I posted a picture of myself on reddit asking for hair advice. My head was turned somewhat to the side so my nose was in profile. Someone felt the need to tell me I had the ugliest nose they had ever seen. I never really noticed the shape before that, but now in my mind’s eye it’s huge, crooked and has a hook.
A decade later I was getting a septoplasty to repair damage from an assault, and I asked the surgeon if he could remove the hook in my nose. He looked at me with the most compassion anyone ever has, and asked me to point out the hook in the mirror. It was the first time in all those years I finally saw my real nose. It’s actually pretty cute, I don’t know what that commentor was smoking
Hurt people hurt people
Yes.
On a forum, I was complaining about a troll and his friend roasting something i made, they responded with a picture of a baby crying. Moderators did nothing. It ruined my week. I was like 16 at the time.
Damn, people are jerks.
Edit:
This is where I learn the thing they made was like a pride swastika.
One time I said on Reddit that I really missed my high school boyfriend because he genuinely was the love of my life, and things were so bad in my marriage I sometimes thought I would do anything to have him back, and someone told me I was like the show Crazy Ex Girlfriend. I was just lonely and sad and feeling desperate. It was fucking mean.
I’m sorry people suck sometimes. I hope you’re in a happier place now. High school boyfriends are the best what-ifs because you can assume they grew up, imagine their potential, and not have to see all their screwups.
It ended up being dumb because he had evolved into a Qanon type person looking him up on Facebook, but I was just sad for a feeling I once had. Thank you. I’m not really in a better place, and never tie your finances to a crazy person or you’ll never get free.
This guy I had a huge crush on in junior high tracked me down when I was in my 20s. I was thrilled at first, then learned he had turned into kind of a cultish religious nut. Instant turnoff.
Then there’s my first true love from my early 20s. I can’t remember why exactly we broke up but we stayed in touch and even hooked up again some years later. Then we both got married and eventually lost touch. He reached out to me again recently, and I was hit by that same old feeling. But I realize it’s like what you said, it’s a feeling I once had. People change over the years – I sure have – and I know almost nothing about him now. Plus we’re both still married. Still flattering for me though.
It’s just a feeling you’re lonely for really, it doesn’t exist. Just a very sad time.
Hopeful that you find an escape from the craziness.
My wife wanted to say, in a loving way, that kinda is what the My Crazy Ex Girlfriend show is about. Also lots of music and kitchy themes.
Tell your wife I appreciate it. It was just a sad time for me and that asshole wanted to hurt me.
wasn’t the crazy ex girlfriend in that show sorta normal but the guy was sorta a meathead?
I’ve never seen it. The person who said that to me meant to insult me is all I know.
Not really, my skin is pretty thick. But I made a comment once that fucked someone up real good. I think about it every time I start to go “too far” and I reel it back in, because I never want to be that person again.
Are you the person that commented “I also choose this guy’s dead wife”?
That was a fabulous comment though
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Fine. Try not to judge.
Someone was having a very bad day and took it out on me with unprovoked anger on Reddit (of course). Their comments were very pointed, unnecessary, and all around inappropriate for the work related sub we were in. I took the bait, and it got a lot worse. Any attempt to reason with them (my first mistake) just made it worse.
So, I found out who they were and where they worked based on their username. Called the office (with no plan, like what was I going to accomplish? Dumb.) But, I found out he was just fired the prior week. With surprisingly little effort, I was able to squeeze the dirty details out of the receptionist. It was bad—and it was the dirt I needed. I took that information and formed a comment that would shut their shit down for good…
What ended up happening was they responded negatively—as anyone would. But, there was weakness in it. I won. But I wasn’t satisfied. “They sucker punched me. I am the victim!” I convinced myself.
So, high on anger and craving the last blow, I dug through their comment history like a rabid animal, but instead of dirt, I found their life story. They were having a lot of mental issues dealing with anger. They were mid-divorce. They were having anxiety about finding employment. They were up to their eyeballs in debt. Etc…
Fuck, what have I done?!
Never again.
Yeah, I tried and I failed. I applaud that you can look back at that and change your behavior online, but past you is getting judged hard rn, lol
You tried not to go too far, failed, and continue to go too far—knowing you’re going too far?
I mean, judge me all you want hypocrite 😉
Your wording makes me believe my comment came across as much more serious as intended.
Also, assuming you really did take that experience to heart I am not criticising you. I am criticising the actions of someone with less life experience, who no longer exists (they have been replaced with the smart you).
I can’t change how you read things.
Well I tried and failed to find any other reason for your comment beyond plain spite. Maybe instead of trying to put others down you take a hard look at yourself, because you’re coming across as a complete piece of shit.
Didn’t really hurt but more like sting. I published a popular video and someone wrote they needed to switch from their usual 2x speed watching videos to 1x because of my accent.
I get it, English is my 4th language so it won’t be very smooth. But I’ve been using it for 99℅ of my conversations since I moved to Korea 3 years ago and I feel I’m better in it than almost everyone I interact with here.
Don’t worry. People that watch videos at 2x can be considered to be insane.
Thank god, I was afraid to be judged insane.
But I’m good since I watch my videos at 2.5-3.0 times speed!
Fucking hell.
Anything above 1,5 is fast as fuck for me.
It’s weird, in my native language I tend to turn the speed down much more often than in English.
Ah yes, I forgot folks with ADHD are also insane. /s
Who the hell watches videos at 2x speed anyway?
For folks with ADHD, like myself, slow talking video essays are a special kind of hell.
Agreed. I’m convinced that most YouTube videos are slowed by 25%. The ones I watch are barely tolerable at 125% speed. I usually run them at 150%.
4th? Man that commenter owes you nothing, nada. You did your best and the rest is their problem.
goign from 2x to 1x is not really that bad of a thing. Hes saying he can understand you but not at an artificially high rate of speed. I personally don’t get watching things at multiple speeds but im someone who would rather read a doc overall.
Some people are very insensitive to other people’s hard work.
It’s because you talk fast and efficient.
Btw english is my 2nd, may I ask what are your other three? My first is Hungarian
Polish, German and Swedish. Now I’m learning Korean, not because I want to but because I moved to Korea and without it it’s difficult to do anything.
That’s also why I had to learn the other languages other than English, because I moved to those countries.
Wow, you almost went around the globe
EU freedom of movement really is something else, lol
I’m usually watching at 2.5-3.0 times speed. I turn down the speed either for A: entertainment (movies simply have a sort of pacing that is not so nice to interrupt (compared to any random YouTube video)), or B: because the content is sooo good and information dense that the limiting factor is no longer audio processing, but following the reasoning of the content. Those are the videos I love most.
You know 4 languages!?!?! That’s amazing. Don’t let anyone judge you on that.
I’ve been sick for a really long time, and I finally got diagnosed with Lupus, based on blood labs and symptoms, but the rheumatologist I’d seen was a jerk, so I asked in the reddit Lupus sub if what I’d experienced was OK, or if I should find a new doctor. Well, the mod decided that I didn’t really have a diagnosis, because they didn’t understand what I’d said, and kept DMing me to tell me that I didn’t have Lupus, and shouldn’t be receiving treatment for it. I know I shouldn’t listen to randos on the internet, especially a Reddit mod, but it made me scared that I wasn’t going to finally get the help I so desperately needed.
My doctor has continued to help me, and I’m very thankful that the idiot power-tripping mod was wrong, but it really messed me up for a few weeks, and it still bothers me that someone who runs a support group for a serious illness uses it to try to have power over vulnerable people, just to make themselves feel better. And reddit lets them; you can’t block mod-mail, so after asking multiple times to be left alone, I finally got mad and swore at the mod, so they reported me for harassment, and reddit baned my whole account for 3 days, even though it was clear who was being harassed, because it was all there in writing. I have never been back to reddit, and I don’t miss it at all.
Well, the mod decided that I didn’t really have a diagnosis, because they didn’t understand what I’d said, and kept DMing me to tell me that I didn’t have Lupus, and shouldn’t be receiving treatment for it.
Ignore it, if you can. 99% of the people on the internet (and real life, sadly):
- Don’t pay attention enough to understand what you said/asked.
- Assume that their life experience applies to everyone else on the planet.
- Have no idea what life is like for everyone else.
Thank you, and yes, you’re right. That’s why I don’t post about things that will upset me, I was just desperate for some advice and support for the terrible disease with which I’d just been diagnosed. I (stupidly) assumed I could be relatively safe posting in a sub specifically dedicated to supporting people with a disease, but even the leader of the group can’t be reasonable, which is really too bad. I’ve acclimated to having this disease now, and I’m confident I can get the help I need, so I know I won’t be bothered by the opinion of an ignorant internet person anymore. But I’m obviously still bitter enough to complain about it somewhere else lol.
One time I told a painful story about when my girlfriend broke up with me for a dude with what she described as a “freakishly huge” dick.
Someone just said “That must have been a very memorable night for her”
oof
damn son
yeah 😔
Good riddance buddy, if she was running around behind your back. Hope you’re in a better place now.
Well this happened in bumblefuck Arkansas and I live in Denver now so yeah, I’m in a better place
What do you mean? I only meant it in a good way
What do you mean? I only meant it in a good way
You meant “a better place” metaphorically. They understood this, but jokingly took it literally. Denver is indeed a better place than “bumblefuck Arkansas.”
Haha thanks, it seems they changed their answer after I asked the question
Not from a person. When I was younger I took an online personality test. Nothing from a reputable source, just some random pop psychology thing. The result was short and had a few things on it, but one line hit me like a ton of bricks: “You don’t like people who aren’t as smart as you.”
I was incredulous at first, but the more I thought about it the more I realized it was probably true at some level. I was pretty horrified by this realization, and I ended up thinking about it a lot and doing a ton of introspection. I knew I was smart, but I started acknowledging that there were also a ton of things I was terrible at. Whenever I had intrusive thoughts about a person I thought wasn’t very smart, I tried to think about things they were good at or at least acknowledge privileges I had that they didn’t.
We are a product of our experiences, and different people have different skills and aptitudes for things. All of that is ok and doesn’t make someone better than anyone else. I’m not perfect at it, but I found some value in confronting uncomfortable truths about myself.
I’ve performed and conducted more interviews than I can count. I was once asked a question that stopped me cold. “You’re clearly an intelligent person. How do you manage stupid people?” My mind reeled. At first I thought he was being insulting, but then realized he’s not identifying anyone in particular, just assessing my ability to lead people who are stupid. It’s still to date the toughest interview question I’ve been asked.
How did you answer?
After some uncertain smiles and stumbles, I said with patience, high support, and high direction. It was awkward, and not without some rambling.
Since then I’ve realized when I’m having difficulty conveying a complex idea to someone who may not understand, I tend to break the idea down into smaller components. I also often use analogies to help connect a concept to one the listener already understands.
I’ve thought about answering that question again on many occasions. I’m just glad it was a mock interview. lol
The truly hard part is detecting when the person you’re talking to doesn’t understand. Too many people pretend they understand when they don’t and are too embarrassed to ask questions.
Verify understanding with qualifying questions. Ask them to put it into their own words with questions like, “how would you describe it?”
Knowledge might not be intelligence but I really found xkcd’s 10000 a wonderful be idea.
Plenty of comments hurt my brain trying to comprehend how utterly stupid they are, but I don’t think there’s anything an anonymous stranger could say that would hurt my feelings, that kinda stuff needs to be personal.
I think random strangers can sometimes hit on some personal stuff, which is kinda sad.
When I was a lot younger, on an old forum back in the early 00s, someone called me a “know-it-all”. This sounds silly now but it really hit me in just the wrong way at the time, I was sincerely trying to fit in by showing off my knowledge of the subject with no idea that that’s how I was coming across. I guess it was a learning experience.
Now I want to be a learn-it-all.
I was banned from r/Ukrainian for advocating for the Russian people and how we shouldn’t demonize an entire population.
I’m Ukrainian. I was born in Ukraine…
Oh it happens all the time. The worst thing, in this case, is that you don’t even need to be Ukrainian to have such an opinion — people demonising an entire population deals in absolutes which are never a black/white situation, unfortunately
Nobody wants to think of the guy in the latest drone video as the father of a 6 month old who’ll never know their father because he was drafted by an authoritarian government to fight in an unjust war. I’m sure a lot of those Russians are full on board with the war, but I’m certain a lot of them aren’t, too. Same reason people have such a hard time empathizing with both the Oct 7 victims of Hamas and the Palestinian people. It’s horror enough thinking of these things as good vs. evil…it’s so much worse when you see all the grey. As an American, I can’t help but see Israel making the same mistakes we did after Sept 11. I’m sure they feel the same rage and fear I felt then, and I imagine it’s making them blindly lust for revenge just like I did. It’s all just so fucking bleak how easy it is to convince ourselves that our enemies aren’t people.
Displays of extreme ignorance or stupidity hurt me on an existential level; so yes, a lot of internet comments hurt me.
You need to work on that.
Nah,
I grew up in the world of BBS’s and IRC. First foray into a chat channel started with someone renaming themselves “34yrDude changes name to 15yrChick”
…and that set the tone for me what the internet is.
It’s a entire world where you make absolutely zero assumptions. The ‘things’ responding in text could be anything. And I say thing instead of people because these days it may not even a person.
There’s an entity that responds to my comments, and perhaps seemingly hurtful,
it could be some 10yr old kid who doesn’t fully understand, it could be could be some mentally challenged person, it could be someone’s crazy grandma,
and now it could be some bot that while not purposefully built to be malicious, through emergent behavior is trolling and insulting people because it gets a rise out of people that results in more and longer comments, which tickles its feedback loop to do more of the same.
So nah, there’s nothing anyone in the vast internet could type out that I would personally hurt my feelings, because I make no assumptions as to where the comment is coming from, and those comments don’t have a lot of weight to me.
this sums it up for me. Along with the fact you never see those guys talking to themselves at 7/11 but go check out whos using the computers all day in the library sometime.
I was once banned from some forums for being “too weird to fit in”. It was a forum for a forming WoW guild prior to its launch in 2004. I remember that it somehow crushed my quirky personality, and I became a bit of a drudge as a result.
Although I still game, and sometimes online, I’ve never since tried to actually fit in with any group, and have mostly stopped communicating when gaming at all. No voicechat, only chat, and even that very limited. I guess you could say the single experience changed my outlook and enjoyment of online gaming forever.
Online gaming is fun. It just sucks if it turns into all of the bad parts of high-school. I was doing MMOs before WoW and we weren’t ever the popular kids. Once wow came out and it became mainstream I probably took a 10 year haitas. Back at it now but things have chilled out quite a bit.
Probably not what you mean but blatant misogyny, hatred, or animal or human abuse, I find those painful to read
