Wow.....
Hmmm...
Lemme try this again. I don't believe people should be punished for thought crimes. What I think about, as sick and perverse as it may be, is still just a thought in my head. In many ways I see the Internet as an extension of people's deeper fantasies or thoughts. It is a way to express something, often through the means of blogging or posting on a forum, that would be hard to express in real life.
Take GT for example. For me, GT represents a nifty outlet to throw around conversation about gaming and politics. Obviously I convey a lot of my "real life" mannerisms on these boards. But at the same time, I tone things down a lot in real life; especially when arguing, for example. I mainly do this because the bulk of people I meet in real life simply do not want to have a heated argument like we often have on these forums or like you often see on the Interwebs. Likewise, I see people like Xantar, Prof S, or TheGame as potentially being confrontational in terms of arguing in real life, but I imagine they tone things down as you only argue to the extent that the party they are conversing with wants to argue. This is Social Skills 101. You don't beat a dead horse with friends and family.
But let us take things one step further. Suppose I joke about wanting to blow something up or make a joke about harming someone. At what point does using the Internet as an extension of my personal thought or something I might say in the company of 2 or 3 close friends become a serious threat or something that warrants serious attention?
When does posting a group making fun of a teacher, in the privacy of my Facebook and under the guise of the 1st Amendment warrant intervention from the school system? (current Facebook story, I'll find the link if ya'll want).
Anyway, I have no idea where I'm going with this thread.
Re: How "real" is the Internet?
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