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Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Play nice

The Yarn Harlot has a good post today about blogging as a public forum. For the most part, I'm really open on this blog, but with the caveat it isn't anything I wouldn't be willing to talk about in public. Over the past few years, it seems alot of nastiness comes out on the internet. One, because you can put it out there instantaneously and that knee-jerk-push-button-publishing can result in alot of comments that really should have been rethought. And two, because you don't have to say it to someone's face. A personal example is the letters to the editor my father wrote to the local newspapers after my brother jumped. The issue of a barrier has been ongoing, and he was writing to advocate some action be taken. He ended the letter saying that perhaps if a barrier had been in place sooner, my brother would have graduated from high school this year.

The thing about online newspapers is they let you comment instantaneously, much like you can on blogs. And so a few people (not many, but enough) wrote back saying things like barriers wouldn't help, how stupid are you, it's ridiculous to think someone who wants to kill themself will be deterred by a barrier, it's desecration of a national landmark, etc.

How did I find out about this? Because my mom read those comments and emailed me telling me. Not in an incredibly upset way, but it bothered her enough to mention it.

My point is, had my dad been speaking live from a public forum, would these people gone up to him afterwards and told him they thought he was stupid? I'm guessing not.

Anyways, time to get off my high horse and get back to it. Work has been really busy lately, in a good way. It's another short week, with an early departure on Friday for a Saturday wedding. Woohoo!

2 comments:

jillian said...

Very true and very sad. It's such a shame to me that for all the wonderful community and information that is now available via the net, it always gets dragged down by the lowest denominator of humanity. Whether or not nasty/mean statements would be spoken as often without having the instant and anonymous forum the net provides doesn't mean these same people weren't thinking those statements. The net just provides them an outlet to the negative thoughts they were already having.

thursday said...

I think I've said something rather mean on a blog before - but then it was because I thought the post was a bit rude.

And about the barrier - really, what is the big deal? Desecrating a landmark? That's important? Suicide is a difficult issue - many who try it are asking for help. People who jump off that bridge don't get a second chance. But, there is also the fact that more males choose a method that will most likely work - like the bridge, like a gun... What's wrong with one more deterrent? I'm sorry so many people had to say your father is stupid without showing their faces. That's cowardice for you. Phew...sorry for the ranty bit!