The internet is an amazing piece of modern technology that allows us to communicate with all sorts of people all over the world. This is fantastic, but there are pitfalls!
I Use the internet daily and have my business on-line, I find it incredible and I love the ability to reach people world-wide. Unfortunately there is a downside and it can be very negative.
Care With Words!
When we are talking face to face with someone, it is obviously easy to see if our words are understood, if the other person looks confused we have the opportunity to work through it and express correctly, but with written words this is obviously very different, we don?t know how the reader is responding to our words and they may dismiss them, we run the risk of losing friendships and business through choice of words. This is very difficult as we can?t take responsibility for how people will interpret our words, but we can take extra care to express ourselves as well and as carefully as possible, and make sure the other person has easy ways to contact us.
Forums And Blog?s
I have recently had a very bad experience here which is what prompted me to think hard about the subject and write this article.
I don?t usually get involved with forums but on this occasion it was the only way I could see to reach someone whom I needed a response from. Unfortunately I became wide open for someone to attack me and it got ugly!
When we comment in forums or on blog?s anyone and everyone has the right to comment back. As we are not face to face, people tend to immediately speak their mind without thought or care for the other person. You may not even want to speak with this person and it is most likely that you would not speak with them in the real world, but by entering the forum you are vulnerable to this.
Some forums are wonderful and can be very helpful if we want to learn about something, but in my experience there always comes a time where people start to attack just because they feel like it!
A person may be in a particularly nasty mood that day (or maybe just nasty) and express it through their activity in the forum, they forget that they are talking to real people and do not think that it may hurt them. So be very wary if you choose to partake in forums and blog comments.
In my case the person who decided to communicate with me was not a nice person and it caused me a lot of anguish. I would suggest if you start to experience this, extract your self from the forum and that person. There have been cases where people have sought out ways to find people and make their lives a misery. Be wary!
If Someone Starts To Attack You.
If someone starts having a go at you, do not respond no matter how much you want to, do not try to defend your self or be understood. I know this is easier said than done and this was my experience, but they are not interested in you or your problem, they are not listening and they don?t care. They have no clue who you are and you don?t know them! Don?t allow it to escalate you will be the only one who becomes upset, they are having fun, don?t allow it! You would not allow this to happen in a bar or wherever, you would not stay and allow someone to continue to belittle you and put you down for their entertainment, so don?t let them do it here, don?t lower yourself to their standard, get out!
Enjoy Your Online Experience.
Online experience can be wonderful, and we can find a lot of wonderful helpful people, but just as in regular life, there is always one who will spoil it! Don?t forget that the people are real, don?t go in unguarded, we would not do this in public so be wary on the net, don?t leave yourself open, speak with care and do not communicate with someone if they make you feel uneasy!
Take care of yourself online as you would in any public place.
My experience this week was not at all nice and has left me with a very bad feeling, don?t let it happen to you. Think about people in general, they are the same on line, good and bad everywhere, be wise and take care! My Success to you, to all you deserve and desire!
Cheryl Fauvel
http://mindandbodyinhealth.com/
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