Hi there. My name is Elliot and I’m the human being behind this blog, my Twitter account, and the numerous other forms my identity takes online. I’m the human being who reads your nasty, snide, and downright unnecessary tweets. They may be sent to my digitally-abstracted Twitter account, but they are read — and felt — by me. The human being.

I know a few other human beings, too. They are the real, living, breathing, emotionally-responsive creatures behind the accounts at which you so readily hurl your abuse.

There are many generous people out there who are kind enough to take the time to say nice things, but unfortunately — as many of my friends will attest — it’s the nasty comments that always seem to stick; the tweet that could so easily have been framed as constructive criticism, but has instead taken the form of a personal attack. Of course, the very fact that someone uses a personal attack devalues any argument they might make — so many of these people clearly have some sort of bitter agenda against so-called ‘web celebrities’ — but that doesn’t make it any less upsetting to read. And no, ‘enjoying an argument’ isn’t an excuse to be rude to another human being.

I’m not a religious man, but I abide by the concept of treating others as I would wish to be treated. Online communication is not an exception for me. Why should it be for anyone else?