Beyond School

Dan, in all seriousness:

“bizarre”? Yes. Seeing your barb show up in my Technorati reactions struck me as bizarre too. It was uncivil (especially in the context of our history, in which I twice tried to smooth things out with you, and you twice declined to acknowledge - until the latest barb - and I can’t believe your claim not to remember it. You even sent an angry email last February).

What this is “supposed to teach” you? Just that it’s easy to have a laugh at others’ expense, but not so easy when the tables are turned. I’m not the first to take personally your off-the-mark shots. You do know that, don’t you?

Now I’ll give you a concession: I had way too much fun writing that April Fools’ post. Does that point to a dark streak in me? Only, I would answer, insofar as it shows I am capable of anger and retaliation when provoked. When provoked, yes, I’m capable of my own barbed malice. It doesn’t help that the writing of it, from this lover-of-writing’s perspective, was so enjoyable. So yes, I got carried away - silly, even - but any of my regular readers will confirm that it’s because it’s something I’ve never done.

I’ve been called “edgy” and “radical,” and I don’t deny it. I take aim at all sorts of sacred cows, often sharply - they’re ideas, they’re institutions. But I don’t take aim at people. It’s where I draw the line (and apologize when I cross it).

Those who see this only in terms of your post do not see the whole picture, and for the sake of others made unhappy by your barbs, I hope we can avoid re-opening their old wounds.

Did the ends justify the means? I marked the means private so that nobody can access them years down the road. If this experience makes you hesitate before having fun at other individuals’ expense, and ideally decide against it, then yes, the ends were worth it.

If not, then they weren’t (other than providing me with some fun writing, which I’ll grant muddies me a bit).

Seriously, read Jeff Utecht’s “Who Controls Your Online Profile?” for a calmer angle on the issue we’re looking at here.

Let’s see, what else: I suppose I should grant that while many comments in the original post were supportive, not all were. Ben Wildeboer, in particular, opposed my judgment eloquently and tactfully - and while I don’t agree with him 100%, he did make me think. Some anonymous commenter wrote a hilarious post calling me the bigger prick and hypocrite, which was funny and possibly not without truth - but his/her argument fell flat when he/she said it was your “personal blog,” and so you had the right to needle people as you will.

That last point is one worth exploring: what do personal and public mean here?

And I’ll admit, April Fools license and all, to being a bit too “giddy” (was that your word?) in the comments. But that’s the sort of feeling that comes from letting a bully have it.

Now my questions for you:

1. Do you really deny that your persona, tone, and judgment have needlessly pricked a good number of people over the last year?

2. Rather than keeping this thing going in comments - and this may be a stretch - I’d be more than willing to have not a debate, but a discussion, with you on Skype for a podcast. Because we can’t seem to come to any sort of understanding through text, so maybe real talk will bring it.

Beneath all the circus and ass, there are real issues here. Maybe a talk will lead somewhere.