I'll start by saying I know I'm stating the obvious. This is more about the psychology of humans and the philosophy of human nature. Now I'm sure we've all seen how brutal people can be online, and I'm sure we've all had our fair share of moments where we've said some mean things to strangers we don't know online. Let's take for example YouTube, forums, comment sections of articles, and... well any place comments are allowed online. You're bound to see a flame war, right? When you argue with someone online, you most likely have a lot of insults in your argument. However when you argue with someone in person, you might tend to be more calm and mature with your responses.

But I ask, why? Why do people treat each other with such disrespect on the good ole Internet? I've seen some heinous comments and it just got me thinking. I'm sure some will argue it's anonymity, but that begs the question of why being anonymous makes us feel like we can treat our fellow humans like dirt. Are humans inherently hostile and the anonymity of the Internet allows us to express our true nature? What's the psychology behind it.

Discuss! 

Considering a person's actions don't come back to bite them, unless they're extreme, people don't limit themselves as much.

As has already been stated: no repercussions. Anonymity allows for brutal honesty, and just general fuckery. Where as in real life there is a social etiquette you have to follow.

Its not all that serious of an issue tbh. Weeds out the weak minded. If you care what some random commenter on the internet thinks you have bigger problems than mean words.

Yeah most of the time the anonymity let's them say things without repercussion.

However on a forum I frequent the guys talk shit to each other regardless of anonymity or not. It's a forum filled with steroid pumped monster bodybuilders that have sex with countless women and do an insane amount of drugs they're fackin crazy. Most of them have their instagram/social media accounts linked with locations and everything, the rich ones have offered to fly shit-talkers out so they can settle it irl. Not something a youtube commenter would do lol

No barriers. Or, very little. It's essentially your brain, and nothing else. As such, it's an extension of who people really are. Very much like alcohol.

When people are drunk and they start rambling, or saying things they normally wouldn't say? It's their inhibitions going down the drain. The internet is very much like that.

And, just like a drunk when they're sober again, they'll deny just about everything you question them on. Wave it off as "being tipsy."

As such. The internet is a disheartening place to me. You can find the best in people. But you see a lot of the true ugly things deep down, depending on whom you look at. And you see more of it over decent folks.

I'm actually like this in real life which pisses my brother off easily because I make fun of the fact that he's technically retarded

Good replies, fellas. But to address some points, it's not necessarily true that people are sensitive if they get salty when someone's mean to them online. No one likes to be called mean things in real life, so it's only natural those feelings extend to other mediums.

Everyone in this thread is a fucking pussy.

I guess it's just the whole thing of being anonymous and your actions generally not having repercussions unless they're exceptionally extreme. And also, there's a bigger detachment in forums, since all you're seeing from other people are the words they typed out on a screen. So overall, it just makes it easier to hide your identity and pretend to be like someone you aren't.

I'm just guessing really.