Much of this garbage can be found on comment boards across the web. I no longer read comments left on news articles because people can be very disrespectful and nasty. This practice is fueled by internet anonymity. If I say something disrespectful and nasty at a meeting or at home, I will be held accountable to my words by those who hear me. There will be consequences. But online, who will hold you accountable?
This problem is coming to the forefront with cyber-bullying. Kids are often writing degrading and demeaning things to others online that sometimes have horrible consequences. Who is responsible? Who will be held accountable?
Tina Fey’s statement may also be applied to the ease and anonymity with which pornography can be accessed on the internet. This has already reached epidemic proportions.
Despite the many advantages of the internet (including the ability to have my own blog), we have to be aware of its negative effects. I am far from a luddite (a person who opposes technology), but we must keep in mind that today anyone can post anything on the internet. We have to use critical thinking when using the internet.
This mixing of good and bad on the internet reminds me of Jesus’ parable found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13. A man planted his fields with wheat and an enemy came and planted weeds. When asked if the weeds should be pulled out, the man answered, “No, if you pull the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.'”
We find both wheat and weeds on the internet and the presence of weeds does not justify getting rid of everything, including the wheat. It would be foolish to uproot everything arguing the internet is bad. What we need is prudence and good judgment when using this tool, just as in everything we do in life.
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