Classify the personality of the Internet

  • Thread starter Loren Booda
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Internet
In summary, there is a wide range of personality types and traits that could be associated with the Internet if it were human. Some of these include being schizophrenic, pathological, bipolar, anti-social, schizo-affective, disassociative, dissonant, sociopathic, psychopathic, hypocritical, egotistical, caring, considerate, consolidated, creative, cynical, disruptive, deceitful, defending, repulsive, responsible, insightful, intriguing, curious, and awesome. However, it is important to note that the use of the term "schizophrenic" is not meant in a medical context, but rather to describe the Internet's tendency to act in ways that contradict previous statements or actions. Overall, the Internet can be seen
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2


All of them.
 
  • #3


To use a medical term: schizophrenic.

You could possibly even throw in pathological, psychotic, bipolar, anti-social, schizo-affective, disassociative, dissonant, sociopathic, psychopathic, hypocritical, egotistical, caring, considerate, consolidated, creative, cynical, disruptive, deceitful, defending, repulsive, responsible, insightful, intriguing, curious, awesome and somewhat surprising.
 
  • #4


chiro said:
To use a medical term: schizophrenic.

You could possibly even throw in pathological, psychotic, bipolar, anti-social, schizo-affective, disassociative, dissonant, sociopathic, psychopathic, hypocritical, egotistical, caring, considerate, consolidated, creative, cynical, disruptive, deceitful, defending, repulsive, responsible, insightful, intriguing, curious, awesome and somewhat surprising.
:rofl:

Every trait people willfully decide to act out if they were in fact anonymous, except for mental illness, they are what they are regardless of interacting with net. I am amazed at what people will say and do in video's on the net, and (edited for phoenix, in chatrooms).

Rhody...
 
Last edited:
  • #5


except for mental illness

No, people have done that in chatrooms.
 
  • #6


chiro said:
To use a medical term: schizophrenic.

You could possibly even throw in pathological, psychotic, bipolar, anti-social, schizo-affective, disassociative, dissonant, sociopathic, psychopathic, hypocritical, egotistical, caring, considerate, consolidated, creative, cynical, disruptive, deceitful, defending, repulsive, responsible, insightful, intriguing, curious, awesome and somewhat surprising.

How do you define "schizophrenic" here? (Off the top of your head.o:))
 
  • #7


chiro said:
To use a medical term: schizophrenic.

You could possibly even throw in pathological, psychotic, bipolar, anti-social, schizo-affective, disassociative, dissonant, sociopathic, psychopathic, hypocritical, egotistical, caring, considerate, consolidated, creative, cynical, disruptive, deceitful, defending, repulsive, responsible, insightful, intriguing, curious, awesome and somewhat surprising.
:rofl: excellent answer :smile:
rhody said:
Every trait people willfully decide to act out if they were in fact anonymous, except for mental illness, they are what they are regardless of interacting with net. I am amazed at what people will say and do in video's on the net, and (edited for phoenix, in chatrooms).
The negative aspect of this is seen in the online disinhibition effect
 
  • #8


Anarchistic. In the positive sense.
 
  • #9
How about the Internet as psychologist:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/dsm-5-mental-illness-bible-list-internet-addiction-illnesses-article-1.1020979?localLinksEnabled=false
 
  • #10


Loren Booda said:
How do you define "schizophrenic" here? (Off the top of your head.o:))

I won't use the medical definition, but for these purposes people that really have a split mind: in other words they act in ways that completely contradict what they have said previous on such orders of magnitude.

I understand that people change their mind and acknowledge the changes and their their past and present viewpoints but those are not what I am talking about.
 
  • #11


chiro said:
I won't use the medical definition, but for these purposes people that really have a split mind: in other words they act in ways that completely contradict what they have said previous on such orders of magnitude.

I understand that people change their mind and acknowledge the changes and their their past and present viewpoints but those are not what I am talking about.

You're talking about multiple personality disorder, which is often misnamed as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a different disorder which (for example) induces hallucinations; delusions and poor emotional responses.
 
  • #12


Wise, nice, submissive.
 
  • #13


micromass said:
You're talking about multiple personality disorder, which is often misnamed as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a different disorder which (for example) induces hallucinations; delusions and poor emotional responses.

Remember that I said that I am not using the medical definition. I didn't intend to put this in a medical context which is why I made the specific statement I did in the first line of my reply.

I used the interpretation of 'split mind' which is what schizophrenia corresponds to in the context of attributes found in the internet: I am not talking about a medical diagnosis in the field of psychiatry.
 
  • #14


Thanks for that link Loren Booda.

I think by the time DSM-5 comes out I will need to see ten different doctors for ten different disorders. Thanks go to the medical community for making internet addiction a mental disorder or illness.

While we are at it, why not make being a gymn junkie an illness. Let's not stop there: why not make up an illness called 'reading addiction disorder'.

Might as well just look at every human activity and put "addiction" in front of it and throw it in the DSM-6.

Then maybe the drug companies can come out with a pill that "fixes" mild Indian-Curry and Gourmet-Thai-Cuisine addiction.

Absolutely unbelievable.
 
  • #15


While I don't forget, here is another good characterization of the 'personality of the internet':

http://xkcd.com/386/
 
  • #16


chiro said:
Remember that I said that I am not using the medical definition. I didn't intend to put this in a medical context which is why I made the specific statement I did in the first line of my reply.

I used the interpretation of 'split mind' which is what schizophrenia corresponds to in the context of attributes found in the internet: I am not talking about a medical diagnosis in the field of psychiatry.
This makes no sense. Words have meanings and should be used correctly. If I said the internet's personality was like a cat but then said I wasn't using the taxonomical definition of cat and really meant dog would that be fair?

For the record I think schizophrenia is a good, and funny, way to classify the "internet's personality" but to use the term when you don't mean it is inappropriate.
 
  • #17


Ryan_m_b said:
This makes no sense. Words have meanings and should be used correctly. If I said the internet's personality was like a cat but then said I wasn't using the taxonomical definition of cat and really meant dog would that be fair?

For the record I think schizophrenia is a good, and funny, way to classify the "internet's personality" but to use the term when you don't mean it is inappropriate.

The term schizophrenia does mean "split-mind" and if you look in the DSM you will find that actually making a diagnosis of the disease is not a trivial matter as it contains things that make it hard to differentiate against diagnoses of things like schizo-affective disorder.

Like I said, the word means split mind. Here is something for you since you brought it up both in your favor and in mine:

In my favor:

Despite the etymology of the term from the Greek roots skhizein (σχίζειν, "to split") and phrēn, phren- (φρήν, φρεν-; "mind")

In yours:

schizophrenia does not imply a "split mind" and it is not the same as dissociative identity disorder—also known as "multiple personality disorder" or "split personality"—a condition with which it is often confused in public perception.

But again for the record I already said above that I was not talking about it being in a medical context and if you want I can quote my own post above.
 
  • #18


chiro said:
But again for the record I already said above that I was not talking about it being in a medical context and if you want I can quote my own post above.
I still disagree that just because you use a disclaimer it is acceptable to use words for things that they don't mean. Using the etymological root of a word doesn't make sense, all that's going to happen is you will have to spend more time and words explaining what you mean.
 
  • #19


People on the Internet are a lot braver than in person. They're also a lot more callous and arrogant.

Sometimes even more honest, but also more ridiculous lies, too.
 
  • #20


Ryan, I will keep in mind your perspective for any future communications that we or other members on this board will have and I see where you are coming from.
 
  • #21


chiro said:
Ryan, I will keep in mind your perspective for any future communications that we or other members on this board will have and I see where you are coming from.
I hope I'm not coming across as overly pedantic.
 
  • #22


Ryan_m_b said:
I hope I'm not coming across as overly pedantic.

Don't worry I see this as a lesson in communication and since this is open forum (and a scientific one), I can see that your point is valid.

Again, you had an important point to say and a lesson has been gained from the experience.
 
  • #23


About the only constant over the last nine years of my involvement with PF, is that PF is never the same. Not only the size and scope, but also the personality of the forum is in a constant state of flux.

In 2003, it was terribly exciting just to be able to sit down and have a conversation with people from five or six different countries. And while I still think this has great value, the novelty has run out. In fact, many people no longer appreciate how amazing this is because from their point of view, it has always been this way.

It has been fun and interesting to watch the nature of the forum and the internet evolve.
 
  • #24


Honest to the point of audacity.
 
  • #25


Ivan Seeking said:
About the only constant over the last nine years of my involvement with PF, is that PF is never the same. Not only the size and scope, but also the personality of the forum is in a constant state of flux.

In 2003, it was terribly exciting just to be able to sit down and have a conversation with people from five or six different countries. And while I still think this has great value, the novelty has run out. In fact, many people no longer appreciate how amazing this is because from their point of view, it has always been this way.

It has been fun and interesting to watch the nature of the forum and the internet evolve.

I concur. [STRIKE]Though the novelty of talking trans-globally...

Um.

Oh crap. We do it every day now don't we.

I remember, back in the day, when having a new friend in Italy, without having to go to Italy, was a real novelty...[/STRIKE]

I hate you Ivan. I always have.
 
  • #26


Gad said:
Honest to the point of audacity.
How can Drizzle change their name to Gad...

Must have pull with the mentors I guess.

Rhody...
 

1. What is the personality of the Internet?

The Internet does not have a single, definitive personality. It is comprised of millions of individuals and organizations, each with their own unique characteristics and behaviors. However, there are certain trends and patterns that can be observed in the overall behavior of the Internet.

2. How would you classify the personality of the Internet?

Classifying the personality of the Internet is a complex task, as it involves analyzing the behavior of millions of different entities. Some scientists have attempted to classify the Internet as a whole using terms like "chaotic," "intelligent," or "anarchic," but these descriptions are often oversimplified and do not fully capture the complexity of the Internet's personality.

3. Is the personality of the Internet different from the personalities of individual users?

Yes, the personality of the Internet is different from the personalities of its individual users. While individual users may exhibit certain behaviors and traits online, the collective behavior of the Internet is influenced by a wide range of factors, including technological infrastructure, cultural norms, and global events.

4. Can the personality of the Internet change over time?

Yes, the personality of the Internet can change over time. As technology advances and new platforms and tools are introduced, the behavior and interactions of Internet users may evolve, leading to changes in the overall personality of the Internet. Additionally, societal and cultural shifts can also impact the personality of the Internet.

5. How does the personality of the Internet affect our daily lives?

The personality of the Internet can have a significant impact on our daily lives. It shapes how we communicate, access information, and interact with others. It also influences the spread of information and the formation of communities and networks. Understanding the personality of the Internet can help us navigate and make sense of our increasingly connected world.

Similar threads

  • General Discussion
Replies
8
Views
974
  • General Discussion
Replies
15
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
0
Views
35
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • General Discussion
Replies
2
Views
659
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
485
  • General Discussion
Replies
1
Views
803
Replies
21
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
19
Views
2K
  • General Discussion
Replies
7
Views
1K
Back
Top