Proper etiquette in blogging

It is by all accounts 2009, the year of change we can believe in. The year of reaching across the aisle, and of bi-partisanship. This seems like a good year for bloggers to hone their efforts and post like adults. To that end, and as a continuation of conversations begun by Kevin Richert of the Idaho Statesman, and Michael Boss, of these e-pages, this blogging primer is offered.

The first real “blogger” may have been Benjamin Franklin, famous for his pub conversations about issues of note. Franklin penned a list of questions to be addressed at the pub and basically set the tone and held court – a court of public opinion and of bashing about ideas, ideas that helped lead to the birth of our republic.

Today it is difficult to hold serious open public debate or discussion as shouting too often and too quickly ruins the day. We protest against speakers we haven’t yet heard and try to punish organizations that bring them to town. How small of us to not listen politely and then engage them with respect during Q & A.

So it is not blogging that started our discourteous discourse, but it has allowed us to avoid the public square, cloak ourselves in anonymity, and like a drive-by shooter simply pull the trigger on the “submit” button and leave our post and run, gleefully damaging those with ideas other than our own.

The blog host, in this case the Idaho Business Review, typically lists their rules or guidelines, but they are generally geared to helping the poster post effectively – but now some are seriously considering tighter rules. We don’t need them, we need only behave as if we are seated with Franklin as he would guide us to challenge others’ ideas with our own, to challenge others’ conclusions with our own, and to respect those who put their ideas and conclusions on the table.

But a few understandings can help us blog like adults and not embarrass ourselves. First, understand the publication or site. Some are shout out, insult sites, and others like the IBR are not. Second, understand the difference between a news story researched and written by a paid staff reporter, and an opinion column written such as this one. On the IBR site they generally are on opposite facing sides of the e-page.

Challenge ideas and conclusions, and if all you’ve got is “dude,” or “wingnuts” or “idiot,” then we might as well add “hippie” or “pinko” and “commie” and go back 40 years. Please seek a bottom-feeding blog.

Understand that blogs are not about the writer. An opinion writer is always right and always expert within her or his opinion. So insulting the writer simply disserves the blog. On my past recent blog regarding CWI, one poster actually used Google to research and presumably discredit “me.” Of course the Google “data” was years wrong, and not at all discrediting – but regardless it was irrelevant.

If my opinion is flawed (smile), bring your own on – about the issue. The job of the writer is to take an issue and put it on the table, just like with Franklin. Then we bash about the opinions, beliefs, philosophy, good and poor business practices, politics, conclusions, trends, etc.

Be careful to not divulge confidential or proprietary information. One poster actually disclosed non-public personnel information from a state agency. Now money and time will be spent and distractions created because of it. And there was no point to the issue of the post gained, just a drive-by shooter.

Be careful with ridiculous false statements such as (the CWI blog) “nobody cares about advertisements,” or the “ads are plagiarized.” Of course people care about them, and of course they are not plagiarized. Common danger words are “all, none, everyone, nobody,” etc. They always (oops), they almost invariably lead to easily proven incorrect assumptions.

Be careful with silly assumptions. Again, in my CWI blog one poster wondered why I didn’t pick up the phone and conduct some research. For that particular column I spoke with a number of people before writing it, including some in elected office. Of course the poster would not know that – yet by making such a blanket statement focused otherwise good comments on the writer rather than the issue.

When tying your points to a previous poster it is fine to reference the poster’s name in order to direct your comments to theirs. It gives readers a point of reference especially if several posts appear between theirs and yours. But it is not fine to insult, demean, belittle, make fun of, etc. Every day I hear from people who say they were going to contribute but just didn’t want their names associated with a bunch of trashy posts – so we miss out on their insights. The blog is devalued, and we learn less.

The point is that this is a great table to set around and discuss issues. The IBR has chosen me and Michael Boss to get the arguments going, and from very different perspectives. Neither of us are employees of the IBR, and it may interest you that we have not met. I’m sure we will soon but that is the genius of this e-roundtable. None of us need to meet.

But we are better when we behave as if we are sitting side-by-side and tackling hard issues. We are better when we challenge ideas and not people by name. Throwing insults is like throwing your shoes at the leader of a nation state – it is uncivilized….but oh my, I’ve already written that one.