The Internet Breeds Assholes

Video games are an outlet. An outlet from stress, an outlet from emotions, an outlet from boredom - an outlet from reality. This is no less true in online gaming. In fact, it is more true. Human beings are inherently social. We need interaction with others in one form or another. In the online environment, when we interact with others, it is frequently done utilizing a persona similar to our own - even if that persona doesn't correspond to the persona of our virtual avatar (i.e. an evil character helping someone out or being generally courteous - in a universe which makes distinctions between bad eggs and good eggs).

Not always is this the case, however, as you can very well roleplay the virtual persona in an effort to be something you're not in real life (an asthmatic, super-shy mathlete playing a war-mongering 7 foot 4 barbarian named Bloodfeast). I won't go into the psychology of repressed anger and such topics which invariably arise - this article isn't meant to handle the scope of internal thoughts and reasoning behind why people embrace a certain method of virtual projection.

The danger in the virtual persona and your outlet into the virtual playground is the comforting embrace of anonymity that reassures you that no matter who you insult or how much trash you talk - you're far removed from the repercussions your hostility would otherwise grant you in life. You know that you can always change your name, or change your server if the backlash hits too hard. Hell, even a ban is just a temporary deterrent - as no game can truly ban you permanently. There's always a payment under a different name, a new IP address, a new account.

This generates the "internet asshole" and the "internet troll" and frequently the "elitist scum" that we all know and love. Not all of these gamers are necessarily timid little creatures sitting behind their computer screen - some are likely true assholes (especially in bro-centric gaming like Halo 3 and Counterstrike). However, many people unleash their pent up frustrations at the virtual community because they see it as a risk-free outlet. This is why you see so many assholes on the internet - because it's so easy to be one.