Why is there so much disrespect on the internet? How can we stop it?

[Mark]

Because a lot (A LOT) of people think "I'm anonymous" [they aren't], so I can say anything." What is even more appalling is that there are people "in real life" who apparently feel the NEED to call people names for really trivial things. (I personally don't feel the need to call someone an "idiot" unless they really and truly do something idiotic, like pouring all the water onto the ground from a canteen when we are slogging through the desert or something.)