Confessions

I think that one of the most interesting things that we have read is the chapter in Alone Together called “True Confessions.”  Turkle’s chapter and our class discussion focused primarily on how future [theoretical] relationships with robots and online relationships may cause us to expect less out of all our relationships.  We also discussed how confessional sites, specifically PostSecret, could be therapeutic for people wanting to let go and share a secret, combined with artistic expression.  As someone who has definitely looked at that particular website a few times, I enjoyed hearing the stories and interviews of people Turkle found to be frequently confess their thoughts and feelings online.

Anonymity is the reason why people feel comfortable participating in things like PostSecret.  “[It] takes as its premise the notion that you can deal with feelings without dealing directly with a person” (231).  This idea can also be related to cyber-bullying.  Bullies can project their negative words and emotions at others from behind their own safety net of a fake MySpace profile or a conversation through AOL Instant Messenger.  “People say outrageous thing, even when they are not anonymous.  These days, on social networks, we see fights that escalate for no apparent reason except that there is no physical presence to exert a modulating force” (235-236).  

The comment feature on confessional sites can lead people to bully strangers.  The people that Turkle interview say that they realize it is easier to be a bully online than in person.  It is easier to hurt others as an anonymous Internet user.  And it is especially easy to be rude and nasty to someone that you do not know and never will.

While related, I would not exactly define these actions discussed in this chapter as cyber-bullying.   I feel like a significant part of the definition found in my first blog post is that bullying consists of “repeated” actions.  While online confessional sites and websites that allow comments also allow an outlet not only for other’s opinions, but their anger as well.  “It is an endemic on the Internet.  There is no barrier to displacement, no barrier to rage” (237).  It might not be cyber-bullying, but people’s personal stories and feelings have the potential to be ripped apart by anyone with a strong opinion and access to a computer.  Should people be aware that this might come with the territory of posting online?

References:

Turkle, Sherry.  Alone Together.  New York: Basic Books, 2011.