Reminder: Not Everyone Online Is A Jerk

from the nice-to-know dept

Fri, Dec 5th 2008 8:44am — Mike Masnick

Following the incredibly tragic story of Abraham Biggs' live broadcasting his suicide, plenty of "web 2.0" critics such as Andrew Keen jumped on the chance to blast the "anomie, cruelty and narcissism that characterises much of the web." Of course, if you think social networks are evil, you're going to interpret events that way, but, of course, as has been pointed out before, communication tools don't discriminate over who can use them -- so of course there are some awful people who use them, just as there are many good people. Communication tools don't change that. And, for every tragic Abraham Biggs story out there, it seems likely that there are many, many stories like Ayelet Waldman, who talks about how her online community of friends saved her from committing suicide. Of course, those stories don't get nearly as much attention, so folks like Keen can pretend they don't exist and that social networking communication tools are mainly used for shallow, meaningless conversations.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: abraham biggs, andrew keen, ayelet waldman, community, social networks, suicide

38 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 8:48am

"Andrew Keen jumped on the chance to blast the "anomie, cruelty and narcissism that characterises much of the web."

It's not the web - it's the human race.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- ehrichweiss, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:17am
  
  Re:
  FULLY agree. The tree of the human race needs a massive pruning. I'd say we could do better with only 1% of the population, and 1% of that population could pare down the remaining non-desirables[dumb as a box of rocks, etc].
  
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, some bleeding heart will say that we can't get by without ALL of us or what-have-you but the truth is, we can and they're just too blind to see that we are not currently IMPROVING our state of living, we're playing catch-up at best.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:43am
    
    Re: Re:
    I agree as long as I get to choose the 1% that gets to stay.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Sean, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:43am
    
    Re: Re:Killing people
    And how do you propose we determine, first off, who the lame ones are, and secondly, how do you propose we kill these people?
    
    What you are proposing is a very fucked up idea. Ironically, you're conveying the idea of mass killing over the Internet because someone killed themselve while broadcasting on the Internet.
    
    Basically your idea is jaw-droppingly stupid and ignorant and you should probably be one of the ones killed in your own plan.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:46am
      
      Re: Re: Re:Killing people
      A single death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic. He's just proposing we remove all tragedy from the world.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased), 5 Dec 2008 @ 11:09am
      
      Re: Re: Re:Killing people
      We don't need to actively kill people. We should just let them die. We need to stop actively supporting the population that can't support itself and lives off the willing and able as parasites. I am not talking about children, they may have potential usefulness in the future. Why do we support the lame-o's that are adults that never contribute a single thing to society except 'diversity' and a debit? Why do we make it more beneficial to take welfare instead of working?
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Urban, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:53pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:Killing people
        Damn right, and then we stop helping people who can't survive without medicine.
        Like kids with asthma.
        
        This will all work itself out fast!
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 1:54pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:Killing people
        Because of basic genetics dumass. Removing a genetic trait from the human race is a very BAD idea because you don't know how it will effect other things. You had better bet that stupidity is partly a genetic trait, and you had better bet that there are environmental situations in which it's downright useful.
        
        So please don't doom us all to extinction, dumbass. I admit I'd probably go to, being about as nutty as a bag of angry squirrels
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 10:22am
    
    Re: Re:
    ehrichweiss,
    So I take it you believe you are in that 1%. That is interesting. What if you are one of the dumb as a box of rocks people?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 1:50pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Dude. BASIC GENETICS! We need stupid people, they're our gene resoviours. Without them, we'd all go insane from inbreeding!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
moore850, 5 Dec 2008 @ 8:59am

Jerks
While the internet provides a way for people to more easily escape repercussions for their potentially harmful comments, it also provides a way for good-natured folks to reach out and help their fellow people in distress. Internet-related deaths are as rare and shocking as plane crashes, and as my friend is fond of saying, "the day I stop flying on planes is the day that plane crashes no longer make headlines."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:45am
  
  Re: Jerks
  The Internet lets people connect more easily. That doesn't change the fact that, sometimes, there are people you're better off not connecting to.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:10am

It doesn't do squad but allow emos to publicly wear their emotions on the outside.
Buh huh....

Good bad, it's all the same. Bunch of humans. Nothing more, nothing less.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:11am

Your a jerk face poopy head! And I camped your real life spawn point last night!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
astontechno, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:14am

that about sums it up
The footage has since been taken down and his father is now calling for more regulation of chatrooms.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:14am

Good bad, it's all the same. Bunch of humans. Nothing more, nothing less.

That's not entirely true. While I agree that you get a cross-section of humanity through online experiences, you do draw heavily on the group who likes to be immature, brave ONLY when out of range, and harbors the belief that they can never be caught. Then there are the people who prefer "real contact" who are more often than not better sorts of individuals in their demeanor, morals and conduct.

That said, there is a slant toward the perverse, the obtuse and the downright blisteringly irritating... but as the article suggests, not exclusively.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:18am
  
  Re:
  "That said, there is a slant toward the perverse, the obtuse and the downright blisteringly irritating... but as the article suggests, not exclusively."
  
  The world was the same way without the Internet. People are people.
  Only difference now is that people can post their depravity online so they all get to feel like unique snowflakes.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
bigpicture, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:21am

It's the same argument for lots of things, it's not the tool it's the person using it. A car in the hands of a responsible driver, versus in the hands of a drunk driver? Even though guns are designed to kill, it is not the gun that makes the decision to kill, but the person holding the gun. (I am not an advocate of guns, but just by way of responsibility example, I know persons who have owned guns all their lives, and never killed a living thing.)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:54pm
  
  Re:
  Pussies
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
mslade, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:43am

It's a well-documented fact that...
Being a douche makes you louder. It happens offline and on. If you're a douche, you're going to be loud about it. This is the fundamental problem with making communication easier and through anonymous channels. I'm not saying it's a design flaw of communication, just a design flaw of humanity: whose idea was it to put the douche gene so close to the loudmouth gene?

What needs to happen is one douche needs to patent being a douche. Then all of the douches online (who by nature must be loud about it and give themselves away) can be sued for infringement. This would reduce online douchery while fostering a brand new market: the douche market.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sean, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:45am

The Internet is everywhere
The Internet makes my monitor like a funnel of stupidity that drains into my eyes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:49am

Who is this Jesus you speak of?
I would submit that many people, even up to this day, thought Jesus was a Jerk too.

I suppose the common thread is that people don't like hearing things they don't agree with. But ironically, controversy is continually seeked out for the reason that it sells.

Hey, MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alpha Computer, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:52am

Tragic Story Amongst Many Great Stories
This truly is a tragic story and we all need to look at how we interact with others. Yet, we as individuals are truly capable of great acts of kindness if we choose to do so. The Internet, I figure is neither good nor bad. It's kind of like money; it's what you do with it that matters.

For me, helping others learn computer skills via my www.alphacomputer.ca site is important. Maybe it will inspire someone to realize that they can learn these skills and get a better job for example.

Bottom line, we the people can really mess up a good thing or we can use it for noble purposes. Will we play nice with others or drag them down?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 10:01am

Hitler thought the world would be a better place if we could just eliminate a few percentage points of population. Stalin, too.

Nice job, guys... You now qualify for most-evil-on-the-planet status.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 9:37pm
  
  Re:
  Yeah, but Hitler and Stalin's plans were at least more well defined then the plans of these fucktards. Stalin's plan was 'get rid of anyone who disagrees with me' and Hitlers was 'remove da non caucasion idiots fags and cripples'. These guys it seems to be 'randomly kill 99% of the population.'
  
  See you all in hell
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 10:14am

Why this is a story!
I read the linked article completely and I thought the article was balanced. The article's purpose was to show that social networking can be bad as well as good, depending on how it is used.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
DS, 5 Dec 2008 @ 10:43am

you are all pricks
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
winterfreez, 5 Dec 2008 @ 11:10am

Most Evil?
most-evil-on-the-planet status? PSH! Most evil my butt! All I see is a malcontent who knows how to spell...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Fidgetry, 5 Dec 2008 @ 11:43am

Wasn't it one or several of the chatroomies that called the cops to go check on this guy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
ahhh, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:00pm

u guys are DICKS
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
known coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:14pm

everyone on line not a jerk ? ?
You people have not read craigslist rants and raves recently, have you?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Wally, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:26pm

Blame to go around
So what's the problem? I think it's that Abraham Biggs didn't have a two-way relationship with his parents, but instead found comfort in growing an online relationship with people he really didn't know. This progressed to his single act of selfishness where it seems he took his own life. But he did so in the presence of those that he assigned value to, based on the absence of a parental figure.

Sure, Social Networking is great for work, business, and keeping in touch with old College buddies. But there's this weird phenomenon where Social networking and technology in general, has the ability to replace in-person communication. But, it shouldn't be that way. It will never fully take place of face. The sad thing is that Abraham substituted real relationship with some jerks online.

Does this necessarily mean it needs to be legislated? I don't think so. But a starting point would be the idea that Parents should be equipped with what's needed to be a parent.

I think it would start with valuing your kid over that 3rd Mercedes in the driveway used to tow the boat.

Yes- this idea would involve spending time away from work with them and being involved.

What a novel concept.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
hyland, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:56pm

Dislodge your head from your own rectal cavity!
The ready availability of suicide, like sex and alcohol, is one of life's basic consolations.
-Edward Abbey

A body builder on "supplements" with a history of faked suicide attempts and mental disorder finally offs himself on a web cam... and everyone but him is to blame?

Stuff happens - every day! There are people in this world dying against their will because of things they have no possible control over - people starving to death, people being tortured, raped, raved by awful and easily preventable disease, destroyed in a million ways more painful, degrading, and horrifying than this... and who speaks for them?

Yeah... perspective, that is what I have... Do you?

The guy chose to kill himself - the actions ALREADY set in motion by the time he turned on his web cam and "went to sleep..." Nothing anyone on the internet could have done would have changed that one bit.

God granted humans free will... FREE WILL... So you have to chose to live with the consequences of that, or continue to live your life with your head firmly shoved up your own ass.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 12:59pm
  
  Re: Dislodge your head from your own rectal cavity!
  snicker, you said god
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 Dec 2008 @ 1:55pm
    
    Re: Re: Dislodge your head from your own rectal cavity!
    Uh, you failed to make any point.
    
    So on a tangent, I share my thoughts of of those who have a love for money.
    
    People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that often plunge them into ruin and destruction. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
    
    http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=081205171141.lpe7jc8e&show_article=1
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Joel, 5 Dec 2008 @ 8:38pm

Cult
Don't you know that social networking sites are just cults without compounds? I thought everyone knew that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Duodave, 6 Dec 2008 @ 7:26pm

Interesting
This happened to me too, but I was at the other end. I was online with a friend who told me she was suicidal. I knew where she lived so I contacted the sheriff's office in her town. She was pretty pissed at me when they showed up at her doorstep to make sure she was ok, but she told me later that anger snaps someone out of a depression pretty quick. So I guess I saved her life.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
bshock, 8 Dec 2008 @ 7:56am

we know other through knowing ourselves
I know I'm a total jerk. It seems likely to me that everyone else is also.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]