Just why exactly are people so mean in this game?

I'm coming back after a long time of absence and after all this time I thought maybe the playerbase would have gotten better in some way but from what I've seen it's still going down hill with no bottom in sight.

It's such a shame really. This game is soooo much fun but the people that play it are just the worst and I honestly don't know why.

I mean what is their reasoning behind flaming this much, going AFK and all that kind of stuff? I don't just want to suffer through it all without even understanding it. Even with all the anonymity and such, I just don't get why people would be so mean.

This game really is a double-edged sword. On a good day it can make you absolutely ecstatic and invested but on a bad day it can ruin your day off within minutes.