The Internet can be a scary place. So many people think that their way is the right way, whole conversations can turn nasty very quickly.
For those of us who keep our own counsel, this mob dynamic can be extremely intimidating, no matter how strong we are. In fact, the stronger we are, the worse it is, because sooner or later we know we'll stand up for somebody else and draw the wrath of the mob down upon us.
There's a wider problem here. If you see off all others on a forum or Facebook thread, you run the risk of entrenching the belief that you alone are right. That then reinforces your behaviour in other social encounters, be it a water-cooler conversation, your performance appraisal or the way you interact with a customer or potential team member.
So, next time you're in a conversation, ask yourself:
What do I REALLY want here? Do I want to reach a mutual understanding, or do I just want to prove that I'm superior by showing how inferior the other person's view is?
You never know - that question could give you the Eureka moment it gave me, no matter how uncomfortable the truth is...
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