Internet Cowards

[David Jackson]

I woke up to an insulting comment on my blog this morning, left by an anonymous blogger. I have my blog setup so that I have to approve all comments, before they can be viewed publicly. So, needless to say, this comment never saw the proverbial light of day.

The insult itself isn't important, so I won't give the person who wrote it the satisfaction of repeating it publicly. What is important, however is the fact the blogger didn't have the guts to reveal his or her identity.

I mean, c'mon. If you dislike someone enough to insult them, don't you at least want the satisfaction of them knowing who you are? Otherwise, what exactly is the point?

Well, I guess some people would rather throw stones, then hide their hands like a child...or worse yet, like a coward!

Look, I'm sure I'm not the first blogger that this has happened to, and I certainly won't be the last. In any event, I'd love to hear your feelings on the subject.

David Jackson

[gailjrichardson]

David, They are cowards. What's the point if they can't take credit for saying it. I can't imagine what joy they get out of something like that.
Once again they are COWARDS !!!

[Lynn Terry]

The internet is full of trolls. I get stuff like that on a daily basis - from YouTube comments to nasty emails. I don't have the thickest skin in the world (far from it -lol) so I usually have to step away for a minute, blow it off, then put my blinders on and get back to work.

There is no point, except to ruffle feathers. And because they can. Childish, huh?

[David Jackson]

I don't have the thickest skin in the world (far from it -lol) so I usually have to step away for a minute, blow it off, then put my blinders on and get back to work.

Lynn, you're probably one of the least controversial people I know. All you've ever tried to do is help people. Why try to hurt you? That's just sick!!!

David Jackson

[David Jackson]

David, They are cowards. What's the point if they can't take credit for saying it. I can't imagine what joy they get out of something like that.
Once again they are COWARDS !!!

Exactly, where's the thrill in it, if nobody knows who you are? I just don't get it.

David Jackson

[Roey]

Dear David,

Sorry to hear of the "unpleasantry." We are human and it is natural for it to bother you. If you put it into perspective, though, it may help. Focus on all of the positive comments you get. For me, personally, I try and put myself in their shoes for a minute and see where they are coming from, then imagine they must be not happy about something, and/or having some bad stuff going on in their life; I'm a Christian and so I then pray for them and try and leave it at that.

Peace,

Roey.

[David Jackson]

Sorry to hear of the "unpleasantry." We are human and it is natural for it to bother you.

Thanks, Roey. I appreciate your comments. However, believe it or not, once I vented by starting this thread, I was fine. One idiot can't ruin my day. Never have, never will.

David Jackson

[premiumweb]

Lynn, don't pay those people any attention. They are probably just jealous of what you have accomplished and they want to bring you down.

[Engage]

David, what a great thread title, well done sir.

Hmm. The anonymity of the net allows people to be more honest than they'd likely be face to face. We shouldn't immediately dismiss the value in that. Sure, it's not always pretty, but at least it's real.

Real is good.

We might flip the question around and ask, are we Internet cowards?

It just dawned on me just this week that I should put an anonymous feedback form on my order pages. Yes, I know I'm going to get misinformed feedback from folks that didn't try the service or even bother to read the site, but still have a firm opinion. And probably some rudeness too.

Yea, that's frustrating, but it's not going to kill me, so why be a coward?

Real is good, and anonymity is one way to get there.

More controversially, I honestly think the webmaster niche is often a vast wasteland of writing cowardice.

Everybody seems to tack towards the safety of the group consensus, trying to fit in, wear the approved pose, be liked and all the rest.

There's no crime in this, but c'mon, aren't we supposed to be writers and publishers?

How do we expect to be heard on the endless noisy ocean of the net if we don't have the courage to at least try to say something different?

Why should anybody bother to read us, if they can read the same thing a thousand other places?

We should be pushing up against the boundaries, making a little noise, rattling a few pots and pans, falling down and embarrassing ourselves regularly. The net is show biz, and the readers expect a show!

Courage might involve looking at ourselves carefully and patiently, and finding out why we've made our emotions hostage to any anonymous stranger that walks up. It's this process that imprisons us as writers.

No, please, not a quick cliche, and then race back to the safety of "normal". A hundred long threads that dig in to the subject of ourselves in depth.

We're always chanting the word "freedom" on webmaster forums. That's where we'll find it, inside our own heads, not on the Net, or in our check book.

My name is Phil Tanny, and I approved this message. Ruthlessly real replies are welcomed.

[David Jackson]

David, what a great thread title, well done sir.

Thank you for that, Phil. As for the rest of your diatribe, If you call using unnecessarily cruel, hateful and racist language to express your point of view being real...well, that simply doesn't deserve the dignity of a response.

David Jackson