So, at times I've used this myself in response to people getting upset about what happens on DV: "It's just a forum, calm the hell down."

And then there were other times when that argument has been used against ME, and I argued that it's not just a forum.

I change my mind a lot about things. ANYWAY...

I'm just wondering, especially after seeing that thread about how many hours we spend on the internet (and many of us DVers replied 40+ per week), how much do the people and events in this virtual environment affect you?

I happened to catch a clip of the Tyra Banks Show (yeah don't laugh at me, I know, I KNOW) where they were discussing various stories of teens being extremely affected by what people say to them on the internet, sometimes to the point of suicide.

Do people's words on the internet affect you as much as people saying something to your face?

I don't know. After watching that episode I kind of vowed to myself to be civil no matter what online... You never know who you might be hurting, and more importantly, to what extent.