It is a given that people often say things on the Internet that they would not say if the speaker were identified. I have to admit right up-front that I have an axe to grind here. I had this dream, maybe it was a fantasy, that I could write a blog which would engender open and polite discussion about subjects in which I had an interest. The Huffington Post encourages bloggers to respond to comments, and I vowed that I would try to respond to everyone, except possibly for one-liners that added little to the conversation. Most of the comments comported with my expectations. If my post was featured, I felt like a third grader getting an "A" on his paper. If the comments agreed with my premise, I felt equally rewarded. If they disagreed, I frequently saw a fallacy in my own position or an equally compelling contrary argument. Exchanges brought enjoyment and enlightenment.
Then there was the dark side. Some, not many, but enough to make the experience less enjoyable, displayed anger and hostility. (And these are ones that made it past the moderators!) Discourse became harangues, and personal attacks too often followed disagreement. Which brought me to wonder whether or not the anonymity which pervades the Internet is a good or bad thing? I have seen insulting comments on other blogs as well, and I am fairly confident that what is being said would never be spoken face to face or with both speakers identified. Comments on something as innocent as a piece of music or musician can bring vicious personal exchanges between the parties. Anonymity allows for brave as well as cowardly statements to be made that might not be made if the true identity of the speaker were disclosed, but such bravery is not often the case.
It is too easy to be mean and sarcastic sitting behind a fictitious name. (I was informed that someone who was berating me was actually using three different names. I initially thought it was a groundswell of condemnation.) The New York Times will not publish a letter to the editor unless the name and address of the writer can be verified. I recognize that no such requirement is possible in this vast Internet world. Fictitious names and identities would be too easy to create.
But the Internet comments seem to be a microcosm of what is occurring in the country. Everything is divided: one is liberal or conservative, pro-life or pro-choice, right or wrong, friend or foe, for or against, a fan of Glenn Beck or Rachel Maddow. President Obama was chided for style over substance as a candidate and now is criticized for choosing substance over style in regard to the oil spill. Republicans vote "no" when Democrats vote "yes". There does not seem to be any willingness to listen, understand and accept another viewpoint. Politeness and respect for contrary views, moderation and compromise seem to have vanished from the public square. I expect someone to say if you can't take the heat get out of the blogoshpere. But it isn't the heat that bothers me, it's the fire. Most of us blog for our own pleasure without compensation. The world would survive easily without our literary contributions. But as long as we persist, requesting respect and good manners does not seem too much to ask. My idol (even if it was Orrin Hatch) is the person who said: "Can't we disagree without being disagreeable?"
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and the most popular political web site was Drudge, they had an attitude.
The Huffington Post gave us a place to bring our tude and believe me
the trolls have been here the whole time. It's been a battle for hearts and minds.
Personally when I leave a comment it's to add to the conversati
An opinion one can take or leave but a different veiw had been added.
I rarely go back, there is so much to read, being born in interestin
I choose to post with my name so no one could accuse me of what you have in your post,
so I could be blunt without hiding behind a web name, so much for that.
Please accept my apologies and my advice, talk with whom you want to and ignore the rest.
But hear them out so as to know what they are thinking, that is what is so facinating
Google's revenge, yikes!
Please don't give up your blog on HP, I so enjoy your thoughts on the matters of the day. Don't let a few bad apples spoil it for the rest of us.
I totally relate to your feelings of getting an "A" on your paper. I have had eleven letters to the editor printed in the Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio and I'll never forget the excitement I felt the first time one of my letters was published. (It's still exciting that someone thought enough of my writing to print it in the largest newspaper in the state.)
Please keep your posts coming for those of us who respect and admire you and your opinions.
Kindest regards,
Lisa Whitfield Johnson
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How many times have we seen people SLAMMING others in a way that EVERYONE knows they wouldn't do it to that persons face? I mean, I would say it runs between 98% of the time.
How many times have we seen right-wing stories that have nothing to do with any sort of reality? With made up facts? Obama's birth certificat
People can say whatever they want to get attention and it overall breeds cowardice
It breeds both!
This is not a debating society where the rules of debate are known, debaters adept or schooled in argumentat
This is public discourse, where you get the serious and the silly.
I cherish the HuffPo comment section, and I think there's nothing like it.
After 4 years of it, I can testify that the vast amount of comments are serious and educationa
Come down from that ivy tower, or that bench, and join the American discourse.
The collective wisdom of the American public will be the saving grace of this nation.
If I had my way, I would get rid of the moderators who inhibit debate.
With their Elizabetha
I cannot help but think about the many villains who conceal their faces when in public, the KKK comes to mind. I don’t consider this bravery, this seems to be the puffed up bravado of true cowardice. If a person’s words do not reflect who they really are, their true faces or names probably will not. I believe that actions are more important than words, but language come in a close second. The words an individual uses must be close to their ‘id’, which will lead the reader to know a true part of the author. It’s sad that some choose to show their dark side to the world, or hide behind a moniker to cause someone pain because their belief is contrary to others. We cannot all agree on every subject, but our difference
been a witness to hostile, exasperati
expression
comments on the thread, I've received similar ire and sadistic taunting. I've been called
a "sycophant
I must admit that I sometimes can be strident in debate. I do abide by my own limits
which exclude off-color pejorative
moderated (deleted) for what I've believed to be mild idioms of current usage. Still, I respect
HP moderators as fulfilling an essential role, and I also recognize that there really is no
"free speech" on this site, according to my choice to abide by HP Terms of Service which
means that I agree to heavy moderation
What is harmful and deserving of special attention is when a vendetta is declared and
carried out through "stalking"
shadowing comments with defamatory remarks as though there is no tomorrow.
I'm certain that there must be laws which protect against libel [defamatio
electronic forums. Would you be so kind as to educate us on this?
Political correctnes
This is also a place to vent. There are things said here that may be hard to say anywhere else, and it might not always be pretty. But, who's harmed? If someone's feelings are so fragile that they are hurt by what someone says in a HuffPo comment ... they should probably stick with Facebook friends.
And, sometimes people might actually be jarred into thinking, instead of just looking for their views to be reinforced and approved of ... by only conversing with like-minde
Given your judicial experience
For example, I think Fred Phelps is the most vile of cretins, but I don't think I have the right to not be offended by his hate speech. I believe that's what she's talking about.
I still think there is a silent majority, not blogging, certainly not activists, who are good people, who want what is best for their families AND the country. The internet is big but it doesn't reach large swathes of the population who are out there every day, working hard and trying to do the best they can to survive. Unfortunat
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You voiced so well the disconnect
Thank you for your contributi