IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - March 2017 - 88

Last Word
Christine Perakslis

"One precious element in the
Judeo-Christian tradition is
respect for the human person. Each person is of infinite value in God's sight..."
and, "..technology which
diminishes our personhood
or degrades us as humans,
this I see as wrong."
-Kallistos Ware
he above wisdom im-
parted in this issue
by Kallistos Ware is
timeless, yet also very
timely in the context
of the currently contentious tenor of
social media. For years, researchers
have purported that individuals often
act out more frequently, impulsively,
or intensely in online mediums com-
pared to face-to-face mediums. This
is the online disinhibition effect
(ODE) [1], [2]. Yet, the toxic aspects of
ODE, such as rudeness, aggression,
animosity, and disrespect appear to
be increasing in social networking
sites (SNS); users express resignation
and frustration over angry and disre-
spectful tone and content [2]-[5].
As an antidote, we would be wise
to consider a bedrock of the afore-
mentioned Judeo-Christian tradition:
humility. If we sift our behaviors in
the digital realm through the filter of
humility, our digital humility would
open wide the sluices for respect to
flow. Humility births civility.

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2017.2670227
Date of publication: 6 March 2017

ODE to...
Digital Humility
With digital humility, we contem-
plate our effect on others when we
post, send, or click. We courageously
self-reflect to assess if our online pres-
ence could be less boastful and more
unpretentious. We think more about
others, and less about ourselves. We
liberate ourselves from unhealthy
desires for acclamation or exaltation,
thereby releasing ourselves from the
shackles of excessive self-focus or
the chains of self-importance.
With digital humility, we fortify our-
selves against the toxicity of ODE. We
listen more; we say less. We resist our
predisposition to impulsively retali-
ate. We disagree, yet with respect,
because others are "of infinite value."
We quit sulking when we don't get our
way; we refrain from gloating when
we win. We confront our entitlement
and exchange it for gratitude and
acceptance, knowing that the tough
stuff of life - like disappointment and
adversity - is inevitable.
Technology allows us to create
techno-social structures with far-
reaching sociocultural impact. Hu -
mility is a life force credited with
strengthening social bonds [6]. Com-
mingled, our digital humility will
yield far more rewarding outcomes,
so that our personhood, and soci-
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine

ety at large, can better thrive in this
digital age.

Author Information
Christine Perakslis is Associate Pro-
fessor in the MBA Program, College
of Management, Johnson & Wales
University, Providence, RI. Email:
christine.perakslis@jwu.edu.

References
[1] J. Suler, "The online disinhibition
effect," CyberPsychology & Behavior, vol.
7, no. 3, pp. 321-326, 2004.
[2] J. Groshek and C. Cutino, "Meaner on
mobile: Incivility and impoliteness in com-
municating online," in Proc. 7th 2016 Int.
Conf. on Social Media & Society, Gruzd
et al., Eds. New York, NY: ACM, 2016.
[3] A. Antoci, A. Delfino, F. Paglieri, F.
Panebianco, and F. Sabatini, "Civility vs.
incivility in online social interactions: An
evolutionary approach," PLoS ONE, vol. 11,
no. 11, 2016.
[4] M. Duggan and A. Smith, "The political envi-
ronment on social media," Pew Research
Center, 2016; http://www.pewinternet
.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-
on-social-media/.
[5] A. Lenhart, M. Ybarra, and M. Price-Fee-
ney, "Online harassment, digital abuse,
and cyberstalking in America," Data and
Society, 2016; https://datasociety.net/
pubs/oh/Online_Harassment_2016.pdf
[6] D. Davis, Jr. and J. Hook, "Measuring humil-
ity and its positive effects," Assoc. Psych. Science, 2013; http://www.psychologicalscience
.org/observer/measuring-humility-and-its-
positive-effects#.WJKTSlMrKM8.

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MARCH 2017

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