Another Four-Letter Word

It's not L O V E. Nope! It's not the eff word either. It's a simple word spelled H A T E. And although it's prevalent world-wide, it's ever so obvious online - in forums - in chat rooms. I have to think it's because the person who throws hate out there online would never express such an emotion face to face. I have to think that this same person is so small-minded that he/she doesn't realize the recipient of that hate is actually not just some cyber character, but a human being. A person with flesh and bone and muscle and organs. A person who feels joy and feels sadness; a real live person. 

I wasn't going to mention StarCraft or it's community for awhile. I wasn't going to mention avilo for a while either; however, I've never seen so much hate as in this particular community. It's almost acceptable and it's not just directed toward avilo, who by the way is the most tender-hearted person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. In game, of course, he presents himself differently. It's almost expected.

Avilo has played Starcraft since its inception so, according to him, "Haters gonna hate. You have to develop a thick skin."  Guess I'll never get there. He tells me I'm too sensitive. Yeah, I guess I am, because when I read the insults and see the total disrespect for a fellow human, an overwhelming sadness envelopes every fiber in my body.

When you're in the public eye, you are susceptible to ridicule. We all have a mean streak when it comes to politicians, actors, the media, etc. It's like they're food for fodder. I was told that Day9, a popular broadcaster, who is a StarCraft aficionado, said that he stays away from forums because of the hate.

Obviously, we can't like everyone, but I was always taught that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Of course, I'm far from perfect and I have to admit when Kate (whatever her name is with the eight kids) was on Dancing with the Stars, I was one of the first on a comment board to write, "Tell Kate to break a leg...I mean literally." (In the theatre "break a leg" is a wish for luck - therein lies the humor). The woman couldn't dance and she was a joke. She didn't frequent that particular site so she'd never know the difference, right? Does that make it okay? At the time I thought it was funny. Comedians joke about others all the time. Of course there's a difference between that and being hateful.  

I'm just trying to understand why people think it's okay to be cruel online; why it's all right to hurt someone else; to attack their character? Has the internet developed a group of  heartless, insensitive people? Or are the true haters just sad, lonely people, who join a crowd of other haters to belong?