How I Finally Discovered where Online Hate is Born

Online hate isn’t just about being mean—it’s often a clash of education levels, life tools, and cultural perspectives that make us feel like we’re speaking different languages.

a different society

I used to think online hate was just people being mean for the sake of it. Like, why waste energy tearing someone down when you could, I don’t know, touch some grass? But after spending enough time creating content and reading comments, I started noticing a pattern. It wasn’t just random negativity—it was misunderstanding. And not just the usual internet ‘you didn’t read the post’ kind of misunderstanding. It was deeper. A fundamental gap in how we process information.

And it hit me: we’re not all working with the same "tools."

Education: The Missing Piece in Online Hate

This has nothing to do with classism. Let’s get that out of the way real quick. It has everything to do with education—how much of it we’ve had, how we were taught to process information, and how that affects the way we interact with ideas.

Think about it. A person with only basic education has been given a certain set of tools to navigate life. A person who finished high school has a slightly different set. Someone with a bachelor’s degree? Even more tools. And that’s not even touching on people with specialized education.

Now, put all these people in one giant digital room (aka social media) and give them one single topic to discuss. Suddenly, it’s like trying to have a conversation in five different languages. Everyone is speaking, but not everyone understands each other in the same way.

Make sure you enlarge this video for a better view:

@patysesma_ TikTok

The Great Internet Mashup

Let’s say I decide to talk about quantum physics. If I sit down with a scientist, I’m obviously going to be limited in my understanding. I can grasp the basics, but I don’t have the depth of knowledge to engage at the same level. That doesn’t mean I’m less intelligent—it just means I don’t have those specific tools.

Now flip it to everyday content. A creator might be discussing social issues, history, or even something as simple as personal growth. But the way they structure ideas, the references they use, the logic behind their arguments—it’s all shaped by their level of education. If someone with different tools jumps into the conversation, they might completely miss the point, feel personally attacked, or just outright reject the idea because it doesn’t fit what they know.

That’s where the hostility starts. The frustration. The "you’re only monetizing" type of replies. The "you’re hungry" comments. It’s not that they’re evil trolls sitting in a basement plotting chaos—it’s that they’re interpreting things through a different lens, and the disconnect creates conflict.

Culture: The Other Invisible Factor

Now, let’s throw in another layer: cultural differences. Because education isn’t just about degrees—it’s also about exposure. Someone raised in a country where free speech is encouraged might engage in debates with curiosity. Someone from a place where questioning authority is dangerous might see debates as disrespectful or aggressive.

Even humor varies wildly. A sarcastic joke in one culture is a straight-up insult in another. So when people from different cultural backgrounds collide online, the gap widens. What was meant as an insightful discussion becomes a battlefield simply because people are operating with different worldviews.

So, what do we do with this?

I wish I had the perfect answer. But here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Not every argument is worth your energy. If someone is missing key tools to understand your point, no amount of explaining will magically give them those tools in a comment section.

2. Context matters. Before assuming someone is being hateful, ask yourself: could this be a misunderstanding rooted in education or culture?

3. We need more patience. The internet mixes people in ways that real life never would. You wouldn’t expect a first-year student to write a PhD thesis overnight—so why expect a random commenter to process complex ideas instantly?

At the end of the day, we’re all stuck in this giant digital mess together. The least we can do is try to understand where people are coming from before hitting ‘reply.’