A new breed of netizens has risen from the webs of the internet these few years: the angry commentator. I am not talking about those intelligent comments and thoughtful, useful suggestions that come as a result of a particular article. What am I referring to is these shiny fits of rage and unleashed inner violence that pass along as ‘comments.’

All of us believe that we have legitimate comments to be passed on about an issue. The most common form of comment is that long tradition where those inspired groups diligently send letters to the editor. That was probably the only way of making your views felt about a particular article published.

But the anonymity and speed that the internet offers has opened up new avenues for the rage-commenters. Recently a friend of mine had posted on her blog, her views about the tram lady spouting racist remarks. As a conclusion to the article, she spoke about how severe action should be taken to prevent these things happening in the future. Within minutes of posting the article, she got a comment from ‘Fascist Hater’, who called her a…. fascist.

Another feature of angry commenting is getting angry at other commenters. One remark can spout about a whole new debate on not just the topic, but also other issues like how the person seems to waste his time, how he has no knowledge about the particular issue etc. It is like one element for socialising, a happy time of nasty and sniping comments. As one non-angry commenter writes to the other angry ones “I’m sorry your life is so empty that you find it necessary to try and pick fights with random strangers on the Internet.”

Whenever I read a particularly rude remark somewhere, I always think about how that person is in their normal life? Maybe he/she’s a lovely person when they’re out doing their work, but they decide to unleash all wrath after they’re logged in? Does someone who commented on the tram lady video like “Move out of the city—seriously—there are too many of you idiot—think you are so sophisticated and special—narcissistic personality disordered yahoos already here I could puke” sweet to someone who accidentally stepped on their foot on the tube?

More than anything, I do know that the internet has brought us so much closer to what other people are thinking. We know not only their refined ideas, but also the uncensored versions of it.

This entire article does not mean that I am against people voicing their views and commenting on anything that they see. I am for freedom of speech and expression. But hey. Atleast use the right spellings? Thanks.