The internet and three things that bug me...

I wrote this in reply to another blogger elsewhere on the intarweb - but felt I might as well post it here as it can pretty much stand on it's own. Enjoy.

Having logged over 40,000 posts to various message boards spread across the internet over the last 15 years - I've always had three things that bugged me:

1. I don't like anonymous posts
2. I don't like when people go back later and delete or edit what they said
3. I don't like censoring people, and avoid doing so unless absolutely necessary.

On issue one – when a person posts as themselves they share personal issues and original thoughts. What this amounts to is an “investment” in the exchange, and in a way “exposes” the person’s inner workings to the people they are discussing with.
When a person posts as anonymous, they have no investment, and are not exposed at all. This puts them in the digital position of being a “sniper” – able to shoot at others, but not risk anything of their own in the process. I personally find this an entirely dishonest way to exchange ideas, and in most cases it really does undermine efforts at forwarding positive discussion.

On the second issue – I’ve always believed if you say or write something – you need to stand by it as yours, whether you were right or wrong. Tens of thousands of people who engage in public speaking have to deal with this every day. Once it leaves your mouth – it’s yours. I have always felt the digital media – especially message boards where there is an “edit post” feature – again serves to allow a back door for people to say things that can hurt, then go back later and delete or edit it. The bad thing is – the damage is already done.

On the third issue - On the message boards I administer and moderate, it is often a difficult thing to let a post remain. Especially when people say things that are damaging, or hurtful, or downright out of line. How *I* have always handled these is to let the posts remain – and I have found that in most cases, the “good” posts will outweigh the bad, and the discussion always seems to turn out for the better in the end.

Unfortunately, my position on the third issue really can’t take place effectively when those posts are made by anonymous people. So you are left with either allowing anonymous posts and holding the “edit” feature in reserve, or banning anonymous posts and letting people with an “investment” in the discussion work it out among themselves – even when they say things they might later regret having put there. I’d prefer to go with the latter, and feel that is the best way for ideas to be shared.

More things that bother me...

Dear CSI Las Vegas,

Why do you leave the lights off when you are inspecting a crime scene? I may not be an ace detective, but I'm thinking that turning the lights on generally goes a long way towards hepling you SEE EVIDENCE. But hey - what do I know?

Love,
Me

Ack.

It's "I need that like another hole in my head", not "I need that like a hole in my head". You do need the holes you already have.

And it's "anal retentive", not "anal". Two completely different things, my friend.

Message board gems

From a local radio station message board where people post stuff for sale, I often find little gems... shining beacons of -er- something... that I will likely be compelled to share a few of them here from time to time.

Here's one from today:

I HAVE A 4 WHEELER &LAWN MOWER&TRUCK AN A CAR
2 MOBLIE HOMES, 2DOGS 1 CHICKEN 4 SALE CHEAP
ALL IN GOOD SHAPE MAKE ME A OFFER


Just chew on that for a few minutes. Swish it around, get comfortable with it.


Still confused? Yeah... me too.


(And if this sounds like a package deal you just can't bring yourself to pass up - contact me and I'll get you his number and location).

My recent reading list

As I usually do - I go on book reading spurts from time to time. I've blown through a few books in the last 2 weeks so here's what I'm reading:

A Walk In The Woods - Bill Bryson
The Road - Cormac Mccarthy
Dragon - Clive Cussler
The Millionaire Mind - Thomas J. Stanley


A real eclectic gathering, I know.

Let me start off by saying this... I will probably not keep this updated, and it will probably contain incoherent musings of no relevance to you at all. I do most of my "creative work" on the fly and in response to others on various message boards spread out around the interverse (yeah, I just made that up... no, you can't use it). Because of that, I have little left to share in a setting like this, and the blog format really doesn't contribute itself well to interactive discussion.

Don't get me wrong, I like to pontificate as much as the next guy - I just don't work well in this fishing scenario - where you toss out a baited hook and just wait for someone to bite.

Bite little fishy... bite.