OPINONS NEEDED: Have you noticed how technology makes people rude?

Hello good people of ATS!

I am writing a research paper for school, and I want your personal observations & experiences with how increased technology (like personal computers/smartphones) has increased rudeness in society--or not. I would like you to answer the question: Does increased technology make people rude?

Here's my introduction for my research proposal, for those interested:

For my research project, I am interested in exploring the issue surrounding rudeness and technology. While technology makes life easier in many regards, it also contributes to changing social norms and deteriorating values. New technology in the form of personal computers has made rudeness commonplace, especially among younger generations. Despite opening up new avenues to pursue literacy and self-education, cellular devices and online activities desensitize users to polite social interaction. Nearly everyone has a smartphone and a computer—technology has permeated every aspect of waking life. Today, there is an application for nearly everything. This level of distraction results in disturbing displays of groupthink both online and in public.

Although I will adhere to legitimate sources in order to maintain an objective viewpoint on this subject, as one who has grown up with a love for both reading and technology, I have personally noticed how technology has had a detrimental effect on politeness in society. Fundamentally, I hold that society’s co-dependent relationship with technology has resulted in increased rudeness—both online and in public. While I will always appreciate how technology has increased quality of life by aiding society in the completion of complex tasks, I do not believe that I will find evidence to the contrary of my perspective.

The purpose of my research project is to ultimately argue that technology has contributed to the rising levels of rudeness in society. In order to properly present my views on this issue, it will be necessary to inform readers of the way in which technology has altered society. To do this, I will analyze its increasing role in determining the course of culture in society. My readers will include my classmates—whose cultural and educational backgrounds vary widely—and my professor. Despite a general consensus—especially among older generations—that society has contributed to increased rudeness, I believe that most people remain ignorant of the deleterious effect that technology has on politeness. It is especially important for my readers to understand that technology is even affecting children—who are now increasingly rude. Upon reading my paper, I wish for a layperson to have better understanding of how and why technology has altered normative values in society. I will be writing a research paper in order to convey my argument to my readers. This piece will allow me to explore the complex interactions between society and technology. The print format allows readers to comprehend the topic at their own pace and re-read if necessary, and it will also make it simple to research the sources that I use, should they wish to explore the topic further. I would hope that they do, since this issue affects us all. I will present the information as a controversial issue that requires attention in the form of increased literacy.

I plan on beginning my paper with background information, perhaps comparing the current normative changes with changes in the past. I would like to begin with fairly compelling evidence that technology contributes to increased rudeness and would focus on how use of personal computers has made politeness a thing of the past. In doing so, I would be able to relate to my readers on a personal level, since it is reasonable to assume that they all will have had experience with online discourse—especially considering that this is an online course. I would specifically focus on the use of personal computers, such as smartphones, along with internet usage as being the primary ways in which culture is disseminated. To do this, I would highlight specific instances, such as a lack of privacy during supposedly private phone conversations, incidents regarding poor grammar, and rude public exchanges.

Thank you! I look forward to hearing your views.

The greatest problem I think with the rise of technology and the internet is it was supposed to bring people closer and improve communication, but instead it's lead to the creation of echo chambers, where people get to pick and choose their own realities, and exist fully embedded within those echo chambers. Thus eliminating the need to have empathy and find common ground with people you might disagree with.

In the extreme example, it's allowed groups of white supremacists and/or Islamic extremists to create self-supporting echo chambers, where extremist views are normalised through a support network of people who think and feel the same way.


But to return more specifically to your paper. Anonymity. The anonymity of being able to be rude to people without having to look into their eyes.

Technology allows people to be rude/ mean and hide behind it, instead of saying how they feel in person, or by phone.

We used to go to the library, where you can read without noise or people interrupting.

Sitting at home and try to read or watch a music video is something irritating if you have family.

a reply to: rukia
In some cases, the rudeness online is perceived by the recipient when it wasn't intended by the deliverer.

When we talk in person with someone, we are able to pick up on very subtle nuances in conversation that are not conveyed in writing over the internet.

Have you noticed how technology makes people rude?

What a stupid bloody question, honestly what do they teach youngsters today? That tutor needs a good punch in the nose. Encouraging half-witted students who can barely tie their own shoelaces to clutter up internet messageboards with their irrelevant social justice bull5h1t!

(Note: Irony)

a reply to: rukia



That pesky technology has people glued to their papers.

a reply to: rukia

Looks like an interesting project.

I was wondering what your context is, the word count and what the subject is. If you're on a Lit-Crit course, you'll be fine with the generalisations as long as you have some supporting sources. On the other hand, if you're studying sociology or psychology, you'll probably need to dial back the assertions and aim for more objectivity.

It's easy for us to agree that 'rudeness' is standard for many parts of the internet. We see it all over the place. You'll need to define what 'rudeness' means in the context of your project, but the trickier part will be providing comparative evidence. For instance, it's good to have a metric for how rude people were in 2007 before saying people in 2017 are more rude.

I would specifically focus on the use of personal computers, such as smartphones, along with internet usage as being the primary ways in which culture is disseminated.

You could use defined parameters like 2007 to 2017. The decade broadly covers the rise of smartphones and the establishment of the internet 'as we know it.' Google scholar could be a big help for research papers if you don't have college/uni access already.

a reply to: rukia

I think you should parse it into two different topics. Does the use of technology make people more rude to those about them? And, does the use of technology make people more rude to people they are interacting with on-line? The answer to both questions, from my perspective is, undoubtedly, yes.

Relative to the first issue however, I think there is a changing paradigm. My kids (27, 22, and 17) are not as offended by people ignoring them or being distracted by their technology as much as I am. My kids don't think it's weird for a person to walk down a public street having a private conversation on a phone at a volume that allows everyone around to hear them. I think it's absurd.

Relative to the second issue, there are tons of on-line tough guys who say things they would never say in person. There are people who will troll and harass and stalk on-line with a seeming inability to see that it is harmful. This isn't caused by technology, imho, it is basic human nature. It's much easier to call a person a name when your big brother is standing beside you. And when people do not have to see the consequences of their actions they are much more palatable to that person. This is why infantry men get PTSD and bomber pilots don't.

Technology has enabled a certain anonymity which is exploited by many. However, I blame something much deeper for the lack of respect.

Almost all of us have access to this technology yet some are respectful and some are rude. Wouldn’t that say technology, per se, doesn’t cause rudeness.

There are social factors that are the root cause.

a reply to: rukia

It makes people lazy. How many times have you called in to speak to someone and the first thing they say is, "My computer is running slow today."

Then they check their FB.

I'm a huge gamer nerd and I play MMO's. I have to say... online, people treat each other like garbage in gaming. No one is a person anymore. You're nothing more than words on a screen. You have no feelings to these people. They have no empathy, no sympathy, and hide behind "but I'm just being honest!!!" while they ruthlessly tear you to pieces with racist slurs, vile sexual references and outright hatred. I'm not talking about just having a debate and the other side misconstrues everything said as an attack, ie SJW snowflakes looking for conflict. I mean those trollish peeps whose life goal seems to be to hurt others and drag them down.

I can bet you that many of these people would never dare to act or speak like that in real life. People online can't punch you in the face for being a douche.

It also concerns me how little people seem to know about others despite talking to them via text, chat, etc., every day. I remembering knowing my friend's birthdays, favorite things, what they don't like, etc., but my kids... they can't answer those questions. Why? We have unprecedented ability to communicate 24/7, but the average person seems more and more uninformed every day that goes by and we're more and more disconnected from humanity.

a reply to: rukia

You don't know what you are talking about do you? Technology has nothing to do with rudeness, in a species barely out of the trees, more primitive monkey than enlightened servant of GOD. Malthusian theory has more relevance than superficial communication access.

Nevermind, I just proved your premise, didn't I? More or less on purpose in a surrealistic snotty kind of way....

I beg your forgiveness....

ZEN flesh, zen bones....

a reply to: olaru12

Your post made me wonder about something

What did people do before the internet? I mean the grey, timid and quiet ones who had all their frustrations bottled up. They'd spend their lives wanting to scream and shout and say awful things to whoever crossed their paths. Generations and centuries of people rendered mute by their size or confidence.

Then *boom!*

The internet opened for business and hundreds of thousands of them could yell and vent into the lives and minds of people who will never actually meet them.

a reply to: Kandinsky

The internet opened for business and hundreds of thousands of them could yell and vent into the lives and minds of people who will never actually meet them.

We need look no further than your precious "mud pit" ...perhaps it's the catharsis we need, the ultimate cyber pressure valve to keep the denizens of this technological nightmare from becoming the reallife twerps they/I display on line.

I personally use the latent content inversion method to trick myself into believing my thoughts are actually relevant, important and the epitome of hipness.

I didn't purposefully go all Freudian, occasionally it just slips out, metaphorically speaking of course....

Technology does not make people rude.

Technology is a megaphone. Take the analogy for what you will.

a reply to: rukia

You are on to something, the "group think" problem has definitely increased rudeness for the simple reason that people are basically told how to expect certain groups of people of certain ages are going to think. The result is wholesale ideological profiling. I am an entirely white headed older white man. It's assumed I am a bigot, racist homophobic xenophobic white nationalist. But the result is worse than that. Because of the Facebook algorithims, Facebook targets content to people based upon the profiling done by the algorithims, thus people find themselves stuck in issue oriented confirmation bias echo chambers.

The result of THAT is that shortly after meeting someone and they open their mouths, I pretty much know what they're thinking on just about any topic. Worse, I am correct 90% of the time and that's only because I have read tons of Facebook News comments.

I am not alone of course, everyone else who has a phone and Facebook is doing the same thing. What's the result? Silence. I went to a big church luncheon last week. It was a very diverse group. Thing I noticed is that, just as you would expect, the "usuals" sat together and chated it up. The 30 something white chick in berkenstocks chating it up with the tall skinny black school teacher and as I easvedropped, I heard the words "social justice" on several exchanges. Really no point in talking to them unless you are of that ideological issue group and demographic. And they didn't talk much, even to themselves.....why bother, they already know what everyone in their group is thinking. Of course they made a great effort to avoid me, even looking at me, they would avert their eyes with a knowing smirk.

So yea, there have been many unintended consequences of all this technology and hatred, isolation and rudeness are the unintended consequences.

Good luck and remember to liberally sprinkle your paper with PC buzzwords in order to get a great grade. You know the ones, right?

Of course you do.

a reply to: rukia


How about those people who are in a store and have their damn phone on SPEAKER. Rude, like I want to hear your freaking conversation, while I am picking out my produce . Or the people who talk on their phone talking or texting in the store and ignore everyone around them who is actually trying to shop.

a reply to: rukia

That would be another symptom of the Future Shock:

a reply to: olaru12

Whoa there...you jibber-jabbered me, but I think I got the gist anyway.

perhaps it's the catharsis we need, the ultimate cyber pressure valve to keep the denizens of this technological nightmare from becoming the reallife twerps they display on line.

Amen to that. Sometimes it's stunning what people decide to say online. Imagine if the decline in violent crimes is because the 'cyber pressure valve' gives people a platform to scream?