I write this after a recent experience on another persons blog. I made a comment that apparently the individual didn't quite agree with. After no provocation I was met with insults and condescension. I don't really know the individual all that well (although I know them better now) and their response I think was born from the fact that they didn't know who I was. I was faceless and unknown to them and didn't agree with them. I had to question what the individual wanted from me. He had called for others opinions about how they felt about the Colts winning the Super Bowl. My comments weren't overly aggressive and definitely not personal. The response from himself and his friends was over the top and personal, petty name calling like adolescents.
Now I'm pretty thick skinned but I was somewhat offended. It scares me how people can act this way. As more and more people descend into their own ever more personal worlds we face the problem of losing our society because people don't know how to interact with each other. Blogs are the new SUV's. There are studies that show the reasons that people by large four-wheeled-drives is because they are insecure and need to feel better about themselves. We are now seeing this in blog sites. There is security in not having to deal with people directly. Individuals abuse, swear and degrade others because they don't have to deal with them face to face. I believe I wouldn't have received this treatment if I had met them face to face. I feel it was the result of anonymity that empowered the individual to act that way.
I don't know if the individual was hoping that some day he would get the chance to go toe to toe with someone on his blog site and show people how witty and knowledgeable he was, and just jumped at the chance when I disagreed with him. I'm not sure if he is just plain arrogant (like I said I don't know them that well). I don't know but I don't approve. I think the Internet and blog sites are a real opportunity for people to express their opinions and enter into discussions. But there is a real danger of people sequestering themselves from the rest of society. Barricading themselves in their blog fortresses with their scant allies and battling the rest of the world.
I leave you with a quote, "Hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert". Has nothing to do with what I'm talking about I just like to say it.
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1 comment:
damien,
I wanted to say that I, like John-O, feel bad about this. I do not know you, so in that regard it didn't matter that you used "anonymous". I was coming to the "aid", or what I perceived as aid, of my friend. That part I do not apologize for.
I do, greatly, apologize for the tone, language, and tactics I used. I tend to be pretty loose with swear words, ask Ana and John I throw them around like pro-nouns, and do not always mean them to be a personal attack. Of coarse, personal is exactly what I wanted this to be. I was an idiot. Nothing more than the kid who runs around the playground instigating fights, and butting into other people arguements. Didn't help that I was a little drunk too.
I really do apologize for this. You didn't deserve this attack. All you did was voice your opinion, which is exactly what these awesome little blogs are for. Plus, living down in Florida I have had my shows removed so the Gators could have their little celebrations, and I too got a little irritated. So I guess I'm a hypocrite too. Nothing more to say, but I am, again, sorry to you and Ana.
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