I've been on the net since before it was called "the net". For the past 15 years straight I have been on-line since the days of running a network of BBSes back on my C-64.

And the longer I'm on and the more I see, the more I'm convinced that it is having a fundamental change on social behavior of people.

You see, the net is the great equalizer. It's very empowering. Many constraints on human behavior are lifted by it and this can be bad. Very bad. People can say things with relative impunity.

Kids who have grown up with it have never had to really learn about connecting their social behavior with any consequences. A snotty little 15 year old running around annoying people in person would likely suffer physical consequences (i.e. get the crap kicked out of them). This connection between behavior and consequences is actually a pretty useful socializing mechanism. People learn to behave more civily.

But watch out, here comes the net and suddenly kids have found that they cna act out whatever aggressive personality fantasies they may have. There are entire websites where teens behave in ways that are just socially awful. They'd never behave that way in public (I can't imagine some 15 year old speaking to me the way some of these people on the net speak to people).

It makes me wonder how things are going to progress as we become an increasingy virtual society. Adults have always complained that teens "these days" aren't respectful but really and truly there really seems to be a growing problem because of the leveling effect of the Internet.

What do you think?