Yes, I can see how attributions would contribute to potential online conflicts. I will admit, I have read through a few of the conflicts here on hubski and have been a bit puzzled about what went on. One problem I have with interacting with others online is that usually there's no introduction, no handshake or even a, "oh hey, this is so-and-so, who's a friend of a friend." I hear what you're saying about diminished empathy though, as it applies to people who grew up "after the internet." I think you're right that some certainly take pride in it, though for others including myself I think it's sometimes a default position when interacting with the faceless.

One reason I signed up for the pen pal project was because the last and only pen pal I had was in grade school. Thinking back, I remember I thought my pen pal was a real dickbag until our teachers had us exchange pictures. Suddenly, he became a real person to me instead of some kid from some hick town in Montana I'd never heard of who really liked wolves. This time around, I'm excited by the prospect of interacting with another person through the medium of writing in a way that doesn't occur to me to get excited about when interacting with others on the internet, but after reading through your response it's something I will definitely think about.

Anyway, it's interesting to get different perspectives on these extended human interactions.