Internet Etiquette

My morning started out rather lovely, but while I was playing with my daughter though I got a notice from Instant messenger and from Facebook of a message and a comment from somebody that disturbed me. Let’s start with instant messenger…

OK, I get literally dozens of instant messages a day from all the people that friend me on Facebook and I will admit that I do not have the time with my extremely busy schedule to respond to everybody that waves at me or sends me a message. Now the message that I was sent this morning is the type of message I have received more times than I care to remember and it is the message type where somebody is trying to “come on to me”. This person’s comment that they left on Facebook towards my picture was also of the same overtone.

I’m sure it won’t be a surprise when I say to everyone out there that, “I hate, loath and despise this behavior!” and if it does then you really don’t know me at all. I always find myself disgusted when I’m approached by either men or women with, “Hey baby you’re so beautiful! Ya wanna hook up?” type messages. I have even been proposed to by men from India and the Middle East like a dozen times! Every single time I get one of these pervy people who feel that it is “OK” to approach a total stranger this way my first response is to “gag!” and then block them.

Seriously people “WTF!” Learn some freaking manners and in all reality everyone should know better than to behave like this. Use some Internet etiquette please, which means that you don’t approach total strangers and try to come onto them or throw them marriage proposals! Apparently all my female friends tell me this is what happens to them all the time on the Internet as well. It is fine for someone to express what they think about how I look as long as it is done respectfully, but if you choose to harass me through instant messenger or Facebook expecting me to “hook up with you” then you are going to get blocked and reported!

I know this may come as a shock to some, but I’m not actually on the Internet to “hook up” with people I’m actually here to help people to heal and to assist in their education. If a persons first response is to look at my picture or anybody’s and objectify them into an object of desire then they need a seriously long period of self evaluation. My Facebook profile clearly states that I am in a relationship and I will go on to say that it is a long-term loving relationship that I have absolutely no plan to end in the foreseeable future. While some of you may think I have a pretty face I can assure you I am far more than just a pretty face! I have an extremely intelligent mind and a massive skill set and very little patience for this type of bullshit!

In the past I have endured my share of abuse, which ranges from harassment to rape and I have zero tolerance for people being disrespectful in this way. I know that I am in charge of my own Zen, yet there are points when anger has a purpose as well. Today my anger reminded me that this has been a topic I’ve been meaning to talk about for sometime and considering today’s events it seemed like a good time. Now, I was very polite with this person, but unfortunately for them they triggered me to write what I know I already needed to write, and have been procrastinating on doing for obvious reasons.

So, it is now time for me to express the idea that people should not approach or speak to people in certain ways on the Internet that they would not do in person. Just a thought that if your behavior in person might earn you a restraining order or get you arrested then you should probably not be doing it on the Internet. It is time for people to start understanding the concept of having “Internet Etiquette” by showing each other some respect!