This Time, It's Serious

Even though I have used the phrase before, I know that I don't agree with it.
The phrase has variations but it basically comes down to "it's the internet, it's not serious."

It's a huge cop out for anyone that did something or said something mean or rude or what have you and doesn't want to own up to it.
Somebody called you fat? get over it, it's the internet.
Somebody made fun of your livejournal? c'mon, it's the internet.

It's a weird thing to me. And it doesn't happen in any other medium of social interaction.
Nobody said "oh c'mon, that was just a letter I wrote you, it's not serious."
And I've never head anybody say, "Get over it, I only said it on the phone."

The internet IS serious.
It's a serious source of revenue. Whether it be Amazon or Ebay or the millions of dollars spent in advertising.
It's one of, if not THE BEST place, that delivers news (usually, the first to do so, I'm looking at you twitter.)
And finally, people meet, fall in love, and get married on the internet. I mean shit, that's a legal contract between two people that would not have been signed if not for THE INTERNET.

And words can hurt no matter how they reach an audience.
Girls join pro-ana websites and learn how to develop an eating disorder.
Godhatesfags.com is a real fucking website.

Why people continue to attack others for no good reason when in real life they are probably listening to the Jonas Brothers and still wearing Hello Kitty pajamas is a question I will never have an answer for.
Can you say split personality?
I guess as long as people can hide behind a screen and hope no one can access their IP address, they will continue to be jackasses.

So keep on leaving nasty comments on online articles and keep openly mocking someone's flickr.
Just don't say that it's not important.
Don't say that it's not something serious.
When a girl commits suicide because of what someone said on her myspace, we know that the internet is life and death.