Suddenly, it’s all about blogs.
A young fellow of my acquaintance, in his “it’s-a-free-country, isn’t it” innocence, posted a comment on a blog last year that got him in a bit of hot water. The sentiment, hyperbole common enough among those wishing for the removal of our current ruler for being a danger to humankind, won him a visit from suited gentlemen from both the FBI and the Secret Service. They spent a couple of hours trying to determine just how serious was this blogger. In retrospect, this was one blog its author might have wished he hadn’t signed.
In recent weeks, there’s been controversy about a blog created by the Provincetown Association of Concerned Citizens, of which locals have availed themselves to complain about town government. Some of the complaints are not polite. One blogger writes of the site’s “dreadful negativity spewing like venom.” Spewing a little of his/her own, the blogger wrote, “We don’t have to hear the rattle to know who the snakes are here in town.”
Originally, bloggers were required to sign their names, but that proved to be inhibiting so the requirement was lifted. It’s the unsigned nature of the blogs that’s controversial. Some of the criticized say that they can’t take unsigned feedback seriously. “If people are upset, I’d rather they approach me directly so I can help them. I like to fix things,” said Town Manager Sharon Lynn. But bloggers say they fear retribution if their identities were known.
The Wellfleet citizen I wrote of recently as voicing an unpopular opinion about our expensive new fire station in a recent town meeting might have wished he had used an unsigned blog after getting such a nasty reception from the crowd. I have known others to argue that town meeting, usually p raised for being the purest form of democracy, is really anti-democratic because of people feeling uncomfortable standing up in public for their views or just being known for their nay or yea on controversial issues.
A cornerstone of democracy, seemingly in contradiction with the key element of town meeting openness, is the secret ballot guaranteeing freedom from fear of Big Brother, or whoever. Which results are the most democratic?
As it happens, I received a postcard the other day which, instead of the fan mail I looked forward to as I carried it from the mailbox, turned out to be something else again. Not hate mail, but not pleasant. It was the fact that it was unsigned, although apparently from a citizen of this town, that made it feel a bit creepy, a bit of “I know who you are, I know what you did…” Because my name is attached to this space, I’m not free to tell the postcard writer what I really think—and that’s probably a good thing.
Your shot from the hip isn’t necessarily your best shot.
I think unsigned writing is bad writing, less honest than irresponsible.
There’s honesty, as in putting your “gut reaction,” what you “really” feel, into a hurtful zinger. And then there’s honesty in that same impulse as mediated by social context, including your relationship to the person you are addressing. Signed writing, finally, is better writing, getting at more of the whole truth of the matter, doing fullest justice both to yourself, your idea, and your audience.
If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all, my mother used to say, echoing, I assumed, every other mother in the land. I don’t know about that. That policy wouldn’t make for every interesting columns.
But maybe if you don’t want to be known for your nasty comment, you should think twice about unburdening yourself of it. Or, better still, figure out a way of saying it that you would not be embarrassed—or afraid—to say in person.
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