Empowered by Anonymity

Let's talk a little bit about a word I can't say three times fast, but if called upon, could type three times fast.  The word I am referring to is, "anonymity".

People these days seem to bask in the ability to be anonymous.  I mean, let's face it, we are all a little bit more comfortable to do things that we would not normally do if we can do it from a place of concealment (I point to me and my blog).

Think about some of the things that we have the opportunity to do in relative anonymity.  In this technological age we live in, there are any number of things we can do in anonymity.  After all, most of the technology we use was designed by some guy living in his mothers basement and when they come out, they are socially awkward to the Nth degree. Therefore they needed something that would help them interact with people, but not actually interact with them.  Yes, because of these geeks, we are able to get on message boards and make comments on other people's posts by berating, making fun of, or agreeing with them and do so in obscure privacy.  We can go to blogs and comment on the articles that have been written or comment on others comments and do so anonymously.  In some cases we have to have a screen name to be able to comment, but on others, we can comment completely anonymously.  Really though, unless we know the person on the other end of "Sam I Am", anything that person posts under that screen name is done in obscure privacy. 

Another part of technology today is text messaging.  Of course we usually know who is texting us, however, it still gives us a measure of anonymity.  How so?  Well, when I was a little kid, and my parents would ask me what I thought was an embarrassing question, I would put a blanket over my head and answer the question.  If they could not see me, somehow it was easier to tell them that I had a crush on 15 year old girl when I was just 7 years old.  Almost certainly, it can be said that when we text message someone and tell them something we normally would not be able to say to them face to face, it's like we have pulled that blanket over our head so we can let them know what we could not bring ourselves to tell them face to face. 

Really, even while driving we are somewhat anonymous.  Of course others can see us, but after we cut someone off, or after they cut us off, we can, from the safety of our cars, yell at the other driver, or even get into a conversation with them using our limited knowledge of sign language. 

Yes, the ability to make ones self anonymous is empowering for some.  But really, what is anonymity in the sense we are talking about?  Cowardice, spinelessness, and gutlessness.  It's funny to me, in a sick and twisted way, that if we were in a grocery store, we would never start heading to the checkouts and break into a sprint with our cart full of groceries in order to beat the little old lady in front of us to the open checkout lane.  Why not?  Because for one, it is socially unacceptable to do so.  If we did that, everyone around us would be looking at us like we were a jerk, and rightly so.  There is also the possibility of the little old lady's body building grandson observing from a distance what we have done and him coming over to twist our head like a pepper mill.  Yet, you put that same little old lady and her freakishly large grandson in a Honda Civic and they are fair game.

I bring all of this up because over the past couple years I have had a few nasty comments left on a few different posts.  What makes me laugh is when these people leave there comments they don't even have the huevos to leave their name, it simply says, "Anonymous".  As I am typing this, I have a grin on my face because of the fact that the anonymity that they desire, really just makes them a coward of the highest order, and nobody respects anything they have taken the time and energy to type.  The latest comment left was obviously left by someone I know.  They said that my family name is "synonymous with 'chip on their shoulders'" and then proceeded to insult my grandparents.  Well, whoever you are, I would be happy to sit down and talk with you about whatever it is that my family or I did to you to make you such a bitter, gutless, twit.  However, I am sure you enjoy the anonymous darkness in which you dwell.  Much safer there, isn't it.

The moral of the story is, we should all be careful with the empowering anonymity that comes with the world we live in.  Even I have learned a lesson or two while writing this blog.  That being the case, I try hard to not hurt any one's feelings, because when you hurt feelings, you just end up in their living room trying to explain that most of what I say is very tongue in cheek or should not be taken too seriously.  However, like a very brilliant friend of mine has said on occasion, "Some people don't even know they have feelings until you hurt them."  Therefore, I like to think I am doing a public service and helping people get in touch with their feelings.  With that I offer you a wholehearted, "You are welcome!".