DJ, I think the question has to be asked: How real is this world to the member as opposed to their real life?

For example, if this site is very real to a women and friends here are real friends, they would be hurt by a post much more than if not.

Take me for an example. My real friends would never post to me as people here have and do. My real life friends seem to know me SO,SO much more than those here, even people I don't know very well, and the interchanges are 180 out in the forum than they are in my real life.

I am honest here on the forum as I can be and I am so in my real life as well. People here know the things that my real life friends and those I know slightly know but the reaction to me is so different it is almost comical.

Because of this, I don't take an angry member that seriously. I know that if they knew me they would not be posting the way they do to me.

And example would be that the most outstanding character traits I have in real life if you were to ask my friends are sensitivity, kindness and honesty. I am soft spoken, careful in how I talk to people and work very hard to understand others.

This is not the person I would say that is seen on this forum.

So, I feel that if this forum is a strong part of your world, if you feel that everyone here knows you well and speaks to the real you, you would react to conflict much, much stronger.

If you remember that we are on the internet and knowing each other is limited by that, for example not seeing one's face and inflections there, you cannot take it so seriously.

There are people who live a lot of their lives with words and on computers. I feel those people will take MUCH out of an exchange and internalize it compared with someone like myself who uses my real life to gadge myself and my character. If I feel someone here sees me in some way that is "off," I don't feel that hurt because I have enough of a life to know that others closer to me know it's not true.

I don't have many studies to refer to because I do not stay on the internet that long and I am in a different feild entirely than most here. I think that perhaps Orchid can relate as she puts much time in her body by cycling and that is time consuming as well as enriching to your circle of friends.

But people ARE hurt here, I know from PM's and they are angry at times, I also get PM's about that.

Yours is an interesting question and an interesting area, I feel.

I would also state that we should never write something we would not say to a persons face. THAT is dishonest and living through a computer...

Interesting...

Dancer