In a week or two, I expect that it will be replaced by a youtube video of a dog sneezing. But until then, I suspect that will continue to pop up here and there.
It's a good enough starting point for what I wanted to address, because, it's as obvious as it is true, you can go around saying what a great person with upstanding values you are, but if you turn around and act like an asshat. . .
I've seen an upswing lately of people being asshats to each other. We're on teh intrawebz, so that's going to happen. We are quickly heading into the point when, traditionally, the stress of Idol starts weighing people down and you see a marked increase of people, for a lack of a better term, losing their shit. So, really, it's not overly surprising.
Real life takes a toll, and so does showing up every week, producing, for almost 5 months. When you first show up, everyone is a potential best friend. At this point, there are some people who are just going to rub you the wrong way. You also see people getting frustrated, for a variety of reasons.
Nothing worthwhile comes easily. For every "Idol is changing my life and perspectives" you see, there are going to be an equal number of people pulling their hair out and lashing out at the first person who comes along who doesn't agree with them.
It happens. It's not just in Idol, or online, it's one of those things you find in every day life as well.
There are also generational concerns. At 40, I am far less likely to go off and post rants about negative feelings toward people than I would have at 25. I can't think of the last time that I did something like that. It seems pointless and juvenile. Then again, I've seen other 40 year olds who do it. So, maybe there is a personality aspect, and how people chose to use the internet/LJ. It's a regular inkblot, where you end up seeing it as what you want to use it to accomplish. Sometimes "LJ as primal scream" is what works best for people.
I've also seen people take it way too far. They get caught up in the moment and say and do things that they would never do if they were stopping to think it through. The threats I've received in the past, due to decisions that someone didn't like/eliminations, those certainly come to mind! (It's one of those things that helps put everything else into perspective, for me at least. Someone hates me? OK. Still better than someone who knows where I live wanting to do harm.)
I'd like to think that everyone was an enough of an adult to recognize when they were stepping over that "reasonable debate" line. That there is a time when you can recognize the frustrations being experienced by someone else, realize that what is upsetting them is very unlikely to be whatever you are talking about, and be able to take a step back from it, rather than charging forward.
It's not always the easiest thing to do. But it's usually the best. If you approach each situation with a little humanity and a little less (insert belonging to a "drama/trolling/whatever community" here), you will be on the right track.
As the tension of Idol, and the real life events that tend to be what people actually lash out about, just remember that everyone you are dealing with on the other end of that series of tubes and magical elves that run your computer, is also a person. (Except me, of course) Don't treat them like you want to be treated. Treat them better.
***
I continue to treat you worse at the Second Chance poll: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/534917.html
The new topic for the main competition: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/535085.html
and of course, in the Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/535520.html
← Ctrl ← Alt
Ctrl → Alt →
← Ctrl ← Alt
Ctrl → Alt →