Hmmm

[silverthunder]

One of my friends posted a link to this wank recently, and I'm not sure what exactly I'm thinking about it. Yes, the guy is a nutjob with the typical "if you don't like what I like, you're retarded" mentality. But he did make the post in his own journal rather than on a public forum the way most fandom clowns do. It's easy to justify spamming and posting mocking responses to someone when they make a post in some place public, because the assumption is that if you post in a public community, you are inviting discussion.

Can you justify spamming someone in their own journal when he or she has not posted their rant somewhere that would invite public discussion? I suppose it would be easy to say "well, he/she didn't make the post private, so why not?" But this person has not harmed you in any way with their craziness. They have not lashed out at you on a public forum or community. They are ranting, yes, but in their own space. You are the ones lashing out at this person, rather than the other way around. And doesn't that make you the bad person?

Any thoughts?

Comments

[silverthunder]

I also only read the summary on fandom_wank, so we're right on the same page.

I'm definitely not going to argue with you on this one. The original poster's behavior was immature and offensive. I also think it was naive of him to expect that nobody would retaliate, given the state of fandom. I just think it says a lot about the state of fandom that a person can't even say dumb shit on their personal journal any more without being lynched for it.

I don't like the argument of "he/she was asking for it" and I try to avoid using it myself (although I have and do use it occassionally). He may be an immature idiot, but I doubt he was actively looking for trouble - only for people to agree with him and inflate his ego. The fact that he made it a frothing rant rather than a thoughtful commentary and neglected to make the post protected just shows that he's ignorant. The people who spammed him with counter-rants and porn were being deliberately malicious.

I won't condone his behavior, because he acted like an idiot. However, I think that those who came in and attacked him were acting just as much like idiots, regardless of how clever they think they were. And the talk on fandom_wank about how he deleted and screened comments was just ridiculous. In a community, yeah, you don't want to do that or people will be justifiably upset. In your own journal? You can do whatever you like.

That said, I agree with everything in your last paragraph wholeheartedly. It would've saved everyone concerned a lot of trouble.