Thursday, August 30, 2007

Like Blogging Nude In Public

Sometimes I think I'm being overly pretentious and entirely paranoid about my "online presence." I originally tried to keep this blog semi-anonymous and then gave up and became much more careful about what I post. I try not to have anything online I wouldn't want an employer to see although everyone's got a different idea of what is embarrassing.

But it's shit like this, that makes me realize my fears are entirely justified. Not because everyone is going to care but one day maybe the wrong person is going to go batshit crazy because you insulted their honor and find every embarrassing thought you every put online.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That sucks.

It reminds me when a comedian "attacked" a real-estate mogul, and said mogul attacked back. I think, that if the mogul had any class, he would have ignored her.

There it is...people in power should ignore those w/o power that say mean things to them.

Or wait...how about something like do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Anonymous said...

I think the what the blogger did was justified--it was his wife that went over the line. However minor it may seem, this lady had no right to call the guy's kid names. She was given an opportunity to retract, and she did not. The wife went too far, though if I owned a restaurant, I would have probably fired her, too.

Jim in Cleveland

NewsCat said...

Jim I disagree.

Remember when men used to go around dueling each other because "you have insulted my honor sir! Pistols at dawn!."

You're not allowed to kill someone for insulting you and, likewise, you shouldn't attempt to destroy someone for an insult. And yes, I mean destroy in the sense of "here's everything embarrassing this person ever wrote online and how they suck as a human being." Especially when your blog *does* get more reads than the one which you are insulted on.

I mean, if I insult Tucker Carlson does that mean he had the right to go on-air and say "now this blogger, Newscat, well her real name is Rachel Larris, and this is her phone phone number and did you know about the time she went to the restuarant and didn't wash her hands before eating?"

No, it would be ridiculously mean-spirited if he did. Proportion means something online and off.

What is the correct "payback" for an online posting that is mildly insulting? I think posting your own is fine. But to dig up ALL of her personal information and then to keep digging is to much.

Anonymous said...

I think you are more right than I am. But I am not sure this lady's life was destroyed. Also, while you have convinced me the blogger was in the wrong, it is one thing to insult him, and another to insult his family. It is like when low-lifes mock the children of presidents (and I mean Chelsea AND the Bush twins)--there is no justification for it, and I don't blame the guy for being pissed.

You win this one.

Jim in Cleveland