Today I have a pretty thick hide, but there was a time early in the popular use of the internet that I was treated like crap by people on the email list I moderated. I was called names (nazi) and the recipient of rude comments for insisting on civility. Thankfully this standard weeded out the nasty people, but not without throwing cold water on the list atmosphere where it took a while for people to feel brave enough to do more than lurk.Talk about a wet blanket. What fun is the Internet without making fun and being rude? I dare you to go to failblog.org and tell me that incivility on the Web isn't only necessary, but hilarious.
It so happens that I live in Howard County, Maryland, where a "Choose Civility" campaign is under way. Choose Civility is an ongoing community-wide initiative, led by the Howard County Library, to position Howard County as a model of civility. The project intends to enhance respect, empathy, consideration and tolerance in Howard County.
It would be wonderful if a similar initiative were undertaken on the internet.
I mean, would civilblog.org be funny at all?
3 comments:
Hey, thanks for making comments about me that are actually not all that snarky. Maybe you're getting soft? (grin - that IS NOT a challenge, 'k?)
As to the question of how fun would the internet be without incivility, my thought is maybe it might be good to consider substituting some other kind of thing that is more positive and better karma. (Like trying polyamory, for instance - that'll take up most of your spare time - promise!)
Snark, incivility, whatever you want to call it is bullying and psychologically violent. Bullying others online isn't cool - it's bad mojo any way you look at it. At least that's my view. It gains you no respect from anyone who matters. Kindness does. So does demonstrating the best qualities of one's heart and mind.
P.S. It seems kind of telling to me when someone has a strong adverse reaction to the idea of civility - i.e. the reaction would seem to reinforce the point and also seems to say that uncivil people may need more patience, kindness and love from others in their own life. Just a thought.
Anita,
I gotta say that I am certainly not advocating making fun of people or active bullying. The concept I'm trying to promote is the ability to embrace life (good and bad) and make light of it. I'm not opposed to civility, at all. I'm a nice guy.
My opposition is to a movement like Choose Civility that falls short of the goals it really tries to promote. It comes across as phony and elitist, particularly coming from a government sponsored entity like the HoCo Library. It also seems mighty presumptuous to say that HoCo is a model for civility when it benefits from so many socioeconomic conditions that allow that to be possible. I just think it makes the county look silly.
The Times in London did a piece on Choose Civility in which someone ran around Columbia trying to get someone to be an asshole. To me, that's the ultimate insult of the concept - mockery.
If you're civil, great. If you're not, a bumper sticker will not help you.
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