Formspring.sadism.me

Formspring: Found in the backgrounds of most teens computer screens, collects disease and filth hourly. Known to cause low self-esteem, distrust of your peers, and an itchy rash.

Why would anyone invite anonymous (really? Not even an area code?) people on a personalized website to confirm all of your insecurities? Why does anyone want to be asked, “how much do you weigh?” or to be told, “your a slut”? A better question is why does anyone respond to these cowardly and often misspelled (see above) insults?

Everyone knows that bullying is easy to do with the anonymity of texting and the Internet. Seriously though, if you know you are being bullied, why would you set up a website for people to do it more easily? What is our generation coming to if no one even wants to defend themselves, much less have any semblance of a private life?

The problem with technological advances in communication is that we are becoming more and more anonymous and public at the same time. No one really knows who anyone is, nor do they seem to care. Whatever happened to TPing someone’s house to send a message of distaste? Whatever happened to “that’s my business”? Nothing is private anymore, and you don’t even have to commit the sin of gossiping to get the juicy details – they’re advertised!

Facebook is another example of a website that offers no way to keep people in check. I’m not saying it is a good idea to know every person who looks at your Facebook page, but I would be much better behaved if I knew I was being held accountable for going through the old profile pictures of my ex-friend’s boyfriend’s college roommate when there is nothing better to do on a Sunday morning.

But back to the point. Is the point of Formspring to beat people to the punch? Does it hurt less if you know people think you do drugs and sleep around too much? Do you feel powerful getting to respond sarcastically to questions of your character?

For instance, I recently had a confrontation with a teacher in which after she berated me for being a rumored problem child, she said. “I like to know when people are talking trash about me so I can have a chance to prove them wrong.” I responded with, “Well I don’t like to know. So in the future, please don’t let me know.” She hasn’t spoken to me since, and I couldn’t be happier. Problem solved.

Whether the point of Formspring is to know precisely how your name is being dragged through the gutter at any given moment (judging by subsequent actions of almost anyone who has a Formspring, I doubt this to be the truth), or a public way of validating your insecurities, an announcement on Facebook that you have created a Formspring essentially reads like so: “Take your best shot. I don’t care who you are, I just want to hear how much you hate me.”

Formspringers: good luck. You are going to need it.