Nonetheless, wrong rumors & libelous lies are ofttimes published by anonymous low-lifes. Frequently these masked bottom dwellers demonstrate some kind of antisocial personality disorder (called psychopaths in old movies) or another Axis II Mental Disorder, & driven only through hate & revengeful, asocial inspiration. They have an insatiable compulsion to hurt or control others; they are in reality fueled by the anguish they cause; a victim’s anguish is their twisted prize, their “narcissistic supply”. Ordinary individuals like 90-97% of the readers of this commentary can’t begin to envisage what drives these individuals.

This wretched public predicament has exploded in the past decade and manifested itself primarily through anonymous online defamation. There have been cases where authorities have issued orders directing that anonymous and malicious internet bloggers need to be unmasked by subpoena, such instructions are normally a source of indignation for a small but rambunctious band of rabid activists who deem that freedom of expression deserves to be absolute & a speaker can’t be responsible for his or her speech, irrespective as to truth or falsity of the utterances. Many think that if these same vocal pundits were to live through the paralyzing impact of a cowardly anonymous blogger and the vocational, emotional, physical, and social well-being of victims or their family; they wouldn’t be as noisy in their protests.

Envisage if you will a grazier who has had all of his or her animals killed and barns and crops burned by an enemy; the withering effect on his or her source of income is total. Whereas, a consultant, artist, doctor, knowledge worker, or executive who relies on his or her respectability to receive new customers, and for that matter keep existing business, will be as utterly ruined as the farmer described above as the outcome of a persuasive , focused online defamation campaign. The difference being that the the public, the police, the courts and jurors can more easily relate to the severity of the farmer’s troubles.

An inherent aspect of anonymous internet defamation is that it is generally less credible when seriously considered by level-headed and open-minded parties. Notwithstanding, there is an interesting dynamic with the crisis of vicious & anonymous bloggers. Although the statements can be seen for what it is, when the victim is being “Googled” for a job, consulting awards, babysitting work (or courtship), then the individual carrying out the reference checks will probably factor in the potential public relations exposure from associating with the victim. Although the prospective employer might see past the vitriol, the decision maker will probably reflect on what their customers and partners will presume if they are not as sophisticated & open-minded.