Yesterday I called an anonymous commenter at an associate's blog a monkey. I actually suggested that two commenters
might as well be the same monkey, in that they have the same name,
Anonymous. Now the topic was a little more touchy than usual, Israel and Obama. I was called a
Zionist, accused on putting an ungrateful Netanyahu and Israel ahead of my own president's wisdom. I will leave the discussion of Israel and Iran, Netanyahu and Obama to another time, I'm here today to discuss monkeys. I find it interesting that people are so reluctant to use their names on a blog comment, but spill their guts on Facebook. More so, Google knows everything about you; That's why advertisements for your false teeth paste pop up on your computer.
With Facebook, I choose my audience. Things are much friendlier there! There is not much anonymity on Facebook, which adds to its civility, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteIn the blogosphere, we've seen all kinds of shenanigans from unfriendly people who take things way too far. It's no wonder folks like myself refuse to sign our name to comments - it's fun to converse with others, but not at the possible expense of personal safety.
That said, I don't post anything that I wouldn't defend in real life, should it become necessary. Nothing on the internet is truly anonymous, and commenters should remember that.
PS - What's wrong with monkeys? We're CUTE! But I wasn't the monkey from yesterday.
@7:16, no offense meant to you by the term monkey. fact stranger than fiction, much of the hostility in the local blogosphere comes from the same predator. if you click on the picture above, the sign reads, trained monkeys and educated baboons, which sums up my prejudice against anonymous comments. i do realize that there are many exceptions, including yourself.
ReplyDeleteAnonymity and the L.V. blogosphere.As everyone knows there are a few local blog sites that no one in their correct mind would dare comment on and therefore no one does.In the Dawn of L.V. blogs the Allentown Commentator posted a report of several of Mayor Afflerbach's posse running up unusually high bills on the cell-phones owned and paid for by the tax-payers.At about the same time it was blooged that several Afflerbach appointees did post false resumes which led to their departure.Anonymity is required when posting embarrassing information regarding elected officials.Case in point the local political consultant and the Reading Mayor.Keep the blogoshere free.
ReplyDeleteThe Phantoms jerseys were in the paper today, Comrade Molovinsky.
ReplyDeleteI know you are as excited as I am and ready to celebrate the Progress.
Sorry about that Iranian deal, better luck next time with the next community organizer.
Shaibu!
Sincerely,
Col. Viktor Tikhonov
Soviet Red Army (ret)
Being anonymous allows people to have "internet muscles". Thy say things in front of a computer screen that in real life they would never have the cojones to say...
ReplyDeleteKeeping it real in in a virtual world,
Alfonso Todd
Hey, even the BLOG MENTOR contacted me after this blog subject and my comment,
ReplyDeletePerfect example of someone who is hidden in the shadows of virtual reality but is NOBODY in the real world. SMH
I need to be careful though before he E-mails me again! (shudder)
He seems mre like a stalker to me, though, if you think about it.
Alfonso Todd
alfonso, villa is a cyberstalker, plain and simple. he's over at o'hare's blog today claiming that my use of the term "monkey" is intended as racist against black people.
ReplyDeleteThere are some folks who use the protection of anonymity due to the reality they work for employers who do not react kindly to their comments in public. There are responsibilities of life such as providing food, shelter clothing, health care, etc. for themselves and their families. Truth is there are employees in this area, working for companies/organizations who are subject to regular monitoring through surreptitious and often borderline amoral and illegal tactics, when they have expressed their opinions in accordance with their right of free speech. I suppose some feel they should have the cojones to say it anyway, irregardless of the consequences, or just shut up. Politics in Allentown are not kind. Speak one word with even a hint of not supporting the prevailing political power of the "local illiterate" (spelling is intentional) and you are villafied (spelling is intentional) forever. I respond less and less on blogs over time, because of the anonymity issue. I respect you opinion and understand your attitude. But we are not of the same bent and I for the most part stay away.
ReplyDelete