During class today, I was struck with the
thought that Glaucon would love the Internet. Let me clarify: As much as I want
to believe that humans are naturally capable of being "good" and
just, Glaucon would love the Internet because it serves as a perfect example of how badly some humans
behave when they feel that they face no consequences. On any given day, you can
log into Tumblr, Reddit, or any other site with some form of anonymity and
likely see some variety of hatred. Websites such as Tumblr that have anonymous
messaging systems are often a source of cyberbullying and general harassment. Additionally,
on anonymous forum-type websites such as Reddit and 4chan, supposed anonymity
often leads to people making racist, sexist, or homophobic remarks that they
wouldn’t dare make to anyone’s face. That isn’t to say that the Internet is a
completely terrible place. The Internet has many good uses and, in my opinion,
has brought the world a little closer together. However, like Glaucon’s example
of Gyges’ ring, the sense of safety from consequences that the Internet
provides causes people to lose any qualms they might have about being rude or
demeaning to others.
Unlike Gyges’ ring, however, there is at
least some way of finding out the identities of those who use the Internet to
behave badly. “Anonymous” cyberbullies and the hurtfully offensive can be
traced by IP if someone is willing to put the effort into doing so. Also, people
are beginning to recognize the psychological effects of cyberbullying and are
starting to take it more seriously, with many states adding cyberbullying to
existing bullying laws. Thus, people have become more serious about actually
locating the source of anonymous attacks. Further, there have been increasing
instances of people hacking websites and exposing those they deem immoral, as
with the recent Ashley Madison incident (such incidents have negative
implications for the current state of cybersecurity, but that is a tangent for
another day). Soon, anonymous and consequence-free Internet hatred might become
a thing of the past.
The act of behaving differently online than one behaves in real life is called the "Online Disinhibition Effect." Nearly everyone behaves differently online than they do in real life, but I believe this is just as much of a rebuttal to Glaucon's argument as it is a proof of it. While many people act unjustly online, many others continue to act justly, which shows that not everyone is selfish and wicked, as Glaucon thought. The internet unmasks people, and shows them for who they truly are, just as Gyges' ring did.
ReplyDeleteJust as Richard pointed out, everyone acts differently online then they do in the real world. The moral of Gyges' ring is that both the just and the unjust will act the same when they know that there are no consequences for their actions. In class when asked what everyone would do with the ring the answer varied from person to person. Some said that they would sleep more and others said that they would rob a bank. Online everyone's individual actions are different but they all fall under "Online Dis-inhibition Effect". The people who are not bullying other online are still acting differently then they would in real life. More over, if someone does something nice on the internet, the motive is still ultimately selfish. I would say that when someone does something nice, it is either to make themselves feel better or to make themselves look better. Online with a certain level of anonymity the person will be doing something nice to make themselves feel like a good person. In real life they might not actually stand up for someone because they do not want to get in the conflict but online since there are no repercussions they can act nice for the selfish reason of convincing themselves they are, in fact, a good person, even if they would not do it in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way of posting pictures on here. Right before commenting on this blog, I saw a picture on Instagram of a young lady praying for her grandmother who was laying next to her in a hospital bed. Her grandmother was staring straight at the camera with a look that said I ain't buying it. The caption of the picture said, "When even your grandmother knows you're doing it for attention." As Caitlin, Richard, and All Crisp have all expressed today's internet, especially in the case of anonymous websites and apps, is a modern example of Gyge's ring. The example that I gave above about the young lady on Instagram, speaks to the self interested nature of mankind which Caitilyn mentioned in her comment. Glaucon also refers to this refers to this nature when he says that it is mankind's desire to "outdo others and get more and more." Ultimately, I feel that it is this selfish nature that causes the phenomenon of Gyge's ring.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way of posting pictures on here. Right before commenting on this blog, I saw a picture on Instagram of a young lady praying for her grandmother who was laying next to her in a hospital bed. Her grandmother was staring straight at the camera with a look that said I ain't buying it. The caption of the picture said, "When even your grandmother knows you're doing it for attention." As Caitlin, Richard, and All Crisp have all expressed today's internet, especially in the case of anonymous websites and apps, is a modern example of Gyge's ring. The example that I gave above about the young lady on Instagram, speaks to the self interested nature of mankind which Caitilyn mentioned in her comment. Glaucon also refers to this refers to this nature when he says that it is mankind's desire to "outdo others and get more and more." Ultimately, I feel that it is this selfish nature that causes the phenomenon of Gyge's ring.
ReplyDelete