected by the fact that no one knows who is posting to the site, unless they reveal their identity.

Then again, some people feel no need to hide behind a wall anonymity and willingly parade their rudeness before all. They seem proud of their cruelty and smallness of heart. Such attitudes seem to encourage the fearful and small minded to strike out and hurt others. Such attitudes encourage violence and further rend the community, as is evident from the mass shootings that have occurred in recent months.

Pope Francis recently spoke to a group about the danger of gossip. Our words can be a healing balm or a vicious weapon. Whether we speak them or write them on a social networking site, we must be aware of the power of our words and the damage they can do.