The Ultimate Failure of “Naked Conversations”

Well, if you've been following the soap opera "As the Blog Turns," in this week’s drama we have speaker, trainer and prominent blogger Kathy Sierra being harassed off the air so to speak as a result of a series of blog comments. They were indeed of a most graphic and sexual nature. One commenter reportedly wrote “fuck off you boring slut.” Certainly, off color; when combined with “I hope someone slits your throat and cums down your gob,” vile and depraved. In a word, Yikes! And then add the fact that it seemed to be coming from other prominent bloggers Frank Paynter, Jeneane Sessum, and Allen Herrel. Double Yikes!! It was when these “meankids.org” posted a photo of a noose next to her head, and apparently one of their members commenting "the only thing Kathy has to offer me is that noose in her neck size," that the refs blew the whistle. OUT OF BOUNDS!!! The stadium erupted and a virtual riot ensued.

REACTION

1. Kathy canceled public appearances and suspended her blog.
2. Demagogues used it to engender emotion and rally mob.
3. Mob posts 1,000 comments and counting.
4. Some notables (Scoble, and others) suspend blogs in a show of support.
5. Demagogues use mob emotion to advance the “Movement;” Call for "Blogger Code of Conduct” and the abolition of anonymity.

FACTS

1. The comments were certainly ugly.
2. The comments were likely illegal but that needs to be proven.
3. At all times relevant, the marketplace of ideas is the mechanism to vet #1.
4. At all times relevant, there is a legal system in place to address #2.

WHAT IT MEANS

Here’s the deal. Maybe humans are NOT supposed to be “naked.” Maybe, “open community” is an oxymoron. Maybe at our very core, past all the PR and manufactured smiles, we’re just not that nice. That in mind, Kathy’s words have far greater import: “I do not want to be part of a culture where this is done not by some random person, but by some of the most respected people in the tech blogging world. People linked to by A-listers like Doc Searls and Chris Locke. I do not want to be part of a culture of such hypocrisy where Jeneane Sessum can be a prominent member of Blogher, a speaker at industry conferences, an outspoken advocate for women's rights, and at the same time celebrate and encourage a site like meankids -- where objectification of women is taken to a level that makes plain old porn seem quaintly sweet.”

Bottom line: "Naked Conversations" is a dismal failure. So’s Cluetrain for that matter. Who would have thought that when we marginalized communications power and leveled all hierarchies... that the commons would become the cesspool of human existence? Well, I’ll tell you. Pretty much ANY idiot with common sense, anyone who’s ever studied history, anyone who’s had siblings and shared a bathroom, anyone who’s ever been to a Cubs game, or taken public transportation. I skeeve. There's a reason why the sale of Purell hand-sanitizing lotion is brisk.

So... now what do we do? Better question: what do the A-List leaders (blog demagogues) do? Answer: They can either take their ball and go home (Scoble, Rubel, Weil and others would have to actually get real jobs); Or what they can do is call for certain controls, the very antithesis of their platforms, the very things they all along told us they were dismantling on our behalf. In effect, forget the old rules; here are the new rules. Ironically, here’s the new hierarchy. Such is the cycle that defines history. We, of course, need new rules to protect the new rulers. Remember that.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The boys told us how natural it would be to take a hike in the woods; now that there are snakes allegedly, the girls want to pave the forest. The boys wanted to play ball on the highway; now that someone’s got hit, the parents move to ban traffic.

No. The consequences of banning things that are essential to free speech, commerce and democracy, even if Kathy had actually been harmed let alone the mere perception of threat, is FAR TOO GREAT a price to pay. Debbie Weil says, “Anonymity breeds the worst, foulest behavior in the blogosphere.” For Debbie, surely. Those with weak arguments are some of the loudest voices to ban anonymity; and who can blame them? What they look to ban is criticism.

However subtly, groups use identity to control. "Naked Conversations" co-author Shel Israel recently told a junior who was disagreeing with him: “You do a really fine job of representing yourself and Topaz Partners with integrity. I'm sure this unique style will attract to your agency precisely the clients you deserve.” Dripping with sarcasm, the point was clear: You’re out of line with the accepted belief that I control; there will be negative consequences.” This is how weakness keeps its grip. Disregarding Shel's threat, Adam was subsequently banned from Israel’s blog for doing nothing more than expressing an opposing view.

Ironically, Cluetrain co-author David Weinberger clarifies the issue:

...Except it's important that we preserve some shadows. Opaqueness in the form of anonymity protects whistleblowers and dissidents, women being beaten by their husbands, girls looking for abortion advice, people working through feelings of shame about who they are, and more. Anonymity and pseudonymity allow people to participate on the Web who perhaps aren't as self-confident as the loudest voices we hear there. It's even been known to enable snarky bloggers to comment archly on their industry, even if sometimes they play too rough.

Likewise, some meetings should be held behind closed doors. Privacy can be liberating. There are some things we're not entitled to know and some activities are better with the lights off.

Sure, there are abusers, but personal anonymity is the default in the real world -- if you live in a large town, not only don't you know everyone you see, but you're not allowed randomly to demand ID from them -- and it ought to be the default on line. The top-down demand for strong digital ID, which sounds good on paper, is likely to flip the default to the peril of political freedom, the growth of new social forms, and the liberating sense of personal play.

Transparency is a prima facie good for institutions, but we individuals are more complex than that.

So, the mood of transparency sweeping through business is healthy and important. However, unlike fairness, transparency is not a good in itself. We need to use it with our eyes wide open.

LAST WORDS

“I” dentity, not our-dentity. It belongs to me. I chose anonymity. Unlike Kathy who recoils, I will fight against any culture (let alone lightweight moron) that thinks it can take that away from me.