In the wind, the Internet siren’s call lingers. She sings for you to open your web browser, for you to drown yourself in the hate that festers online.

Every time I open Google Chrome, I submit myself to personal risk. In attempts to escape from daily stress, I use Tumblr as my preferred medium; there I find humorous posts, videos, and art that appeals to my fandoms. Yet, I also discover the burdens that make associating with others even more strenuous.
Hatred is a rampant disease that is flooding all forms of social media. The cause of this sickness is the weakness that forms in people once they log on to a social media site. Once they are logged in, they become a personality sans a soul. This illness affects us all; we all become anonymous behind a username.

The true terror of virtual anonymity is the reality that even online mob mentality can occur. Without immediate consequences, online users, especially those on Tumblr, revert back to their ancestral faults, gathering pitchforks and hunting down any person who doesn’t comply with the accepted mind-set.
For years on end, I’ve witnessed people being publicly outed and shamed for either their beliefs or speaking on a subject about which they were misinformed. This conduct sometimes prompts the bombarded person to log off for good.

To most, the flagrant attacks towards people with differing views may appear outrageous, but the consistency with which these actions occur enforces the attitude that this behavior is acceptable. We live in a society that’s unduly sensitive to even the most minimal of differences.

If Person A bears a dissenting opinion from the majority, that doesn’t make them wrong or evil for diverting from the crowd; in fact, it makes them unique and stronger than those who willingly surrender themselves to unoriginal popularity. Even those persons who are so grossly miseducated should be welcomed, as it is the duty of their peers to enlighten them about the situation.

As humans we need to progress, but progress does not equal a fashionable outlook that spawns a flock of cronies, even if such ideas are politically correct. Everyone needs a mind of their own because, if that fails to happen, humanity will only descend farther into the cesspool we’ve created for ourselves.