The internet and you

[trailmix 77]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

Because it's fun sometimes?

[trailmix 77]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

Because it's fun sometimes?

Well of course, if bullies didn't think it was fun or get some kind of ego boost from it....there would be no...bullies...

[Sprailenes 47]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

YES!

My husband sometimes says he likes to push my buttons because he thinks it's "cute" when I get mad. How can you find it cute to see someone upset??

I don't get it.

[thetreble 19]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

But that's my problem, I guess, with certain people. I don't really run away from anything on the internet either. I like to see comments and discussions all the way through. I also have no fear that people are going to punch me offline. I've never had complaints at work because I've been honest. I think I'm honest with all my coworkers and let them know..hey, this is bothering me!

But I digress.

[SirJon 0]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

YES!

My husband sometimes says he likes to push my buttons because he thinks it's "cute" when I get mad. How can you find it cute to see someone upset??

I don't get it.

I must say Sprailenes I am guilty of doing that with my SO.

Now you have me thinking.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Mel and I do this to each other, but it's playful and we know when it's about to get too far.

[thetreble 19]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

See, I think this is where it gets taken out of context though. I don't consider anything I do to be any form of bullying. There is internet bullying out there, but I'm not writing to you or any one for that matter and telling them they are ugly and need to go kill themselves.

When I say pushing people's buttons, maybe I don't mean it in the same sense you are thinking. I don't sit here all day and think how I'm going to get one over on people. I don't spend my day thinking about how I can use words as a weapon to hurt people I don't know. I mean that I will sarcastically virtually poke people once and awhile, some times its funny, some times its not, but I usually try and do it in an intelligent and nice manner.

My husband tries to push me all the time, I think it's funny. He knows he is driving me nuts and then we both end up laughin!

[trailmix 77]

See, I think this is where it gets taken out of context though. I don't consider anything I do to be any form of bullying. There is internet bullying out there, but I'm not writing to you or any one for that matter and telling them they are ugly and need to go kill themselves.

Yes, maybe that is true, it could be taken out of context. Some people see verbal skills as a power though - just like an office manager might see that position as a position of power to do what they may (referring to the whole bullying thing). It kind of goes back to the whole - just because you can does not mean you should (not you personally, I just mean in general).

As for me...hmm, I think I pretty much am here what I am, or rather who I am - I don't think that I say anything here that I would not say to someone face to face.

[SirJon 0]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

See, I think this is where it gets taken out of context though. I don't consider anything I do to be any form of bullying. There is internet bullying out there, but I'm not writing to you or any one for that matter and telling them they are ugly and need to go kill themselves.

When I say pushing people's buttons, maybe I don't mean it in the same sense you are thinking. I don't sit here all day and think how I'm going to get one over on people. I don't spend my day thinking about how I can use words as a weapon to hurt people I don't know. I mean that I will sarcastically virtually poke people once and awhile, some times its funny, some times its not, but I usually try and do it in an intelligent and nice manner.

My husband tries to push me all the time, I think it's funny. He knows he is driving me nuts and then we both end up laughin!

I guess in a relationship it is not done with malice. It IS part of the normal "banter" that comes with being a couple. I guess we learn it as kids when we want to get things going our way.

The internet is somewhat different. There are a lot of folks out there who invade forums and chatrooms with the intention of provoking reactions, toying with emotion and generally engaging in a power trip from the comfort of their own home.

Oh yes, I hope my Canadian cousins don't mind an interloper.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Yes...true. But I'd be pushing their buttons in real life, too. I was a debater in highschool and it was a lot of fun.

Myself too. But, on the internet, you can do it with no fear that they might punch you or go complain to your supervisor. Like SirJon said, if you dont' like someones reaction, you can just ignore them, or at the very worst, you can make another account.

I never understood why someone would want to push someone's buttons - in general. Isn't that verbal bullying?

I'm not saying I have NEVER done this in my whole life, I probably have, but I don't make a general practice of doing it, or think that it's a nice or acceptable way to behave.

See, I think this is where it gets taken out of context though. I don't consider anything I do to be any form of bullying. There is internet bullying out there, but I'm not writing to you or any one for that matter and telling them they are ugly and need to go kill themselves.

When I say pushing people's buttons, maybe I don't mean it in the same sense you are thinking. I don't sit here all day and think how I'm going to get one over on people. I don't spend my day thinking about how I can use words as a weapon to hurt people I don't know. I mean that I will sarcastically virtually poke people once and awhile, some times its funny, some times its not, but I usually try and do it in an intelligent and nice manner.

My husband tries to push me all the time, I think it's funny. He knows he is driving me nuts and then we both end up laughin!

Because that is second nature? J/K

I do think that does show that you don't have an "online persona" and that you are the same online as you are in teh real world. I don't usually look to hurt people's feelings, but if someone says something just so unbelievably dumb or wrong, or the opportunity to make a joke is too difficult to resist, the a-hole part of my personality just takes over . I don't consider myself a troll by any stretch. I just like to have fun, online, at work, and at home.

[thetreble 19]

The internet is somewhat different. There are a lot of folks out there who invade forums and chatrooms with the intention of provoking reactions, toying with emotion and generally engaging in a power trip from the comfort of their own home.

Oh yes, I hope my Canadian cousins don't mind an interloper.

Yes, but that kind of person is considered a troll where they invade an online community to provoke. That is wrong and I dislike that people do that. But, we are all a part of this community and participate frequently so I don't think anyone in the Canadian form trolls. (although those one-thread wonders do my head in some times)

We don't mind you at all, btw! If you would like to be an honourary Canadian, we can arrange it. Many of us on here are English and/or Scottish as well!

[The_Dude 1,142]

I just realized a situation where I do go out of my way to be as big an a-hole as possible....... Video Games. But I think that is an exception because you are playing a character.

[TimandJoyce 1]

The anonymity of the internet allows people to be different if they want to. Those who would normally never say boo to a goose when around people suddenly have the ability to be vitriolic without any real comeback. If they don't like what comes back to them, all they have to do is click the mouse and it goes away. It's hard for that to happen in real life.

I can think of many examples of real life and internet life personas being poles apart.

These are my first thoughts when it comes to the internet. You can be whomever you want to be, if you feel you'll never meet that person. I know that a lot of couples meet online, through all sorts of ways. And then they meet in person...very different. A couple women I know met their husbands through different sites, but it certainly wasn't the first, or second man they went to see. It took meeting more than one. So I guess they were "impressive" at first...till they met face to face.

I find for myself too, that it's VERY difficult to explain yourself online. You can't hear the tone of voice, and it's hard to express in the written word as opposed to speaking. I try to be the same person here, as I would be if you actually met me. I think that for the most part, those on this site are themselves, as much as they can be considering the hindrance of the internet. Depending on what's being said, you can't see the smile on their face if they're just trying to "tease" and not "push buttons" does that make sense?

[SirJon 0]

The internet is somewhat different. There are a lot of folks out there who invade forums and chatrooms with the intention of provoking reactions, toying with emotion and generally engaging in a power trip from the comfort of their own home.

Oh yes, I hope my Canadian cousins don't mind an interloper.

Yes, but that kind of person is considered a troll where they invade an online community to provoke. That is wrong and I dislike that people do that. But, we are all a part of this community and participate frequently so I don't think anyone in the Canadian form trolls. (although those one-thread wonders do my head in some times)

We don't mind you at all, btw! If you would like to be an honourary Canadian, we can arrange it. Many of us on here are English and/or Scottish as well!

An honourary Canadian? Why thank you!