Why are some people so mean to complete strangers (e.g. posting nasty comments to other people's articles online)?

Slam-dunk, no-brainer before I got a source: Chronic Insecurity. But to back me up, I've supplied a source. Read the definition and the reasons, namely "Always felt overshadowed or overlooked due to the people in their lives who seemed to be ...getting much attention" and "doubt their ability to achieve success."

In this case I'd extrapolate that out to mean that they're not being recognized by the Mahalo community by best answers, tips or even votes up. Then read the negative effects--namely, "Scare others away from them by their defensive attitude," and "Be perceived incorrectly by others as being snobbish or uppity. " That you even posted the question is evidence of that negative effect.

I'm no medical professional, but I think this diagnosis is worthy of the M.D. --Mahalo Dollars. I'll quote directly: Insecurity is defined as: * Feeling of not being "good enough" to meet the challenge of a situation you face in life. * Sense of helplessness in the face of problems, conflict or concerns.

* Belief that one is inadequate or incompetent to handle life's challenges. * Fear of being discovered as inadequate, ill-fitted or unsuited to meet responsibilities at home, school or on the job. * Sense of not fitting in, being "out of sync" with those in your peer group.

* Perception that life is unpredictable with most of the expectations you have to meet not clearly understood. * Sense of always climbing up a mountain, never being able to reach the top. * Sense of lacking support or reinforcement where you live, work or play.

* Results from a sense of being unaccepted, disapproved or rejected. * Inner turmoil coming from a lack of direction or bewilderment as to where you are going, what your goals are and what responses are appropriate for events in life. Insecure people may have: * Been raised in a chaotic, unpredictable or volatile environment in which they were kept off balance, on guard or on edge.

* Experienced a major tragedy or loss in their lives and are having a difficult time in accepting this loss and adjusting to the change. * Experienced a major catastrophe in life (e.g. , divorce, losing a job, bankruptcy, failure in school, losing a friend, lack of acceptance into social or civic groups, etc.) that led them to question their personal competency. * A poorly developed self-concept with low self-esteem, lacking belief in their personal goodness, skills or abilities.

* Never felt accepted by the others' in their life, so much so that they became chronically shy, retiring and withdrawn in their interactions. * Had an unrealistic list of rules and expectations prescribed by significant others in their life, rules they are striving to meet even in their current life. * A poor body image, making them believe that others see them in a negative light.

This makes them self-conscious, tense and anxious in dealing with others. * Never received enough positive reinforcement or feedback from others about their talents and abilities, leaving them unclear as to their skills. * Been given very little direction, guidance or discipline in their earlier lives leaving them unable to cope with the current pressures of life.

* Always felt overshadowed or overlooked due to the people in their lives who seemed to be more successful, smarter, prettier, more handsome, more athletic or higher achievers, getting much attention. This can foster doubt in an insecure person's ability to gain recognition for their successes, and can make them doubt their ability to achieve success. What do chronically insecure people believe?

* I can never accomplish the task facing me. * Everybody is looking at me, just waiting for me to make a fool of myself. * I am a failure.

* I am ugly and awful to look at. * I can never win. I am a loser.

* What is the sense of trying, I'll never get it right. * No matter how hard I work to achieve, I never get any recognition. * I am incompetent in everything.

* How could anybody ever say anything good about me? * I failed them in the past; therefore, I am a failure today. * Once a failure, always a failure.

* There is only one direction for me to go in this organization and that is down and out. * No one could ever like, respect or accept me. * I don't deserve to be treated nicely.

* I don't fit in here or anywhere else for that matter. * Everyone else looks so good, so together; I feel so out of it compared to them. * I am an incomplete person and will always be that way.

* I am so afraid that no one will like me. * Why would anyone care to hear what I say, how I feel or what I think? * People are just nice to you in order to use you and get something they want from you.

What are some negative effects of insecurity? People who are insecure can: * Have difficulties in establishing healthy, long-lasting relationships. * Be perceived incorrectly by others as being snobbish or uppity.

* Become victims of fears that impair their freedom of action or choice. * Be candidates for paranoia feeling others are out to get them. * Scare others away from them by their defensive attitude.

* Be over-controlled emotionally, having problems letting others in on their emotions. This can lead others to guess what is going on until the passivity of the insecure person leads to an over-reaction by the others, resulting in conflict or rejection. * Have problems on the job or in school when they have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do a task efficiently but are told to do it in a different, less effective manner.

They get so uptight about the job and are fearful of standing up for what they believe that they get angry, hostile and resentful until they either quit or succeed in submerging their emotions. * Get passed over for promotions, advances or honors because they are so quiet about what it is they do. This leads the insecure persons to feel more unaccepted, unappreciated and under-valued.

* Have problems meeting people and often can become debilitated socially by chronic shyness. * Become so inward that they seek to escape into their fantasy life rather than deal with the reality of their lives.

Anonymity and pent-up aggression. Online we can hide behind a browser window and we can speak our minds without someone staring us in the eyes and challenging what we 'say'. We can be 'experts' without ever having to prove it.

We can pretend to be people we are not. This is a powerful force that some people cannot resist. Anonymity is a two way street and sometimes its the article, not the comments, that show people like to be mean without a face :( Our hiding gives us leeway to be more agressive and forthright without ever having to show a face to the outside world.

We can pretend to be rough and tough and we can comment like we don't care. It lets us be mean and let off steam without physically hurting someone. We can shout and rant all day and noone will look at us when we go out and say " hey, your that mean person online" It's a fake life that some need to feel strong.

When people are mean to me online I just ignore them..... I often think of them sitting in a basement somewhere eating junk food and being so fat they can't move, or so smelly they can't go out in public....just things to make me feel better.....sad but hey, its better than posting comments back, they just brings me down to their level...but I can 'think' whatever I like about them.....

Its really easy to be mean to someone on the internet, so I can ignore it without a problem. I like to think of them as 13 year old kids who have gotten sick of posting swear words on twitter. What I don't understand is people on the street who are just mean for no reason.

Maybe they are upset with the way their life turned out, but why take it out on me. I didn't make you have five kids when you were sixteen, or make it so you have to rent a crappy apartment and live a crappy life, so why blame me?! When I go to the grocery store there will always be one guy who pretends he is just way to busy for this and will visibly get mad at others for waiting in line.

How can you be angered by others doing the exact same thing you are? People on the street who tell you to "watch where your going" for passing to close to them, people honking when you don't see the green light as soon as it turns. WHAT MADE YOU SO ANGRY MICHIGAN?!

Once I cut off two teenage mothers in the grocery store parking lot, it was like poking a white trash bee hive. Mothers screaming out the car window and children in the back laughing. I could only understand one out of every five words but they were just so angry for me taking the spot over them.

Again, I just don't get how you can be mad at someone when you would do the same to them. Maybe its the winters up here that make people so bitter. Thats the best answer I can come up with, either that or the fact that its much easier to point a finger at someone else than it is to point to yourself as the problem.

Maybe they think "I didn't ruin my life, that kid taking my parking spot did!" Then the kids on the internet think "My life sucks, so I'm gonna try to make this author feel like they suck!

It's easy to be brave when hiding behind a computer. These are probably mostly kids who don't know anything anyway. I run in to this when you give opinions on the news sites.

People turn everything into is it the GOP or Dems fault when the story has nothing to do with Politics. And then they start to call eachother names and it shows their simple minds. They are expressed opinions and it always seems to degenerate.

I have had some stupid comments and always just put them in their place. Once one guy told me he wanted to meet me in NYC and I told him OK give me your phone number and we'll arrange it. I have never seen him on a site again.

He was probably twelve years old and got caught by his Mother. But I think the way you should look at it is people are jealous of your ability and they are so angry with themselves that they take it out on you. So anytime someone writes a nasty comment to you remember it is a compliment and they are just mad their not you.

I think the ability to hide behind an avatar gives people a sense of entitlement - as if they know what's right and wrong and seem to enjoy making others feel bad for their own views. I think it stems from maybe getting picked on a lot during childhood - now they have the ability to show how much they know and make others feel inferior (like they felt when they were being picked on). The driving thing is an entirely different creature: we're ALL in a hurry to get someplace and, on the road, we're each traveling in our own little world - our own little bubble.

When someone assaults that bubble or is just flat out being rude (my personal pet peeve is trying to get on the highway and the person won't slow down to let you on - as if you have infinite options at getting on the highway)we get peeved. People who are aggressive drivers are usually on some kind of power trip - the mindset of "I LET you on in front of me, so I'm the cool one," or " No, I don't want you get in front of me. " They feel empowered because they're letting you do something because they want it to happen.

All in all, both are simply a way for folks with low self esteem to make themselves feel better about themselves. That's why I try to just either ignore them or let them have their way. That's me, Mr. Avoid the Conflict!

A) because they feel anonymous. They fear no reprisal. And B) because they are frustrated and unhappy on some level and internet nastiness has become a socially acceptable way to blow off steam.

Think about it, if you yelled at your spouse you'd lose 'em, if you were nasty to the waitress at a restaurant you would feel awful next time you see her, but a stranger on the internet - that's a different story! Kid's aren't naturally sweet and nice. Bullies have been around since the beginning of time.As more people tear up their parent card, less people are available to teach kids that nastiness is mean-spirited.

A person reading enough callous comments on the internet soon absorbs the subculture, and ceases to be horrified. It's really no different from the way we all got used to violence on TV and in movies. Check out any movie that was rated "R" in the 1970's and you will be amazed at how tame it is.

We used to be, as a culture, much more sensitive.

Clearly they have their own personal problems they need to deal with and are using the person online as a 'mirror' of sorts and saying everything they feel about themselves to that person. Think "American Beauty".

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.