Posters’ poisonous rants threaten our civilisation

Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

Creatures who comment on newspaper articles online are cretins. The ones who comment on news items shared on Facebook are even more bird-brained.

There really is a thesis in how stupid these trolls are.

We don’t like generalisations, but the one exception is: as a general rule, posters in online comment sections have small IQs and zero cop-on.

They are also usually illiterate.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar is alien to the keyboard warriors.

They are so full to the brim with rage with whatever it is they have read (usually, as it happens, just the headline), their capacity for rational thought disappears.

Anger plus dimwits equals scurrilous, ill-informed nonsense often spewed out by anonymous eejits.

In fairness, you get the odd comment that makes sense. But usually the voice of reason is drowned out by lunatics.

There’s also a herd-mentality associated with comment sections. So, if the first person to comment says something silly, then, like sheep, others will follow with equally silly arguments.

People who write letters to the editor, in the traditional sense, might be a little bit eccentric, but generally they are knowledgeable.

Even the handwritten letters, in green or red ink – a big sign the author is slightly mad – can be edited before publication.

There’s a time-lag, too: letters take a bit longer to write than instant online posts. And failing that, editors have discretion on whether to print or not. With caustic commentary online, publication is instantaneous.

If you need convincing of just how horrible comment sections are, go have a look now. There is evidence all over the place.

Or ask reporters from organisations like Journal.ie – they spend a large portion of their working day vetting idiotic, often defamatory, comments underneath articles they have written.

Online newspaper comment sections really should make you fear for humanity.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.