DailyTech - Users Flood the Internet With Web Rage: "People, in increasing numbers, are headed to the internet to vent their rage, signs indicate. Road rage has been replaced by web rage -- a new form of public antipathy for the twenty-first century. While this is evident in the descent into name-calling and petty aspersions on many a site, it is also evidenced by the rise of sites specially dedicated to users expressing their anger at the world."
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Yes, such as in the comments section here every time Tom Skiba takes a position on anything--and this time, I asked what CAI had to say about a bill in NV, and Tom replied, and suddenly it was time for some WEB RAGE from anonymous posters.
I have an idea. How about registering, so you have a name, and then let's have a civil conversation, complete with disagreements and controversy, but without personal attacks?
I have always welcomed Tom's posts and will continue to do so. He and I have debated these issues in public and although we don't always agree, we listen to each other and think about the other person's views. That's how you grow.
6 comments:
Thanks Evan.
I often post comments here but remain anonymous because of privacy concerns. Even though I strongly disagree with the CID concept, I can and will do so without ad hominem attacks and gutter language.
I will add that this is Prof. McKenzie's blog. Like a radio talk show host, who is within his rights to cut off a foul mouthed caller, Prof. McKenzie is within his rights to remove messages that he believes are not within the bounds of civilized debate.
I fear that in our country as a whole, civil discourse has given way to barbaric behavior, as evidenced by the behavior in the federal government currently. The Internet is no exception to this. In a real debate, those who resort to name calling and gutter language have lost the debate.
Unfortunately, I think the anonimity of the web is one of the most powerful and fundamental forces behind the collapse of civil discourse.
Just as people will say things over the phone that they would never say to your face, they will post things on the web without attribution that they would never say or write if their name was attached to it. I have come to the conclusion that individuals posting anonymously do so because they are, at some level, ashamed of their own comments and behavior.
I second Evan's idea of registration although there is always the issue of verification on the web. I know that many news websites have implemented similar requirements in an attempt to civilize the debate with some success.
So CAI reps oppose the anonymity of the web yet embrace the anonymity of the association?
How many times have lawsuits been filed as a result of the actions of CAI management companies? Yet they are very rarely named as parties because they are merely "agents" of the "association" just like board members.
If we have a common goal of "removing the veil of anonymity" then let's consider the following:
1) The management company and Board members must be named whenever there is a lawsuit between an HOA and its members so that the real party in interest may be revealed to the court and the public.
2) In court, the HOA attorney will be subjected to sanctions for claiming he represents the members when in fact he only represents the board of the HOA corporation
3) whenever CAI lobbies before the state legislature, their members must reveal affiliation to CAI rather than appearing as "self" when they are employees and owners of management companies. Similarly, board members must identify the HOA and their role with the HOA instead of concealing such affiliations when they testify.
4) In the interest of removing the veil of anonymity and secrecy, CAI will promote open records, open meetings, and open elections in HOAs. Funny how such significant recurring issues relating to these democratic organizations is not addressed in CAI's Public Policies.
Posting on an internet site, such as Privatopia, should be like attending a meeting. Good practice is for one to identify one's self and to respect the principles for civil debate.
Many discussion forums, such as those sponsored by newspapers, require registration during which the user agrees to the Terms of Service. Then the discussion forum includes a link "Report Abuse" so that the potential offending language can be deleted. It is self policing by the readers. Some of those forums use phpbb software which includes registration and agreement to the terms of service.
I agree with Tom Skiba that much of the abusive language is usually from anonymous sources.
Hopefully, the blogger software will evolve to include both registration and terms of service plus the link, "Report Abuse".
Don Nordeen
Governance of Property Owners Associations
Don: I can enable features like that, but have held off because so many people have privacy concerns. When somebody registers, as you did, I don't get any data on them. They can call themselves anything they want. But people don't understand that or don't believe it. I may at some point have to change this policy if I get too many anonymous flamers or spammers, but so far I think it is within bounds.
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