Ettiquette Question

So, being somewhat lacking in the manners and graces of polite company, I have a question.

Is it considered rude to burn crop circles in someone's lawn without asking first? Because it seems like an ideal way to make a point.

Editorial Discretion

I'm feeling cranky this morning. The first e-mail I got today was a notification about some anonymous twunt making insulting comments on a two year old post. That's okay, I got an answer for shit like that. There's a little trash can icon right next to every comment posted. Clickity-poof! Away with you, foul upstart!

If the sum total of your commentary is "HURR! U R TEH STUPID!", don't expect the world to be able to see your insightful prose for very long. Mmmkay? We don't need to be insulted on our own blog, especially when we didn't start with the name calling. You want to start slinging insults, get your own fucking blog and have at.

As always, this is the editorial policy of the moment and subject to change at the discretion of either of the principals. If you don't like it, you can shuffle your eyeballs elsewhere on the internet. We won't mind, nor will we care.

Meatspace vs. Web

Dorothy has a nice point up about many amateur works. The nice thing about the internet is it allows one to engage in all sorts of amateur activity and have an audience and an outlet without being annoying by pestering friends and relations. Let’s face it, what you’re really seeking when you nag folks to view/listen/read the latest proof of your complete lack of talent is validation. You expect them to be polite and tell you how nice it is. Strangely, people don’t do this with me. Well, not more than once, anyway. It’s not that I can’t be polite and diplomatic, it’s just that I usually don’t see any reason to put forth the effort. So I’m inclined to tell you what I think and not worry about it.

I, on the other hand, need no validation so I post anonymously to a blog. I don’t think I’ve ever brought up to anyone in conversation its existence, though. I do it solely for you, my fans. It’s your love and adulation that causes me to go on. Oh, wait, I forgot, I have no fans and barely any readers. I do this to amuse myself.

Good Call

I don't often link to Penny Arcade. They get all the traffic already and don't need my help. However, Gabe's commentary (bottom of the page) on Todd Goldman bears repeating in many contexts:

If you want to play the arrogant asshole and call people pedophiles I respect that. I really do. I’ve been overcompensating for my low self esteem by calling people names for twenty years. I know how it works and the only rule is if you can’t take it, don’t fucking dish it out.

Words to remember for everyone. If you're going to be rude and obnoxious, don't get all upset when folks decide to return the favor. A key element of public discourse today seems to be calling your opponents names and then acting like they have somehow lowered the standards of debate when they respond in kind. It doesn't work. People are generally bright enough to see the hypocrisy.

Of course, I'm fairly thick-skinned so it doesn't bother me much either way.