Your Deadly Weapon

What if I told you I owned a secret weapon that could hurt almost anyone, anywhere at basically anytime and never get traced back to me?

And you have this weapon, too?

And you have it in your hands right now?

Now that I have set alarms off at CIA and FBI headquarters, let me reveal this weapon.

It’s your keyboard.

Whether or not that keyboard is on a phone, tablet, or computer, it holds more power than most realize. In fact, I’m just finding that out in my recent blogging endeavors. Like most things of power, it can be used for good. It can pave the way to productive discussions, encouraging comments, or eye-opening stories. But many times, it tends to become a weapon unlike any other.

A majority of people online today aren’t “bloggers” themselves, but are reading and responding to blogs via social media at an increasing rate. Most of these blogs that have gone viral do so because they hit a nerve with people, which is definitely not a bad thing. Conversation is good. I’m a proponent of it.

But if you go to the latest “blog gone viral” on your Facebook wall and read the comments, I would be surprised if there weren’t a few that stepped over the line just a tad. Comments that attack the writer rather than his or her thoughts, or often times, assume and attack statements not even made. The more people the post reaches, the more insane some of the comments get. And what you probably don’t realize by looking at the post is that 10X as many hateful comments are coming to the person’s private inbox.

And here’s the catch: Most of these people are anonymous.

Anyone can post anything as anybody…or as a nobody.

 I’ve had my first blog go semi-viral, thanks to the opportunity to guest post on my pastor’s blog. Feel free to check it out here- if you are nice. Since this blog was posted a few days ago, I have had my first “trolls” attack- a couple directly on the post and others privately to my email inbox. I’ve seen these online trolls attack others before, but until I got a small glimpse of it myself, I didn't realize just how lethal a keyboard can be.



Here are three things I wish we would all remember before responding to a person’s post online. With these in mind, I think we can ensure our keyboard doesn’t become a deadly weapon.

• You don’t have the full story.    

A 500-word blog rarely encompasses all you need to make a full judgment on a person or their complete stance on an issue. While there is nothing wrong with questioning a person’s statement(s) or arguing a different viewpoint, it is vital to remember you do not have the full story. Many blank spaces exist where a subject is not fully tackled. Far too many times, a reader assumes and projects an author’s thoughts and stances in these blank spaces without even realizing it. In fact, the person may very well agree with what you are saying in a face-to-face conversation. An online post is one-dimensional and static. You never see all the angles of a person or the subject.  

• You can’t hear inflection. 

Although words can be bolded, highlighted, or italicized in order to create inflection within online posts, it is impossible to fully gather the appropriate tone. I’ve often realized that my mood can alter the way I read something. On a particularly stressful day, for example, I may project my short fuse onto an author’s tone and become irritated at their thoughts. Remember you are not actually hearing a person speak when you read their blog. Leave room for the possibility of an error interpreting. In such instances, if you want to understand what he or she meant, simply ask. Tell them in your comment that you interpret them to mean XYZ and ask whether or not that is the case.

• You are responding to a person. 

I believe this is the most important thing to remember in an online world. Without seeing a person’s face, it is very easy to forget you are corresponding with a person at all. I am willing to bet that 99% of arguments found online would not be had in person or would be much more mature and productive face-to-face. Realize someone is on the other side of the computer. Someone with a life, with feelings, with a family. Just like you.

 Again, disagreements are okay. Online bullying is not. Let’s make sure our household keyboards don’t become weapons of mass destruction.

What do you think?

Feel free to leave your thoughts, but please remember you are responding to a person, not just a computer.