"Hateful" Comments

When you see "hateful" comments on Youtube, Twitter, a news website, or other internet webpage and want to draw conclusions about the country, consider the following:

- 500 negative comments in a nation of 300 million.

- How many of these negative comments are international in origin?

- 500 negative comments in a world of 6 billion.

- How many of these negative comments are from adults and how many are from middle schoolers?

- What is the motive for such negative comments? Trying to joke ironically? Trying to get a row out of you? Trying to make you think that a certain segment of the population is "hateful". Trying to create controversy so they can use the controversy advertise the issue/product publicly?

The virtual anonymity of the internet creates the situation in which one is uncertain as to the location, age/maturity, or motivation of anyone who posts "hateful" comments in such a public forum. This ambiguity of intent creates a vacuum that people attempt to fill with their own speculation, usually based on their own biases, presumptions, pet peeves, and worldview. Therefore, it can be easy to misjudge a situation and be deceived.

At the very least, there is the strong possibility that people who post "hateful" comments in a public forum are attempting to manipulate your emotions for personal gain. Don't give people the power to influence you in this regard.