When the internet was just beginning to experience wide use, it was heralded as a new ground for total inequality. Surely without the actual body of the person speaking in front of listeners, ideas would be judged for their own value and not for any characteristics of their originators. Words do not have race or gender or sexuality or religion, so it was briefly believed to be possible that an online community could function without regard to these things. The obvious problem with this ideal is that people do not simply shuck off their cherished identities—or their prejudices—just because they have entered a new space. The space may be neutral for a moment, but as soon as it is filled with people, those people will inevitably color it with their own selves.
Prejudices did not disappear. People continued to be the same people they had always been, whether they expressed themselves with their voices or with their fingers on a keyboard. No one made an effort to less obviously belong to any group in order that their words might be accepted at face value. People continued to hate and discriminate against others for the groups to which they belonged.
As a response to the maintenance of offline power structures, many people approach the internet like the Pilgrims approached Massachusetts—they’re not really interested in equality or freedom of expression, they just want to be the group in power instead of the oppressed. Likewise, they are frequently eager to try their hands at becoming the oppressors for a change, which they feel balances the universe of intolerance. They replace slurs against minorities with slurs against majorities, and when anyone confronts them about their own hatred, they either take a firm “eye for an eye” stance or claim that without power in society, they cannot possibly cause real pain to other groups and therefore have the right to fire whatever shots they please. The bullying incites even more scorn and hatred from the majority groups, who are then less inclined to respect the minority groups both online and off. The imaginary webtopia is quickly poisoned, until absolutely no one is safe from attack.