It's annoying that when you catch someone out online, particularly, say, a celebrity, they can just put you on 'ignore', whereas if you caught them out to their face, they'd have to acknowledge their stupidity and ignorance.
What would you really have to gain? Do you honestly think someone who would block/ignore you online would change their mind if they were confronted with the same facts in person? They might agree with you then just to get you to shut up but they're the same kind of people who'd turn around and offer up their old point of view again 5 minutes later regardless of the facts.
I think people tend to be more polite in person, especially if they ascertain that one's body language is not hostile. But it's easy to depersonalise people online, which is partly where the whole tendency to dismiss contrarians as 'bots' no doubt comes from.
Would you actually punch an opponent in the face, as your sanctimonious rants often suggest, because they're punctuated with stupid, angry-faced, fist-punch emojis? 🙄 I seriously doubt it. You're an admitted "risk adverse" wimp, and you take your incessant, frustrated rage out on "doors" and by unloading on this board. 🤨
People avoid things in real life too. They start becoming increasingly aggressive and/or less sensible in their responses and in the end the person who is actually making good points or simply just wanting to discuss the topic stops talking because it's not worth it.
And let's not leave out the ever popular - storming out of the room in a huff. Extra credit if they knock stuff over on their way out.
And whoever brings up Nazi's first loses the conversation in real life just as they do online.
I prefer to have discussions in person, certainly. I think a lot is missed in online text, especially tone, which is almost always misconstrued as hostile these days, so it's a lot easier to fall into an argument online than just respectfully disagree on a point in person.
But I think body language is one way of displaying one's benign/non-hostile, and, thus, polite intentions. Sometimes an online message can come across as glib, and thus rude.
True. Sometimes I use a funny face emoji or type an ‘lol’ when I’m kidding around with someone.
Lacking facial expressions, tone of voice and body language, sometimes being a joker online can go sideways. I know I’ve accidentally pissed off a few people while clowning around. Happily a short explanation is all that’s usually required to carry on.
Indeed. I deploy emojis a fair bit too, for the same reason. But I think even they can be misinterpreted, possibly as hostile sarcasm, when one is dealing with a *complete* stranger/someone one has never interacted with before.