Expert suggests social media can be held accountable for people's short-tempered behaviour and irritability to some extent. Photo / Supplied
Expert suggests social media can be held accountable for people's short-tempered behaviour and irritability to some extent. Photo / Supplied
Headlines about workers being verbally abused seem to be more commonplace nowadays and a social behaviour expert believes our online conduct may have a part to play.
Professor of Sociology at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Charles Crothers said social media could be held accountable for people's short-tempered behaviour andirritability, to some extent.
He said Covid-19 has kept people a bit cooped up at home and now they have various frustrations to deal with.
His comments followed the recent experience of a Northland delivery truck unloader who was abused by a customer after a late delivery.
Crothers said, unfortunately, sometimes people did not know how to control themselves enough without losing their temper.
"Sometimes this anger is dangerous and it spills over and people are absolutely out of control."
A lot of abuse happened, not face-to-face, but on social media, said Crothers.
"I wonder whether people used the media to anonymously abuse people and then they sort of get it into their heads that it is easy enough to abuse and then start doing it face-to-face."
The Northland delivery assistant, who did not want to be named, said a customer was "pissed off" to the extent that his wife had to lock him up in a room because he was going to let loose on him.
The delivery was running late by three hours and when they informed the customer, he did not take it well, he said.
"We are driving a truck all day - some customers hold us for longer, traffic, roadworks, we get sometimes held up at the delivery station for too long.
"I tried explaining the situation to him and delivered the goods on the same day, but he wasn't ready to listen."
The Northlander said it wasn't a hard job, but some people made it difficult.
"We do our best, and customers are always right, but they find little places to pick at you."
The man delivered to Kaitāia, Kerikeri, Maungatūroto, Kaiwaka, Mangawhai, Ruawai, Whangārei, and other places throughout the week.
Crothers said people should be much more careful about being mean to people when it wasn't their fault.
"Sometimes awful things do happen, but I don't think yelling is ever justified unless it is an emergency."
Crothers said while Covid-19 might have nudged some people to become more impatient, it had also nudged many in the opposite direction to find more peace.
People cope in different ways, he said.
Professor of Sociology at AUT Charles Crothers suggests better anger management training at secondary schools as part of a long-term solution to help limit verbal abuse in society. Photo / Supplied
Crothers suggested better anger management training at secondary schools would be a step toward helping in the long run.
It would help people to gain a better understanding of society, what goes on in people's lives, and how one might handle different situations, said Crothers.
"Another thing we possibly could look at doing is rewarding good behaviour."
