Friday Social - Manners

The post from Wednesday about the death threats to Charlene Harris gets carried over to today's post.

When did it become acceptable for anyone, anywhere to think they could say anything they wanted just because it is the Internet?

I've encountered people who think it is acceptable to read a private conversation between two adults simply because it happened on the Internet.  We've encountered people who think it's ok to make death threats by comments.

If I read a news article or or other such item which allows comments, I very often see comments that are just plain socially unacceptable.  I know people have opinions, and people are passionate about their causes.  I just don't understand why people think it is ok to wish harm on others just for having a different opinion, or for writing something differently than the commenter thought it should be.

I don't understand why the Internet is removing what should be basic social graces.  This isn't a positive evolution.  This is more like falling apart into something barbaric.  I hope over time I can see something more positive evolve in the humanity expressed through words on the Internet.