Thursday, December 22, 2005

Hypocricy in Action

If y'all are interested in reading some annoying (and less than cogent) comments and conversations about civility on a blog, go over to the most hypocrical Alas, a blog here.

Amp doesn't quite get that he's got something that's more like a newsgroup going over there, not a blog. There are few bloggers and some who post actually don't like blogs or bloggers. Ironic, eh? His own comments about wanting to make his space more "feminist friendly" are nothing more than a condescending display of large cojones.

The blog has a distinctly negative and incivil community--and the feel of it is that the blogger in charge has wanted it to develop just that way. By not interacting with posters and letting the incivility get to critical mass, shows an abdication of responsibility on the part of Amp, who, as a blogger, is supposed to be like a good barkeeper and make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen.

With the way the comments unfold there, with the majority of contributors anonymously and furiously posting with a high degree of incivility, perhaps calling it "Alas, a Newsgroup" might be more accurate.

3 comments:

Tish Grier said...

Interesting aside...one of the people who did not like what I said on Alas's comments went on say she'd never blog...hmm...a person who posts on a blog and has alot to say about civility on a blog but doesn't want to blog herself...hmmm..ironic? Possibly more ironic than the title of this blog...

Nancy White said...

Tish, I think there are many many people who don't give a lot of thought to the form that is underlying their online interaction. Blog, webboard, usenet, email list. They are in the moment of the "conversation" (used loosely!) For me, it doesn't matter what platform holds the conversation. It shapes it to some extent, but it is not the most important issue.

What matters is what we choose to do together (or not) on that platform.

Tish Grier said...

Thank you, scottm....but is Amp willing to jump in and be the good barkeep when necessary? I read the comment where he mentioned that he had indeed deleted some very egregious comments--good move there. But if he desires to keep some of the negative comments, is he willing to jump in and be part of his blog conversations and thus set a better tone for his blog?