I have to dissagree with that. If they're not a "tough guy" in real life, they won't automatically try and make up for it online. I'm sure there are some people like that. Most of the time, people believe that everyoen change over the internet, and become complete opposites. I can assure you that's not the case. A real-life bully won't automatically become a care bear online. And someone that's getting bullied won't automatically start bullying the online care bears (which are the real-life bullies).
The internet, if anything, works like a maginifying glass. They become what they really WANT to be. The only people that becomes online e-thugs are those that want to be real-life e-thugs. So if they're happy with the life they're living in real-life, they will act in a similar way online. The internet is a magnifying glass, not a mirror. You can't assume that the assholes online are all nerds irl, because that's as far from the truth as you can possibly go.
Uzor, seriously, I need to say this to you.
Read and comprehend before posting. I've noticed plenty of times that you like to post your opinion, but it's always on a tangent. You haven't realized this, but you really are agreeing with what Kotsu said, despite you having said you disagree.
Nowhere did Kotsu said people become the opposites on the internet. Actually, he said people like to become "more than what they are". Your magnifying glass metaphor is describing that very statement.
"The only people that becomes online e-thugs are those that
want to be real-life e-thugs." What the heck does this mean? There's actually some information missing that comes after the last word. It is often the case that when someone
seriously behaves a certain way when the anonymity factor is involved (in this case, the Internet), that is because that someone wants to be like that but feels unable to when in their normal living context. For example, seeing a chubby, white 12 year old rapping on the internet, with ghetto language content, is one of the funniest and saddest things to see. And it is
real. Toss one of these internet kids in a real 'hood, see what happens. If they even go to one. What Kotsu said is right, to a majority extent.
Now when I said "serious", that meant behaving in that manner intentionally but
not for the purpose of roleplaying, but to act out one's fantasy in a safe environment (lol the Internet). To differentiate, roleplaying and/or personality-toggling (adapting to different situations) is done consciously, the person being fully aware of it while it happens.
And just to reiterate, these kinds of things
do not apply to all. And there was nothing about becoming the opposite on the Internet. It's about acting out a desired fantasy, and those aren't always opposite--in socially accepted definitions--to how the person already is.