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Outing the Internet's worst troll.

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40hz:
work for true change that won't just apply in this one situation. And one that won't put the needs of those that are in similar but different situations at risk.
-wraith808 (October 18, 2012, 07:32 PM)
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I sure we're all waiting to hear exactly what that might be. Because from what I've been given to understand, the human race has been working on that very question for its entire history. And AFAIK, nobody's come up with the answer yet.

So...care to share your specific proposal for true change as it might relate to this particular case? Because we can toss generalities and "bright promise for the future" speeches back and forth forever. And who knows? Maybe you - or somebody else here - does have the answer? Seriously. Somebody will eventually come up with it. Why not somebody here today?

here's my take:

Insisting on arriving at a 'perfect solution for all eternity' before allowing any action be taken is, to me, the ultimate cop out. And a complete evasion of personal responsibility. Most solutions I've seen range from 'marginal' to 'better than the alternatives.' I've never once seen an 'ideal' solution that satisfies everybody. And any attempt to completely eliminate all risk and anticipate all future contingencies is a sure guarantee that nothing will ever get done by anyone. Ever.

Because we're not gods.

Even under the most ideal circumstances, we can't do any more than the best we can with what information we have - and what we have to work with. I've never seen it happen any other way. And I've been involved in more 'causes' and 'social actions' and 'protests' than I care to remember some days.

So while I don't react on a knee-jerk basis to every problem I encounter, by the same token, I also don't sit by and twiddle my philosophical thumbs if there's something I can help with that needs getting done.

For example: It's one thing to contemplate all the factors that went into influencing the development of someone's personality and temperament. And if that development took an antisocial form, to work towards broadly eliminating its root causes, with the goal of removing such things from the human experience.

But in the meantime, if I hear a commotion next door, or see signs of physical abuse on someone who lives there, I'm not going to sit idly by and ponder how we can "raise awareness" and "best address" the "problem of domestic abuse." I'm going to call the police and go over and bang on the door.

Maybe such direct action on my part won't change the world. Or solve the "real underlying problem." But it very likely will bring (or force) some very real attention and official recognition to the hypothetical problem next door - and very possibly prevent an innocent person from otherwise getting seriously injured.

And you know what? That's enough for me. :)

wraith808:
But in the meantime, if I hear a commotion next door, or see signs of physical abuse on someone who lives there, I'm not going to sit idly by and ponder how we can "raise awareness" and "best address" the "problem of domestic abuse." I'm going to call the police and go over and bang on the door.
-40hz (October 18, 2012, 09:45 PM)
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That's what I'm talking about.  And that's what was said in the quote.  And that's what I said in my post.  Didn't I?

If you have the information, and think that the person did wrong, then report them to the correct authorities, and let them take it from there.
-wraith808 (October 18, 2012, 07:32 PM)
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That's all I'm saying.  Outing isn't solving the problem.  Mob rule isn't the key.  Going to the police with the information is.  And is actually more constructive, as they can build up a case without him knowing.  And thereby have a better chance of being able to do something with it.  So it seems like a win win to me.  

It seems that you took part of my post without reading the whole thing. :(

f0dder:
That's all I'm saying.  Outing isn't solving the problem.  Mob rule isn't the key.  Going to the police with the information is.  And is actually more constructive, as they can build up a case without him knowing.  And thereby have a better chance of being able to do something with it.  So it seems like a win win to me.
-wraith808 (October 18, 2012, 09:55 PM)
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I haven't looked into what violentacrez has been doing, and I'm not going to - I've got the feeling gist that some of what he's posted is relatively nasty stuff, and I frankly don't feel like seeing more nasty things than I already have. But has he posted anything that's illegal? And, if that, anything that's bad enough to get anything more than a "Well, we've got murderers and rapists to investigate, so whatever" response from the police? You can make other people's lives pretty darn miserable without breaking the law.

The rational part of me believes that outing is a bad thing. There's the risk of framing innocents, but even if the information is 100% correct, it's a pretty darn slippery slope. On the other hand, I'm glad to see a bully stopped...

TaoPhoenix:
People are just too damned nosy and have to insert themselves into everybody Else's business, no matter how big or small.  And if that isn't enough, then they have to go a step further and ridicule anyone that's "different" to the point of either trying to change them or ruin their lives.  They can't just live and let live.
  People like that are either so unhappy with their own lives and try to make everyone Else's life miserable (misery loves company) or they think they are above reproach and need to command everyone to their line of thought.  You know, full of themselves.
-Tinman57 (October 18, 2012, 07:16 PM)
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I feel the push to "real names" is on a collision course here, because of the ability for "outrage" to go viral. At least in old small towns if you made a wreck of your life in Maine people in Pennsylvania wouldn't usually know. Now it's that "Google Monkey" effect I mentioned: "Oh, that's you that did _____?"

wraith808:
The rational part of me believes that outing is a bad thing. There's the risk of framing innocents, but even if the information is 100% correct, it's a pretty darn slippery slope. On the other hand, I'm glad to see a bully stopped...
-f0dder (October 19, 2012, 02:28 AM)
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And I think this is the part where balance is required.  Is it good to stop someone that's exploiting others?  Yes.  But do you throw the rights of everyone out the door in order to do so?  Especially when you could have done it in a more constructive way?  I think that's where gawker's feet need to be held to the fire.  They didn't even try to coordinate with law officials, and still haven't to my knowledge.  If they were so concerned, LE would have been involved long before now, and they could report on the results of that investigation.  That takes care of the problem.  Of course, in that case, there's the chance that they lose their exclusive.  And I think that the exclusive came before the benefits, truthfully.

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