Having been connected to the "net" now for about eight years I can't help but notice the amount of deception that goes on. And it seems to be getting worse. It has got to the point where almost everything you read has to be viewed with a healthy degree of suspicion.
The general consensus of opinion is that most people are pretty cheesed off with what they find out there in cyber space. Ask anybody. They will all tell you the same things.
Internet marketers have a lot to answer for but so too do ordinary people. It is so easy to hide behind a facade of words that promise the world but deliver nothing. We have all heard of "chat room love affairs" where both sides make statements that are far less than honest. When the two participants eventually meet "in person" both are disappointed. The suave lawyer who says he is always mistaken for Brad Pitt turns out to be a fat, unemployed bum and the Brittney Spears look alike proves to be fifty pounds heavier, middle aged and has half a dozen kids from failed relationships.
So why do people lie? Basically, because they can. It's easy to embellish the truth when the truth cannot readily be proved or disproved. The impersonality and virtual anonymity of the internet allows a multitude of sins.
People are now expecting to be lied to.
We now find all sorts of negative behaviour descending upon us from cyber space. These include:
Being bombarded with a never-ending stream of unsolicited and unwanted emails.
Daily attacks from nasty computer viruses sent by people we do not know.
Being offered all sorts of marketing plans that are nothing more than cheap scams.
Paying for goods or services that are expensive and under deliver on their promises.
False information and inaccurate information designed to deceive.
I have fallen victim to all of the above. I don't mind admitting that. Most people connected to the internet have.
To overcome these things we install all sorts of filters, virus scanners and firewalls, ignore all claims by marketers trying to sell their wares, are reluctant to use our credit cards and believe virtually nothing unless it can be substantiated across several unrelated sites.
The internet could be a marvelous resource. Unfortunately, like most other things, it has been hijacked by people with negative and deceptive outlooks on life. It could be vastly improved if everybody made a conscious effort to be more truthful. However, it is highly unlikely that this will ever occur, so the best advice I can give is to exercise care and caution every time you use your computer to access information, products or services from the world wide web. To do otherwise will be a costly experience that you could well do without.
Perhaps we should remember those immortal words: "Trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me."
About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."