Kent Newsome on technology, music and life

4/09/2007


Here's an Idea: Just Be Nice

Rather than try to recreate the world, how about just apply the real world rules of common sense and courtesy to the blogosphere.  Everyone interacts with other people all day every day in the real world, and we don't need Tim O'Reilly to rewrite the Golden Rule for us.

If someone is an asshole, do not empower them- ignore them.  As a general rule, you cannot rehabilitate assholes.  You can only disempower them, thereby taking away the incentive to become one.

This new code of conduct business seems to me to be more about an influence grab than it is about trying to make some self-important egghead sing kumbaya.  Not to mention the fact that since it is utterly unenforceable, the only ones who will truly embrace it are those who would be nice anyway.

Seth pretty much nailed it.  So did Mike Arrington (who I feel compelled to note has been known to club others wildly on his blog).

I'm not sure where this new movement is headed, but I don't think it's going to instantly make the blogosphere a kinder, gentler place for most of us.

Just act like you would in the real world and things will work themselves out.  We don't need to recreate the wheel every time someone has a flat tire.

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Posted by Kent @ 4/09/2007 09:19:00 AM | Permalink

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4 Comment(s):

Where is my Easter Bonnet?

While some may see the blogosphere and the behavior of its participants as a new phenomenon, it isn't difficult to find an appropriate predecessor model. That model is found on the streets of any metropolitan area and it is called traffic and the prevalence of road rudeness...or in its extreme...road rage.

Granted, personal attacks and snark on the internet are not likely to lead to fatalities, but if computers had wheels, it certainly would.

The problem on the highway or the internet isn't going to be resolved through a badge system. Did anyone attend Easter mass yesterday and witness the value of symbols...no not the crucifix behind the altar or the statue at the entrance; I'm talking about the pretty new Easter outfits...complete with bonnets and bow ties. These are the outfits worn by the same people who also attend Christmas mass every year without fail...and then get into their shiny clean vehicle and race out of the parking lot without ever yielding to the old woman walking to her car that is parked in the back row because she forgot that it was Easter Sunday and foolishly arrived at the same time she does each and every Sunday.

Read more on the relationship between blog civility and Easter Bonnets...here:

www.thoughttheater.com

By Blogger Daniel DiRito, at 4/09/2007 6:52 PM  
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Fuck nice.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4/09/2007 8:44 PM  
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Well said Kent and I completely agree.

By Blogger Blog Bloke, at 4/10/2007 5:00 AM  
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There has been internet drama and trolls since Al Gore invented the internet. I agree, why does someone have to stand up now and say there needs to be a set of rules? Or what? There seems to be this other way of thinking that people are going to follow a set of rules just because big bad whoever said so? Pffffft.

Great post.

By Blogger Trish, at 4/11/2007 2:59 PM  
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