Van Hemlock.com

Certainly need a thick skin for Being On The Internet, yes. For most of us, much of it is recreational, so it can be very easy to simply ask 'Do I need this crap?' and just walk away from it, which is a kind of victory for those Friends Of Humanity that also enjoy kicking over sandcastles.

Anonymity is a blessing and a curse; it allows people to be unpleasant without repercussions, but also provides a kind of securtiy for those who aren't great with people, or strangers, allowing them too to come out of their shells a bit. Was certainly the case for me.

As for what can be done, I try to lead by example, but it isn't easy all the time, no. Always say what you mean - irony and sarcasm don't work very well as text, and even in voice chat, setting a tone of polite civility does encourage others to do the same. A sense of perspective helps in arguments and disagreements. They may be wrong, but do the specifics of a particular computer game really matter in the grand scheme of it all? Life is too short, as they say.

I have done exactly as Fry proposes not so long ago though. The specifics don't matter, but I came to the conclusion that yes, I didn't need that crap in what was meant to be a recreational activity, so simply moved on. I sometimes feel that meant the other party 'won', but I suppose it really only is a win in their own mind. They'll probably go on to harass someone else next, I expect, which is a shame, but life is indeed too short to worry about what Strangers On The Internet Think.

Be polite, be civilised, be yourself, and just walk away from anyone who refuses to return the courtesy; that's my strategy!