sep 9
2009
The Internet Killed Your Favorite Thing
50 things that are being killed by the internet. #1: "The art of polite disagreement." Yes, that.
5 comments
Bull. Shit. More like "50 things that are wrong with the kids today." #1 has at LEAST as much to do with cable TV as with the internet, while, say, #5 is nothing to do with anything except cell phones.
This type of article deserves no more respect then when you tell someone something and they grandly roll their eyes and smirkingly say, "Ooooh, you read it ON THE INTERNET???"
posted by alesh at 11:37 PM on September 9, 2009 
I just liked the "polite disagreement" line.
I was thinking about it tonight during Obama's speech. Wasn't it interesting how most of the speech was about rhetoric?
posted by Rex at 11:40 PM on September 9, 2009
I heard a guy on I think On The Media who was working on technology for the web but also TV that would alert you the viewer when the idea being expressed on the TV was something in factual dispute. But so it knows what sources you watch and respect, so it's more likely to tell you that someone on the same side of the political fence as you disagrees with whatever.
The reason I thought of this is that I think that certain choice bits on Fox News would benefit from a subtitle that says "William Kristol, David Brooks, and even Patrick 'friggin Buchanan think that what Glenn Beck just said is horse manure." And likewise for stuff *I* am getting ready to agree with from seemingly more reasonable people.
I think that to the extent that we can get the *facts* on an issue sorted out, the most "impolite" elements of the argument will be shut down.
posted by alesh at 7:55 AM on September 10, 2009
REX THIS IS RIDICULOUS. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT AND ARE WRONG WRONG WRONG. I HATE YOU RAAAAAAAAHHH!
posted by Eric at 9:06 AM on September 10, 2009
I have a working theory that people behave themselves in online debates, when they're in front of a camera, and can't respond in a live format. This will apply until people get comfortable seeing themselves on video, saying nasty things about another person. Evolution.
posted by taulpaul at 11:44 AM on September 10, 2009
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