h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

. . . although it would be preaching to the bloody grumpy trollish choir with me.

'"When I started to notice myself getting mean online I thought, 'Something is missing here. Something has gone terribly wrong,"' says the 49-year-old computer scientist from San Francisco.

"I observed myself getting into bizarre pissing matches. It's just astonishing how it takes hold of you. It's like a demon or something."

Lanier, who is a scholar-in residence at the University of California and a partner architect with Microsoft, also noticed a disturbing tendency among the champions of the internet's "open culture" to humiliate and attack those who had lost out in the online revolution - the musicians, artists, journalists and others.

These and a dozen other observations led Lanier to conclude that something had gone terribly wrong: that we had reached a point where the network was being exalted as far more important than any individual. It is a thesis he explores in his book You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto.'

http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/why-the-web-has-gone-sour-20100214-nzo5.html

Yesterday, on Facebook, I walked away from a debate for the first time ever. I knew that if I got drawn into it it would take over my life.

TRiG.

debate on facebook?????

where????

Private Messages. A friend of a Facebook friend. He kept sending me messages about religion. I kept saying I wasn't in the mood to discuss it. I know that right now if I got into that sort of debate it would completely take over my life. I'd be writing essays to him the entire time. So I told him to stuff it.

He ignored me, so I blocked him and reported him for harassment. I'm quite proud of myself for having the strength to pull out. I usually can't resist this stuff. But I know it would be bad for me right now.

TRiG.

I'm sure that with a little prayer, Trig, you'll be able to stay strong.

Trig

you could have mind fed him totly by directing him this way

we love religious debate here, don't we peeps

it would make a change from baiting warner all the time

(yes i know i'm small minded and petty.....but its such fun)

>yes i know i'm small minded and petty.<

Yes but you're charming, witty, clever, funny, lovely, intelligent, big hearted, warm, caring.....and yes sometimes a bit annoying...with it Taff.

And I love yer.

But OMG you're wanting more of those type of peeps to 'get you through the night'

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'PULL'

My filter kicked in sometime last year...


You may have noticed I stopped attempting to debate the bozos

we have highjacked your thread

No you've not. It still looks like an interesting book and I think the comments here show that the book is addressing a real phenomenon.

yet i have no idea what the book is about as i'm at work

It seems to be about the fact that the intertubes bring out the worst in us, and that there is a tendency to value the network over the individuals who use the network.


But I probably shouldn't have an opinion as I've not read the book.