I really like the blog format. I think it is cool that we can read peoples' thoughts and we can comment if we choose. I also appreciate on-line forums. (I know, the plural of forum is fora but that just sounds weird.) I like being able to exchange ideas with others around the globe.
But what I have found out about on-line things: I need to be more careful of what I type. We don't get voice inflection when we type so sometimes things and we can't see the person's face. So we often attribute the wrong thing to what is typed.
What I wonder is why we seem to place the worst spin on what the person typed? Wouldn't it just be easier to assume that the person was being nice?
But also, I think we may feel more liberty to be mean to people on-line. We don't know the person, we can't see the person, we don't see the effect of our comments. So maybe we feel more freedom to be snide. I don't know.
I do know that I need to be more explicit when I write something. I need to be sure that I am saying what I want and not make too big of an assumption about what I type.
1 comment:
I like the fact that every word matters - I love words. In e-mails we can cheat - little :) and the like. Speaking has inflection.
In this world we have to use the written word as it was meant to be. When you pick up a novel there are no external cues - just the words.
I know - I have been hammered a few times for words I have chosen - usually deservedly.
Think of it as a postive in this "instant" world we live in - a chance to choose every word at your leisure.
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