The Mob Within

So Cecil the Lion was killed and that was horrible. I'm not going to, in any way, claim that it wasn't horrible. People shouldn't kill lions unless they really have no choice in the matter. You know, as in the lion is about to rip their face off. In the wake of the lion being killed though, I found the response to it to be disturbing. And, again, understand, I in no way condone the action of the man who killed Cecil. At the same time, I think what happened to him afterwards is worrying.

I read this article tonight and it explains it pretty well. More and more, we're seeing internet outrage translating into real-life mob justice. It's terrifying. And when it happens to someone you perceive as a 'bad person,' then the mob justice doesn't seem so bad. However, it's important to remember that this kind of frenzy can be turned on anyone, at any moment. Mob justice is always, always a bad thing, even when it's against someone we don't like.

When I was younger, we were sold all these ideas about how the internet would bring us closer as a people. It would open up new worlds of understanding and reason. Most of the time, I don't see that happening. I see people screaming at each other in type. I see people doxing each other's private information. I see people forgetting that their targets are also people who can be hurt and damaged so easily. Or, maybe they do see them as people and just don't care.

It's easy to hate the people on the internet. It's easy to hate the people who say stupid things or do things to try to cause damage to others. It's easy just to type out something spiteful at them, easy to dismiss them, and easy to remind them they mean nothing.

It's easy, but it shouldn't be. We should always consider the consequences of our words, our calls to arms, and anything we believe to be a justifiable punishment for someone. These are real people, after all. And consequences can be fatal.