Wanted: Bud Nippers

I took a long walk yesterday, and on Dave’s recommendation, listened to the great Skepticality interview with Pro. Philip Zimbardo (Stanford Prison Experiment, The Lucifer Effect, etc) on how “normal” people turn “evil”.

Answer: Baby-step by baby-step in an environment encouraging exclusion.

While my initial reaction to the blogosphere drama of the last couple weeks is to ignore it in hopes it’ll go away, right when I think it does….it morphs into something even more fucked up.

Zimbardo’s recommendation to prevent bad things from progressing: the bystanders (there always are some) are responsible to stop it. Immediately and continuously.

“To defend the people who no one wants to defend. That, imho, would be a very positive first step.” – Dave Winer

Yes, this means you. And me.

Elsewhere:
J’s 5-word code of conduct

3 thoughts on “Wanted: Bud Nippers”

  1. Peter F

    I’ll sign up, Garrick. I hope there is a t-shirt.

    Seriously, it’s a very good point to make.

    I’m not as against the blogger code though, as you seem to be, but I don’t think it’s much of a solution. I doubt if the trolls will adhere to it.

    (Not sure about the ban on anonymous comments. That is more restrictive than I like.)

    Generally, ignore trolls which most of us experienced in the blogosphere know (or you sort of know by the time your hair turns gray). But there is this gender issue in that male trolls are basically sexually harassing/abusing (and at times stalking) women. It’s usually different than male-to-male harassment. I think that’s where we really need to step up and do what we can to try and stop this sort of behaviour.

  2. Garrick Van Buren Post author

    Peter F said, “…doubt if trolls will adhere to it”.

    Exactly.

    Reminds me of something my pappy used to say about outlaws and guns.

    I moderate comments on all my blogs for content. Spam, off-content, and general incoherence doesn’t get through. Trackbacks included.

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