As a child, I often chanted those words back at whatever bully was tormenting me on the playground. To respond to hurtful comments in kind felt, well, good. I may have returned home with confidence destroyed and self esteem in shambles but as long as I didn't let that bully see what he had done to me, I remained the victor. With age came maturity and the realization that such methods are not appropriate outside the playground. (Now one could endlessly debate that we never left the playground just moved to a bigger one and that such phrases are still used just in more carefully worded language...but I'm not here to pursue that.) However, since my entrance into the blogosphere I have come to see that for many, the Internet has been a means to return to the playground, a new and improved one at that. In this playground you can throw sand, steal toys and pull pigtails all without repercussion. The threat of "time out" is no longer enough to keep everyone playing nicely.
While the average person isn't likely to go wild with this new found freedom many have begun to take advantage of the fact that words are now the most powerful weapons in this playground. And given the anonymity, people are free to say whatever they want. Entire subcultures have been created upon mantra that words are just words and the belief the the problem only arises when you let that bully (troll) see his effect. Verbal harassment is all just part of the game. Trolls argue, "the willingness of trolling 'victims' to be hurt by words makes them complicit, and trolling will end as soon as we all get over it."(Schwartz) They think that as soon as people come to actually believe in the childhood rhyme I used to chant, trolling will no longer be effective. But until that time, trolls are going to continue to push the limits of social barriers. But the question is how far is too far? When trolling, a verbal attack, takes on a physical component (such as victims committing suicide)? Who knows?
Trolls contend that, "ultimately the power lies in the community to dictate its own standards."(Schwartz) If masses of individuals form associations where such malice is tolerated than it should be allowed to continue. Only when enough people begin to censor themselves and others will such blind hatred decrease. In free spaces such as the internet playground, when real world morals and societal norms are thrown out, there cannot possibly a security monitor to watch every person's actions. People must act on their own. How to accomplish this....."I'd say empathy is probably a factor." (Schwartz)
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