Don’t Let the Internet Become a Sacrifice to Violent Language
Don’t Let the Internet Become a Sacrifice to Violent Language
别让网络成为语言暴力的牺牲品
By Wang Jianxun (王建勋)
Original Publication:
The Southern Metropolis Daily
南方都市报
Link to Article
Translation by Anton Lee Wishik II for Mei-Zhong Guanxi
Recently, Blog China issued a proposal calling on Internet users to cease wildly slandering others on the Internet. It also advocated the maintenance of data and evidence on ‘the nation’s cussers’ even to the point of using legal channels to curb slander and insults. This would be done to move forward with a civilized internet.
This proposal comes at just the right time as the violent language on the Internet is becoming more and more intense, and it seems that there is a danger it could lead to a violent transformation across the entire Internet world. In reality, there have been many proposals regarding a civilized Internet, but each time they have brought few results while many people are still in the habit of slandering. It seems as if violent language on the Internet has already become a long-term, incurable, chronic disease. Whether this illness can be overcome is up to our courage and perseverance, and whether we can overcome ourselves and our own weaknesses. The ancient Greeks said, “Know thyself.” This statement is still of great meaning today. Our present task is to ‘know’ oneself, know one’s own weaknesses, and to reject violent language.
Today, many people are already incapable of separating themselves from the Internet, even to the point that most of their time is spent online. The Internet has brought us an inestimable amount of information, and it has greatly expanded the space accorded us for open discussion. However, the violent and slanderous language which blankets the Internet can make a person feel as if we are still living in a barbarous era. On a greater level, an important sign of humanity’s move from barbarity towards a civilized existence is the abandonment of the use of violence to resolve conflicts. Violence is replaced with peaceful dialogue and rational discussion. In an uncivilized society, any conflict is solved through violence, whether it be violent language or physical violence. Many times, violent language’s ability to inflict harm is in no way inferior to physical violence. Many who experienced the Cultural Revolution have a deep understanding of this. More than a few who constantly endured such forceful language chose suicide. In a civilized society, the resolution of any conflict depends most importantly on honoring certain rules of the game, including being reasonable and discussing issues. What is emphasized is convincing people with reason, and there is no market for violence. In this kind of society, only when a person’s actions violate criminal law will there be an appearance of public force. Even this kind of public force can only be used under extremely serious conditions because all violence has a natural, destructive tendency.
In most situations, all violence (including violent language) is unhelpful in resolving issues. In fact, it is just the opposite as it often causes a problem to become a more difficult problem, which then becomes a serious ailment, which then becomes a disaster. On a fundamental level, violence is irrational. This irrational tendency lowers people down to the level of animals for which the laws of the jungle replace peaceful coexistence and sophistry replaces rational arguments. This irrational tendency causes people to lose their ability to sympathize, lose their morality, and lose their ability for reflection and to speak reasonably. These things are very important for a civilized and free society. A society in which violence is prevalent is inevitably barbaric and autocratic. For in that kind of society, people have lost their ability to converse in a civilized manner. Violence is inherently destined to fail in that it is intolerant, uncompromising, and does not play around. On the contrary, violence upholds the idea that if something is not black then it must be white, and involves a belief in the method of ‘beating something to death with a stick.’ In the face of violence, a person either becomes utterly weak and is resigned to destruction, or transforms into someone who loves to kill and is excessively ruthless. When a person faces violent language online, we often see the gory spitting directed at them either drown them or infuriate them.
Everyone knows that the Internet is a virtual world in which people can converse and communicate. In this world, especially in all kinds of discussion forums and blogs, the contact between people is basically restricted to language, and there isn’t much concern for one’s vital interests. In addition, for the most part, Internet users have not met each other and are strangers. Normally, rational and moderate communication among people should not be a problem, even to the point that only extreme politeness is thought to be correct behavior. However, what is strange is that our networks are filled with filthy speech and slanderous attacks. Some of the words the eye cannot even bear to look at. Isn’t it impossible for people not to doubt that we were ever a polite nation? If people can’t peacefully coexist in a virtual world where their vital interests are not at stake, then in the real world, which is full of their vital interests, how can they separate themselves from violence?
The Internet has given us a prime opportunity for rational communication and peaceful autonomy, but we can’t take advantage of it if we are still immersed in violence. Although a method of governance with force as the core is the most simple and convenient, this kind of method has the greatest ability to kill civilization. This is due to the fact that it not only is liable to cause people to lose their minimum feelings of morality and justice, it also is liable to lead to all of society falling into a vicious circle of one tyranny after another. In this way, civilization is buried under violence. If we plan to continue with our ancient culture, then violence should be removed and rejected, and peaceful and rational conversations should be advocated. It starts with each one of us. Otherwise, the Internet and all of our civilization will quite possibly become a sacrifice to violence.
(The author is an associate professor at the University of Political Science and Law)
Note: This is a translation I did from a Chinese source and is provided for informational purposes only, not to express my own views. To contact the author or original publication, please check the details listed above.
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