Why Do People Get So Angry Online?

Minestrone101

I am wondering why people get so angry online. There are people who just sit around waiting for responses, writing 5 paragraph essays, and even issuing threats over a disagreement. People sometimes say that they don't do this in person - but, they do it... maybe just on the road (not in face to face interactions). That's a lot of energy expended on a low stakes situation.

Some answers I got from AI:

Maybe it's this:

They have bottled up anger from their job that they hate or whatever else and as soon as they see someone say something on the internet they disagree with or don't like then it's time to unload their frustrations on that person.

There's no risk in unleashing your emotions online like there is in person. In person, your lack of control could get you assaulted by the other person. Online it's just a bunch of pixels, which can never hurt you like a fist to the face.

The thing is people risk membership and even a source of income when they mouth off on the forums. Probably a good deal of them go to war with the moderators after a time out which leads them to ban camp.

Goosefabra

There's no risk in unleashing your emotions online like there is in person. In person, your lack of control could get you assaulted by the other person. Online it's just a bunch of pixels, which can never hurt you like a fist to the face.

^^this

I've seen members on here make deadly threats (general threats, not against a specific person) during heated arguments. When such things hapen to me in real life, the person making the threats has always ended up face first on the ground while we wait for police to take over. But online, the person making the threats doesn't have any fear of that happening.

@JohnnyChobani

They have bottled up anger from their job that they hate or whatever else

HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!!! 😡🤬 (Just joking 😂)

Several years ago, I was a part of a not-for-profit organization that held open business meetings for everyone we served. There was always that one guy who would show up to make DEMANDS of what the organization’s leadership had to do even though he contributed virtually nothing to the organization in terms of finances or volunteer work.

I knew where he worked and what job he held there and it was a soul sucking job where he was constantly told what to do and had zero input into his daily tasks. Then one day I met his wife and all the pieces clicked into place. The guy was CONSTANTLY told what to do at work and at home and he didn’t have control over anything in his life. So he tried to compensate by being an A-hole in an environment where he could act like a bully without getting fired or divorced.

I think a lot of times when you encounter A-holes / bullies online (of any gender) it is because that person feels powerless in their real life and they “need” to exert control / dominance over someone, somewhere, even if it is a stranger online.

@JohnR1972 Good insights.

I just Googled "are people getting angrier" and it seems people are angrier in general more now than in previous decades.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/decade-of-childhood/202405/7-reasons-everyone-seems-so-angry-all-the-time

There's a lot of people afraid right now. Some because they've been told to be afraid, and some because they've been designated as targets. You don't have to look very far to see that.

I think the people complaining about people being angry are usually the ones who have been told to be afraid, not the ones who have a legitimate reason to be afraid.

No time for anger and rage?.
Time for love, cuddles n hugs. Always.

@IronicMaiden 💯💯💯💯💯💯

sigh

Millions have been spent on informative commercials and people clearly did not get the message. The reason people are so angry is a nationwide shortage of Snickers bars and the ensuing hangry epidemic.

I'd rather see someone's passion manifest as anger than see them become numb.

People are angry in general. It’s not just because they’re online.

People resort to baseless attacks and rude insults online because they think they can remain anonymous and safe.

But the reasons for their anger are varied and many.

Pain + Fear = Anger