Forum Blahs

Most virtual social sites in the internet, such as friendster.com, myspace.com, and theforumsite.com, featured a section exclusively devoted to forum of its members. This forum section is intended for the site habitues to be able to socialize and interact with one another. You know, exchange tips, ideas and views on topics close to their hearts. The topics are free wheeling comprising of anything under the sun, which the virtual citizens find fascinating and interesting while the exchanges is also free flowing. One can only wish that the same exchanges will also be pleasant. Such is not always the case. No wonder members would usually visit these sites, while surfing the net, only when there are no more interesting virtual places to visit.

However, in my desire to also broaden my virtual horizon and keep abreast with what is a buzzing in the virtual universe, I would also frequently visit the forum of the herein mentioned sites where (I must mention for traffic sake) I maintain accounts, manage blogs and keep journals.

What I find during my frequent trips to these virtual fora is not at all what I expected. As an idealist of sorts, I expected my fellow "citizen" of the virtual world to be socializing cordially and interacting civilly ,all the time. Instead I find, some, if not most, of them to be sarcastic, fault-finder and downright rude! This virtual(I called them "virtual "because they do not seem real with their outlandish avatars and even more outlandish aliases) citizens have no qualms about bitching and trash-talking(or should I say "trash-posting?").

What is lamentable is the fact that some of these virtual people seem to be on the look out for an opportunity to find fault, be sarcastic, and be rude!

Such an opportunity presents itself courtesy of those who provide replies and create new topics for others to posts reply to, only they do it in blatant disregard for categories of which the different contents are classified. You see, the forum section of the herein mentioned virtual social sites are divided into different categories, to guide and direct those who would like to participate in the exchange of ideas. So that orderly and cordial exchanges will be maintained.

However, some people seem so excited about joining in the discussions, by providing replies and even creating new topics, that they will just post whatever and wherever, when they feel like it. Result: chaos and a meltdown of the entire courteous world as we know it in cyberspace!

Whenever, the afore cited happened, sarcastic, rude and bitching-trash posts will come a flying and rain on the hapless author of "misplaced" post. Not only those who, inadvertently or otherwise, misplaced their post would fell victim to these rude people. Even those who express ideas not in accord with those espoused by those trash-posts-lovers, are not spared.

I have also noticed that those who are daringly disregarding other people's feelings, by their comments/replies that stings and stinks, are those who are not daring enough to use their real pictures and true names. Instead they employ avatars in lieu of their pics and aliases instead of their true names.

I always thought that those who opt to used avatars and aliases are just jealously guarding their privacy. Now I know better. These people used avatars and aliases so they can be rude, mean and abusive while hiding behind the cloak of anonimity.

I wonder if these virtual people will be as daring in their trash posts when they are using their real pictures and true names. Just wonderin...