Is Anonymity the Defence for Cowards?

Freedom to write or a shield for cowards?

I’ve just read a very disturbing and emotional piece by Lena Chen on the Time blog.

I wrote a piece on why people will look at sexual photographs of female celebrities but not the affect that it would have on them.  Being a celebrity, by definition, means that you will be in the public eye and that your personal life becomes prey for vultures that look for any crack in your personal security.  That notwithstanding, even though they are celebrities they are, after, still people.  People with the same feelings, fears, hopes and dreams that a lot of us have.  The feelings they have are no different to that of me or you.

Even if you’re not a celebrity, just an ordinary female or male who had some fun with her lover?  Although not as prolific for males, having something so very personal posted on the internet is going to have a profound affect.  Lena Chen, in her article, explains how such an incident changed her life forever.  I cannot imagine how I would feel if it happened to me.  Humiliated?  Shame?  Betrayed?

Taking a step back for a moment I want to highlight some issues.

The female body has been objectified for countless years.  There are numerous historical figurines and pictures of the naked female form.  Conversely, there has been the objectification of the erect male penis.  Even today some cultures will have objects that are impressions or representations of the penis.  So both sexes have had their naked forms used for cultural purposes, religious or for some other reason and both have been subjected to public scrutiny.

Why have we, as humans, been so interested in such things?

Back to today and the advent of the internet and high speed connections have brought so much information to us at the touch of a button.  Before the internet, the distribution of sexual images was restricted to the printed media.  Times have changed and now you can look at as much pornography as you want, if you want.  There is even a forum where personal photographs of you or me can be uploaded for all to see.  Usually these are done by ex-lovers as some form of revenge or just plain maliciousness.

Ms. Chen was subjected to this as have numerous other women.  The same has happened to some men.  So why is it different for men and women?  It seems such a stupid question with such a simple answer.  More men look at images of naked women than women do.  It can be worse if an ex lover posts personal pictures and then informs friends or even relatives of the fact.  That makes it even worse because people you know may have seen you in a way only a lover should.  The fact that it was posted on her university site and could be seen by her peers and friends would make living in such an institutionalised environment unbearable because, as she stated, she had no idea of who had looked at them or if she was being scrutinised or watched.  Although she was very detailed in her explanation of how it made her feel, I cannot imagine how I would feel in the same position.  I cannot even try to imagine how it would make me feel.

The same can be done to ex-male lovers and the affects can be just as profound.  Some men can pretend to shake it off with some form of bravado or even turn the tables and use the images as things of pride.  I won’t admit to being able to understand how they can feel about this but I have no doubt that some men can feel as terrible as some women do.  I don’t doubt that many will say that there is a difference but I would like to understand how.

Feelings are subjective and how an incident affects one person doesn’t mean it will have the same affect on another.  We each are individuals and our emotions are just as unique.  However, I digress.

The posting of someones personal photographs online, or as Ms. Chen states, “Non-consensual distribution of sexually explicit photos” is bad enough but when an anonymous person tries to take advantage of the situation and make matters worse, then it becomes another matter altogether.  This is cyber bullying at its worst.  I suggest you read the article for yourself to see how bad it can be.

In a lot of cases such as these and incidents that can be classified as cyber-bullying, anonymity is something that can be used as a wall to hide behind.  The ability to easily create numerous different accounts on email, Twitter, Facebook and the like makes it easier for the abuser.  The subject has no idea if it is someone from a different town or a colleague from work.  That fact alone will play havoc on your mind, your feelings and your sense of, or lack of, security.  In my opinion this is the act of a coward.  Not just a coward but a despicable and pathetic excuse for a human being.

Now I’ve just made myself a hypocrite.

Anonymity can be used for those acts of cowardice that terrorise people that have done nothing wrong apart from having attention drawn to them, for whatever reason.  Conversely, anonymity can be used by a coward for benign purposes too.  Anonymity can also be used for good purposes, such as donations to charity without drawing attention to yourself, for whatever reason.  Like many things, anonymity is just a tool.  It’s how the person uses it that makes the difference.  I’ll admit to being a coward, hiding behind anonymity because I don’t want some people to know about how I feel in what I write and how I write articles.  I have personal reasons for this but none of them are intended to offend or hurt anyone.

Somehow I don’t think that I have made my point clear.  Unfortunately the medication I am on makes it difficult to articulate my thoughts, I even have difficulty trying to think of words!  What I think I am trying to say is that although a lot of nasty excuses for human beings use anonymity as something to hide behind, probably because they lack the moral courage to be honest with themselves and others, it can be used in other ways that are not hurting anyone.  Cowards may use anonymity but so can immodest people.  It’s like so many other things that can be used or abused.

I feel for those that have been hurt or terrorised by anonymous people.  It is terrible that their lives have to be ruined by those with nefarious intentions.  Some day, probably in the not too distant future, it will not be possible for people to remain anonymous on the internet.  The sooner that day comes, the sooner people, like Ms. Chen, have to suffer.  For them, that day couldn’t come fast enough.

For me.  That’s something I don’t want as my anonymity, no matter how flimsy it actually is, is something that helps me, like a release valve.  Without it the pressure inside will just build.