Picture the Jerry Springer show with it’s live audience, jeering and booing at guests. It’s the modern-day lion pit. Of course, anyone who is stupid enough to go onto Springer, knows what to expect, but they do it anyway. Is the attention really worth it?
The sport of online sniping seems to be the high-tech version of the Springer audience. This antagonistic mentality has become a common form of aggression currently trashing up online media. Honestly, it's a form of bullying.
Just to be clear, sniper is my own term. To me, it describes people hiding behind the safety of their computer, picking people off one-by-one with the sole intention of humiliating, offending or belittling them. What was meant to be an open forum, has become a platform for snipers.
The technical terms flaming and bashing are described as “hostile and insulting interaction between internet users”. In fact, a flaming culture has developed with distinct characters. The flamers incite flaming by focusing on precise points. Their counterparts are known as trolls who use blunt and obvious comments to fuel flame wars.
Back in the day of newspapers, one could write a letter to the editor about a particular topic. Letters were usually thoughtful commentary from articulate readers, worthy of publication and approved by editors.
Thanks to today’s technology, anyone can instantly comment on any story, article or blog with the speed and accuracy of an automatic weapon. Some snipers comment on everything and anything, often with offensive, negative or irrelevant comments, even if they have no knowledge or interest in the topic.
Snipers seem to thrive on the attention and agitation they create. To me, it’s the same kind of thrill that kids get from smacking a bee hive with a stick. Is this simply a cry for attention, like toddlers who throw tantrums? As a mom I recognize this kind of shrill noise. As a human, I find it simply annoying.
As a journalist however, I am torn. I am all for free speech and I appreciate contrasting perspectives, but that’s not what we usually get from snipers. Like with junk mail and spam, we have to weed through the endless assaults, to get to constructive bits of information, both positive and negative.
One might say that career snipers simply have too much time on their hands, but I think it’s more complicated. Excess time can be used to help community, family and ourselves. I suspect it’s a need for attention, or perhaps the desire to share unhappiness with the world. Misery loves company, right?
So how do we inject integrity, respect and etiquette into the public commentary arena? Like dealing with bullies, taking the bait and responding just encourages them... so that won’t work.
Do we try to empathize or reason with snipers? Do we give them the online hugs or develop support groups for them?
In this case, is moderating and censorship wrong, or is it the solution? Should a moderator decide what comments are acceptable comment? How do you get a moderator thats totally impartial? Imagine this... a moderator flags inappropriate comments with a warning. After three strikes, the flamer is given a free membership to a Flame War website, which is basically a crying room (like you find in churches) where snipers can scream at each other.
Ooh... why not embrace it and make it a competitive cyber-blood sport with beer sponsors and bikini models? It’s just a thought. What are your thoughts? Okay snipers, flamers and trolls (and you know who you are)... go ahead and open fire.
How do you know that I'm liberal/socialist? I never said I was, nor am I. You assume that everyone on the patch is a hippie liberal, so you're always on the defensive. I'm only giving you a hard time because its you are always acting like the victim. Get over it, we all know you're a hardline conservative. We aren't all out to get you, ya kno.
1. I am the author of this blog, not Clarisa. We are not the same person. 2. Blogs such as this are not a paid gigs, so in this case, nobody here is being paid, myself included. 3. Since I am not a professional journalist in this case, might I dare to say, the fact that you admit that you "love" the hostile comments, simply makes my point. Can't you find another avenue for your hostility and leave online news alone? Maybe a verbal Fight Club is what you need.
In a world full of hostility, in Benicia we are lucky. I assume you like your community... where you can safely walk to the pub without threat of being mugged, threatened or attacked verbally. Ask any Benician why they like it here... they’ll say it’s the friendly community. In this time of a struggling economy, unemployment, hunger and homelessness, couldn’t we stand less hostility? Friendliness and hostility are both contagious. If somebody yells out an offensive remark, it’s offensive to everyone who hears it. In turn, it puts everyone in a bad mood and the feeling spreads. Be it conservative or liberal views, we need mutual respect. How does your hostility benefit your community? Aside from yourself, who else enjoys your rants? Does this sound like selfishness? I believe communities should debate all issues, but it’s possible to do it civilly. Your opinions would be more appreciated if they were respectful instead of trying to "smoke” somebody? I appreciate that you enjoy being the Grinch (the term used with affection). Could your perception be working against you? I notice you sometimes misunderstand things, like who wrote this blog, which commented on. Maybe your naturally conservative perspective causes you to feel attacked? Why are you so ready for a fight? In the spirit of the holiday season, perhaps you could try a alternative way to communicate your views. In the end, even the Grinch was embraced by his community. Wishing you the best.
babaloo. go ahead, make fun of my name...because i am different you will try to bully me too.
Yes, I am nice, open-minded and amazingly, still able to think on my own. I am guessing you think you know everything, so I understand why open-mindedness would scare you. That would rock the world of Bob Livesay, thats worked for you for so long. It's too bad nobody appreciates you. I don't recall seeing in support for you, and no, nobody makes you look good. You're right about one thing. I am not in your league... the league of hostile flamers, nor do I want to be. When faced with conflict, I prefer to try kindness first. I've tried giving you the benefit of the doubt, but you keep proving that you enjoy being mean. I did learn something. It’s impossible to reason with angry bees. I’m not afraid of getting stung, but empathizing with the bees, won’t make them any less hostile. We can’t change mean bees... or people. The only logical choice is to avoid them. I've wasted enough time on you, so Robert... I am breaking up with you. Fly away Bob... fly, fly. And yes, that was my own thought.
Also, RL, for a guy who spends a lot of time writing in the comments sections of articles online, your punctuation and syntax are atrocious.
Mr Romney loosing the race. Comment after comment,and your editorial in early November regarding him winning the nomination, how about you blog " my prediction was wrong" Can you you do that? Please step up to the plate slugger.
I've read about 4 comment series' here, and this clown is on every one, pointing fingers at people, telling them that THEY are liberals, while saying "you don't know me" Projection, is what Freud called it. Some like this name-calling fest, I admit it's amusing, I even just told him to "grow up" on another thread, hey it's fun! for a about 3 minutes... After realizing that one of these "sniper" types has really nothing to actually contribute to the discussion, probably best to ignore them. I really would like to hear, in general, what conservatives or libertarians or socialists or even actual communists (are there any left?) have to say, with logic and reason and evidence presented to support their positions. But that's not what I've been reading from Livesay, so far. Prove me wrong, I'd enjoy it... xoxoxo