Have you ever read the on-line comments which are posted anonymously at the end of news stories? I sometimes wonder if the person writing their comments would have the courage to attach his or her name to them. Are these comments true reflections of the individual or an alter ego? I also wonder why it is I'm sometimes mesmerized by what is written.
Some comments are insights into what the general population is thinking and feeling politically. Comments for or against Obama are there for everyone to see even if it isn't relevant. For instance, a posting after a story on the current hurricane system blamed Obama for the weather. I figured whoever wrote it was a Democrat being facetious about his or her view that Obama is blamed for everything.
You'll also see a post which has you wondering whether or not the writer's first language is English or if s/he is just ignorant. For example, one poster said something about the issue not being "black and white." Another interjected, "Why do you have to bring race into everything." Another followed up with insulting the second person's intellect for not knowing a common expression.
I'm appalled at what is written after some tragic stories. Someone is killed in a horrendous and hard to believe manner and many posters make jokes about the death. Everyone once in a while another person will declare those making comments are insensitive clods and demand to know what is wrong with them.
When a peace officer is killed or severely wounded the written expressions run from "May God be with him" to "He deserved what he got." It is easy to identify those who have either had an altercation with the police or don't trust them and those who are in full support of them.
Another insight into this sample of society is how many people give thumbs up or down to a comment. There are a few people who will give thumbs down to anything that mentions God, or a particular political figure. Here in Houston we have many undocumented or illegal aliens. One man, at least I assume this is a man, will follow any story containing a Hispanic sounding name with, "Is he legal?" This got a large majority thumbs down when the story was of a soldier killed in the service of his country.
We can pretend to be someone we're not when in public. It is in the privacy of our own homes, that which we do in secret, and the comments made anonymously that are the true measure of who we are. If the postings in the on-line news stories are any indication, there are many very angry, very scared and extremely insecure people. There are also those filled with compassion.
Why do I read these comments? As a student of human nature they fascinate me.
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