Is Online Civility Impossible?
There's an interesting article here about a movement to try and come up with a code of conduct for online posting.
Now, I have a pretty good idea how a few of you might react (looking at you here, Shocho) to this but I think it's worthy of discussion. Let me explain.
I, and many of my fellow bloggers, work in industries where we make products that are passion-based, young male targeted. To that end, we are DAILY subject to some of the most hateful vitriol that you can possibly believe. Our companies run forums that allow our consumers to congregate and participate in a "community" which oftentimes is just a soapbox for these guys' frustrations for whatever else in life ails them.
What is funny, is that when you meet these individuals face to face, they would never in a million years say the same things. In fact, these guys generally go out of their way to be nice and polite. I've often heard, "yeah, sorry about the forums. It's just a 'Net thing, you know?"
Well no, I guess I don't know. Personally, I was raised that civility, politeness and manners shouldn't depend upon the medium or the velocity of the message delivery. I can remember only a few times that I "lost it" on someone and immediately apologized. (Hence my adoption of the "type it, walk away, read again before sending" rule.)
I do remember one of the first times someone savaged me online. It was in an AOL chat room where we were discussing Star Trek novels. I stated I didn't like Trek novels that constantly referenced the series and pointed out a recent novel that did. Little did I know, the writer was in the chat room, and responded to me so hatefully and rudely that to this day I avoid him and his works.
There is a certain empowerment in the anonymous nature of the 'Net. Some people are severely limited in social situations. Unfortunately, they seem to be the ones that explode when they get in front of a keyboard. I wonder, do they feel better about themselves after a night of poisoned typing? Do any of them ever sit back and realize "wow, maybe I went a little overboard"? Somehow, I doubt it. The ease of email and forums allows us to type from our reptilian brain which is more concerned with rending and tearing.
So, let's say that a blogging (and extension to forum and email) code of conduct is adopted. Would anyone use it? Would it make us better people?
Discuss.
Now, I have a pretty good idea how a few of you might react (looking at you here, Shocho) to this but I think it's worthy of discussion. Let me explain.
I, and many of my fellow bloggers, work in industries where we make products that are passion-based, young male targeted. To that end, we are DAILY subject to some of the most hateful vitriol that you can possibly believe. Our companies run forums that allow our consumers to congregate and participate in a "community" which oftentimes is just a soapbox for these guys' frustrations for whatever else in life ails them.
What is funny, is that when you meet these individuals face to face, they would never in a million years say the same things. In fact, these guys generally go out of their way to be nice and polite. I've often heard, "yeah, sorry about the forums. It's just a 'Net thing, you know?"
Well no, I guess I don't know. Personally, I was raised that civility, politeness and manners shouldn't depend upon the medium or the velocity of the message delivery. I can remember only a few times that I "lost it" on someone and immediately apologized. (Hence my adoption of the "type it, walk away, read again before sending" rule.)
I do remember one of the first times someone savaged me online. It was in an AOL chat room where we were discussing Star Trek novels. I stated I didn't like Trek novels that constantly referenced the series and pointed out a recent novel that did. Little did I know, the writer was in the chat room, and responded to me so hatefully and rudely that to this day I avoid him and his works.
There is a certain empowerment in the anonymous nature of the 'Net. Some people are severely limited in social situations. Unfortunately, they seem to be the ones that explode when they get in front of a keyboard. I wonder, do they feel better about themselves after a night of poisoned typing? Do any of them ever sit back and realize "wow, maybe I went a little overboard"? Somehow, I doubt it. The ease of email and forums allows us to type from our reptilian brain which is more concerned with rending and tearing.
So, let's say that a blogging (and extension to forum and email) code of conduct is adopted. Would anyone use it? Would it make us better people?
Discuss.
posted by Mkae at
8:40 PM
3 Comments:
I love this stuff. How can I misbehave without rules?
Rules for playing nice are only followed by nice people.
By the way, I never stoop to personal attacks. "Things, not people," is my motto.
By
Shocho, at 6:54 AM
Very interesting article and concept. I have no problem with general, recommended guidelines for bloggers and forum users to follow, especially since they would be exactly that - recommendations. And the logo idea is a nifty way to communicate the standard/set of guidelines you'd like your readers and postors to adhere to.
What I find particularly curious is those who believe the deletion of their comments is a blow to their right to free speech. The deletion of a post from a blog or forum doesn't limit someone's ability to say something. All it does is enforce the blog creator's ability to moderate the use of his blog and the messages conveyed therein. If someone *really* wants to say something in a blog, they have every right to start their own and say it.
Very curious, indeed.
By
Unknown, at 3:56 PM
I don't have a problem with a code of conduct, but unfortunately I have to agree with Shocho that "rules for playing nice are only followed by nice people."
Oh, it might have a beneficial effect on some of those people who, as you point out, are nice and polite when you meet them in person. Some of them undoubtedly are basically nice people who act up online just because they see others do the same, and there isn't any "code of conduct" to tell them it's not OK. So if a code of conduct becomes widely accepted, the basically nice people might get the message.
But some of them are undoubtedly genuine assholes who just pretend to be nice when you meet them. And then there's the genuine assholes you'll never meet, so they don't even have to pretend. Those people will laugh at any code of conduct. They're not hateful online just because no one has told them it isn't OK; they know very well it's not acceptable and take pride in it.
By
Major Rakal, at 4:08 PM
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