Where the Rubber Hits the Road

Alas, here's another example to prove that John Gabriel was right in formulating his 'Dickwad Theory' of the Internet which goes as follows: 'Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = a Dickwad' This is something I've never really understood since I was raised to believe that civility is a requirement in any discussion/debate/conversation and that offensive invective and insults are never appropriate. I guess not everyone was raised with such an understanding of what's appropriate or not.  This is also the reason why I always post under my real name, no matter what the site or forum. Comments offered under the guise of anonymity are no different to me than an unsigned letter. If you're not willing to put your name to what you write, then (as a general rule and IMHO) there is little reason to bother reading what you have to say. Thankfully there are exceptions (folks like Rationalist, Deep Diver etc. who post here are good examples) - but these are ...

G'Day Folks, The internet is a more dangerous place than I previously thought. Evidently there is someone who is posting on the National Post (where I participate in the Holy Post religion blog) claiming to be me! The comments inevitably are insulting to Bishops, Church teaching etc. and the moniker s/he uses is some derivation of my handle, 'Fr. Tim'. I trust that no one will be confused between the 'real deal' and a feeble minded pretender! However, as 'Michael' did in a recent message to me, I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you come across something that claims to be from me, but is not of my usual standard of decorum and argument. Such 'fun'... and all because I argue for the faith. Thanks for your help and assistance.  Fr. Tim

Yesterday, a letter was published on a website (Sylvia's Site) that was received anonymously, claiming to come from priests of my diocese writing under the pseudonym of 'Pembroke Priests for Justice, Truth and Integrity'. I have been asked on that site whether or not I would publish the letter here on my blog. The answer is an emphatic NO !!! The reason that I won't publish it is BECAUSE it is anonymously offered. Anyone who follows my blog here or elsewhere on the net should know that I always use my real name (not some made up 'handle') when I express an opinion. I do this because IMHO, if I am not willing to attach my name to an opinion, then I should have no reason to expect that anyone would give it more than just a passing glance. If someone is not willing to stand behind what they write, be they allegations or plaudits, then there is really no reason to give it much attention. I am always mindful of John Gabriel's 'Dickwad Theory of the ...

From the start, Internet users have taken for granted that the territory was both a free-for-all and a digital disguise, allowing them to revel in their power to address the world while keeping their identities concealed. A New Yorker cartoon from 1993, during the Web’s infancy, with one mutt saying to another, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog,” became an emblem of that freedom. For years, it was the magazine’s most reproduced cartoon. When news sites, after years of hanging back, embraced the idea of allowing readers to post comments, the near-universal assumption was that anyone could weigh in and remain anonymous. But now, that idea is under attack from several directions, and journalists, more than ever, are questioning whether anonymity should be a given on news sites.... click here to read the rest of the NYT article.