People asked for this section. I think that it is common sense to behave decently wherever you are, but maybe that does not occur to everyone.



There are two simple rules that can help to turn you into a respectable human being both on the internet and in the real world: do not be a troll and do not flame people. Again, this seems like common sense; there is even a note below the comment boxes on this site that says so, although it says it in prettier language.



The important thing to remember is that anonymity on the internet is no reason to act any differently than you would in the real world. This, however, is only meaningful if you act like a decent person when talking to strangers face-to-face. If you can not act decently in the wider world, then it may be time to bring out the forehead tattoos, Snow Crash style. I say this because people on the internet will mentally brand you with "Poor Impulse Control" or "Racially Insensitive" or other such labels if you act like a troll or start flame-wars.



There are some simple things you can do to avoid mental branding and the wrath of moderators. The first is to think carefully, before you even hit "Reply," about whether you have anything constructive to say. If the comment you want to make does not seem as though it will be in any way useful, just abstain from commenting. The second thing you can do is to resist the urge to insult people. Please note that this second thing is covered fully by the first item, and consider that I would not put extra emphasis on it if I did not think it necessary. Lastly, avoid falling into the same trap that many other decent people are caught in by not feeding the trolls. It is best simply to brush off any insults that you may be targeted with.



Let us take a moment to consider the forums that existed in the era of the Roman Empire: The forum was the ultimate public space; everything happened there. Now let us for a moment imagine ourselves in the forum, observing a heated discussion among a group of scholars. We watch as points are made, struck down, revived, and modified; then we see another scholar wander into the circle, tell one of the other scholars that he had sexual congress with that scholar's mother several times the previous night, and then walk away. We then see another, younger scholar walk into the already outraged circle, tell the eldest scholar that he resembles a heap of dog entrails, and also walk off. You would expect that these two scholars would get righteous beatings for their actions, or at the very least they might get a stern talking to and be ostracized from the scholarly community. I use this example because our internet forums are derived from the concept of the Roman forum.



Consider the animosity that you may be the target of as a result of trolling and flaming; at the very least you will have lost any respect that others might have had for you, and you may also be subject to repeated face-punchings by those that you have insulted or riled up in the event that your actual identity is ever linked with your user name or I P Address.

