Murphy's Law: Tufts Secrets: The Ring of Gyges

Tufts has always been a campus of strong views and outspoken opinions, yet during my time here, those thoughts have traditionally been expressed publicly, with the speaker held accountable for their discourse. However, the recently popular Facebook page “Tufts Secrets” is beginning to show signs of the toxicity of which we are capable when we do not have to personally stand by our expressions.

When commenting on campus issues or expressing one’s opinions about their experience at Tufts without one’s name attached, discourse turns from civil to poisonous. As an Atlantic article on internet anonymity pointed out, Plato offered the thought experiment of the Ring of Gyges. Anyone wearing the ring becomes invisible. The debate, in this case, is whether an intelligent person would still act morally if they had no fear of being discovered and punished for their actions. In the Republic, Glaucon explains: “Then the actions of the just would be as the actions of the unjust; they would both come at last to the same point.” Without fear of being caught, people are more likely to act in ways that our society deems immoral. In the same vein, when not expressing one’s views to someone in person, or with one’s name attached to these views, harmful speech is made that much more likely.

What this page makes abundantly clear is that our campus lacks a critical amount of morality and accountability. It is also deeply lacking in proper grammar. Posts and comments on this page mock and attack individual students, vilify organizations, spread unproductive rumors, classism and hate against varied groups. A worrying percentage of posters lack decorum and basic decency. Advocating blocking speakers from campus because one does not like their opinions is antithetical to democratic political debate. Vilifying people for being born wealthy is not productive. A concerning amount of posts are anti-Semitic. Broadly painting anyone wealthy as earning their money via systemically oppressing others is ridiculous vitriol. Spreading rumors about students and organizations can actually hurt people. Cathartically spewing opinions that are unacceptable to share in public is immature and useless behavior. At such a prestigious institution, one would think that our student body would comport itself in a more academic and constructive manner.

Here is a tip. If you think something is so controversial or outlandish that you decide to send it to the world anonymously, you should probably just not say it. Did our mothers not tell us “if you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything?” One’s opinions should be robustly expressible in a coherent, convincing and respectful manner. Blanket, cathartic posts without personal responsibility are not how we should be engaging each other. To be clear, each poster has every right to post anything they like, no matter how negative. But as Tufts students, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard, deal with negativity in more productive manners and stand behind the beliefs we express.