New forums for heckling

A colleague pointed out an interesting article in the NY Times called “Rise of the Takedown.” . It is absolutely astounding what the anonymity of electronic discourse does to “good manners.” Some blog authors find that it unleashes vitriolic personal assaults. And interestingly, some from the same people. (You’d think if they hate something so much, they’d not read it.) This is the “disinhibition effect” that Dr. Forni mentions in the article (Johns Hopkins’ –Civility Institute). Interestingly, it is often accompanied by an “inhibition” effect on the content producer. The meaness of the heckling often discredits the message, but makes the attack no less psychologically acute. (One example is in the article: The comedian David Cross says in the documentary film “Heckler” that the torrent of negativity once drove him from performing for an extended period. There are others.) The conundrum: does free speech result in restricting free speech? The only solution is to keep speaking up.