Keeping a Healthy Distance

Amongst many issues for which the internet is being assailed, one of the more controversial is the misuse of internet anonymity. It's a complex issue that takes in aspects of free speech (Atkinsowon, 2012) and the psychological impacts of internet use upon our behaviour (Szalavitz, 2010). But what is particularly fascinating is that certain factors enabling questionable 'trolling' behaviour are not dissimilar from those behind the, seemingly at times, heartless austerity programs of some conservative dominated governments.

When we place a real or imagined distance between ourselves and others, it hinders our ability to, as novelist (and Nerdfighter) John Green describes it, 'imagine others complexly'. This distance removes the subject from context, which robs us of perspective, and of empathy (Rifkin, 2010) - and can lead to miscomprehension and even callousness towards others. The chief dangers here, when failing to grasp the complexity of another human being, is dehumanisation.

Part of the risk of dehumanising others is to the one posed to ourselves. When we reduce others to mere caricatures, it becomes all to easy for us to become monsters. Though not all monstrosities are obvious and many can seem quite mundane. This seems to be some of the fuel behind scorn for the UK Government's austerity program and it's slogan of 'we're all in this together' (BBC, 2012); at present being assailed by the opposition over welfare cuts (Helm, 2012).

Such governing attitudes and opposition to them has not been limited to the UK. In Chile, students have been leading protests for a better education system, in response to which President Pinera (Goodman, 2012) has said:

'We would all like education, health care and many other things to be free, but when all is said and done, nothing in life is free. Someone has to pay.'

There seems a certain kind of callousness necessary to so summarily dismiss the paid-for-by-tax support networks that the most disadvantaged depend upon. And distance is a problem here - it's not necessary to have been poor to understand their plight, only to have empathy based on a realistic comprehension of the difficulties faced.

Reason requires distance from the emotive aspects of matters, in order for the facts to be clearly assessed. But this does not mean keeping a distance from the realities of poverty and of suffering; nor does it require coldness towards others (particularly when you think no one can see you).

Walling yourself in behind pre-determined opinions, and only that information that supports your views, is a self-destructive path whether you're part of a semi-aristocratic government or an internet user hurling abuse from behind the mask of anonymity. Real solutions require a realistic perspective.

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References:
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+ Victoria Atkinsowon's 'Online anonymity is ugly - but it's vital for free speech'; in The Telegraph; 19 July 2012.

+ Maia Szalavitz's 'Empathy and the Internet'; in The Huffington Post; 17 June 2010.

+ Jeremy Rifkin's 'The Empathic Civilisation'; on RSA Animate; 6 May 2010.

+ BBC's 'Coalition and Labour clash over "strivers' tax" claim'; 6 December 2012.

+ Toby Helm's 'Ed Miliband to wage war on George Osborne over benefit cuts'; in The Guardian; 9 December 2012.

+Amy Goodman's 'Part Two: Camila Vallejo & Noam Titelman on Massive Chilean Student Protests, Post-Pinochet Chile'; on democracynow.org; 17 October 2012.