[LINK] Andrew Keene 'The Cult of the Amateur'

[Richard Chirgwin]

Jan Whitaker wrote:
> Did any linkers see the New Hour on Tuesday where Andrew Keene talked 
> about his views on the Internet? I wasn't listening closely until the 
> end when he said one of the problems was the anonymous participation 
> on the net, and that that has contributed to incivility.
>
> I disagree. I think anonymity has its place. If one wants to say 
> something intentionally provocative without revealing one's identity, 
> shouldn't that be allowed? In times when governments are accusing 
> people of 'thought crimes' when people disagree with the powerful, 
> isn't anonymity a requirement, similar to the publications in 
> revolutionary times in the American colonies?
>
> Yes, there are lunatics on the net and raging testosterone that makes 
> some online places unpalatable. So what? Isn't the solution for those 
> who don't like those environments to leave, just as one does when they 
> encounter such things if they don't like them in meat space?
A contrarian in both directions responds ...

First, in the "meat" world, it's perfectly reasonable to resent someone 
ruining enjoyment of the public space, whether it's a pub or a park or 
whatever. "If you don't like it, leave" puts the onus in the wrong 
direction, IMO: why should (for eg) the sober make accommodation for the 
sozzled?

However, anonymity per se isn't the problem, it's manners! I don't see 
that "removing anonymity" in the online world would improve things, any 
more than a photo ID on the shirt would stop people behaving badly in 
pubs. (Actually, the reason I don't go to pubs anyhow is that my hearing 
is already too far diminished for me to want to risk what little remains 
to me.)

I see plenty of bad manners on mailing lists; but I don't see anything 
which proves that the anonymous individual has worse manners. On another 
list I read, the foulest 'mouth' and largest number of pointless insults 
comes from an individual who is not only identified, but reasonably 
high-profile; and on yet another, a screaming row lasting more than a 
week broke out over *map projections* for heaven's sake. None of the 
people involved in the spit-fight saw fit to conceal their identities!

RC
>
> Thoughts? Anyone read his book?
>
> Jan
>
> Jan Whitaker
> JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
> jwhit at janwhitaker.com
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>
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>
> Writing Lesson #54:
> Learn to love revision. Think of it as polishing the silver for 
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>
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> there is no plant.' - JW, April 2005
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