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shaggydogstail ([info]shaggydogstail) wrote in [info]otf_wank,
@ 2008-02-17 23:27:00


Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
People being mean on the internets shocker.
Our sorry tale of internet meanies starts on the Guardian's CiF section, where 19-year-old Max Grogarty writes the first in a planned series of blogs about his fondness for skinny jeans and gap year travel plans. It's, um, not very good, and CiF readers waste no time telling him so.

In fact, CiF readers feel the article is so bad, they suspect he could only have got published if he was related to someone at the Guardian. And waddya know! Turns out that Max is the son of Paul Gogarty, who writes travel articles for the Guardian. A lot of people call nepotism. In fact, they're so outraged that Paul Grogarty's name makes it into the Wikipedia entry on nepotism.

Is it all down to Daddy that Max got his big break? Fortunately, Max's dad steps in to share his thoughts:

You may like or dislike the blog but the cruelty is shocking if quintessentially British. Obviously everyone in his family is very hurt for Max so that's a bonus. I won't be reading any more smug clever dick comments but feel free to kick me around the field a bit now - just please leave Max alone. He hasn't actually done anything wrong and you have your wish - he won't be writing any further blogs.

Hear that, CiF readers - HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME! As an extra bonus, Max's friend MarkChamberlain also pops in to tell us all that Max is a really genuine guy who shops at charity shops and everything!.

It doesn't spot there. A parody blog is posted on Blogspot. The Guardian hits back with an article about Cyber-bullies attacking young writer out of class hatred, and a response from the Travel Editor. Readers are not impressed, although there are calls to leave Max alone.

Still, several hundreds of comments aren't enough for Guardian writer Raphael Behr, who steps up to the plate with this special insight:

Imagine the scene: a man stands on a pedestal while hundreds of people take it in turns to heap scorn on him. At first, they take issue with something he has written, but then, as the crowd works itself into a frenzy, they abuse him as the embodiment of some social evil.

Perhaps you are imagining a scene from China's Cultural Revolution - a student accused of bourgeois tendencies, head bowed, harangued by classmates. Or perhaps, if you were reading the Guardian's travel site last week, you have a picture in your mind of Max Gogarty, a 19-year-old aspiring writer who posted a blog about his gap-year plans.


[...]

Max Gogarty is not the first blogger to be lynched online, although he might be the youngest. I expect I'll come in for some vitriol simply for writing about him.

It doesn't go down well. Well, what do you expect from an internet full of meanies?

ETA Courtesy of [info]apoplexia The Guardian takes their tale of Cyber-bullying woe to BBC Breakfast



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[info]ilpalazzo
2008-02-18 02:51 am UTC (link)
How can anyone who's worked in the news industry for a while--which I assume Max's dad has--possibly think it's a good idea to jump up and start pasive-aggressively whining IN A PUBLIC VENUE that the readers are just a bunch of meanies?

That Behr guy is coasting on the edge of Godwin's too. :D Reading public = Mao Tse-Tung. Believe it!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]shaggydogstail, 2008-02-18 03:04 am UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]wolfsamurai, 2008-02-18 03:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]criticalcricket, 2008-02-18 03:19 am UTC

nam_jai
2008-02-18 03:07 am UTC (link)
Juding from this article, Daddy's not exactly the most vivid, insightful travel writer himself. His writing is so bland, he made me forget that Bangkok isn't, and I was in Bangkok not three weeks ago.

Oops, sorry, I'm being a jealous internet meanie, aren't I? Please, please, Mssrs. Grogarty, tell me more about your adventures in shopping and teenage boozing among the exotic natives of Asia!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]shaggydogstail, 2008-02-18 03:34 am UTC
*snore* - nam_jai, 2008-02-18 04:01 am UTC
Re: *snore* - [info]tigerlily, 2008-02-18 06:40 am UTC
Re: *snore* - nam_jai, 2008-02-18 06:56 am UTC
Re: *snore* - [info]altoidsaddict, 2008-02-18 07:16 am UTC
Re: *snore* - nam_jai, 2008-02-18 05:25 pm UTC
Re: *snore* - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-18 03:20 pm UTC
Re: *snore* - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 06:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ilpalazzo, 2008-02-18 05:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 09:14 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-18 02:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 04:33 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-18 05:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 05:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-18 07:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mrbimble, 2008-02-26 06:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-26 06:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-20 02:01 am UTC
Re: *snore* - [info]trollprincess, 2008-02-20 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]yattara, 2008-02-28 03:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-28 05:25 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-19 08:10 am UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]dark_puck, 2008-02-18 05:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]judyhazeleyes, 2008-02-18 06:04 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2008-02-18 10:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]waitwut, 2008-02-18 06:36 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]winter, 2008-02-18 09:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]trollprincess, 2008-02-20 02:19 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]wickedwitch, 2008-02-21 07:11 pm UTC

[info]lil_miss_stfu
2008-02-18 03:10 am UTC (link)
*snerk* I like the parody blog.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]tangentialone, 2008-02-19 07:38 am UTC

[info]honorh
2008-02-18 03:12 am UTC (link)
I read his article just to see what all the fuss was about, and my word, but he's a bad writer. "I'm shitting myself about India!" *eyeroll*

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]criticalcricket, 2008-02-18 03:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shaggydogstail, 2008-02-18 03:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]nekoneko, 2008-02-18 03:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]athersgeo, 2008-02-18 08:35 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lied_ohne_worte, 2008-02-18 09:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lied_ohne_worte, 2008-02-18 09:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 04:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-18 01:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 06:35 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mouseybrown, 2008-02-19 02:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]trollprincess, 2008-02-20 03:23 pm UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]apoplexia, 2008-02-18 12:17 pm UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - nam_jai, 2008-02-21 07:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shaggydogstail, 2008-02-21 01:38 pm UTC

[info]wolfsamurai
2008-02-18 03:36 am UTC (link)
This whole fiasco rates as comedy gold. It has my blessing to continue.

(Reply to this)


[info]emiweebee
2008-02-18 03:40 am UTC (link)
I couldn't make it past the, "Cliched, but whatev!" comment.

There's "tongue in cheek", and then there's the run of the mill dregs of 19 year old LJers.

Anyone who made it through, care to post a summary of the Blog Heard 'Round the World?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

I am at your service... - [info]shaggydogstail, 2008-02-18 03:46 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]emiweebee, 2008-02-18 03:59 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2008-02-18 05:11 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]waitwut, 2008-02-18 06:39 pm UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 06:37 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]caito, 2008-02-19 07:24 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]emiweebee, 2008-02-20 02:16 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-18 05:45 am UTC
Re: I am at your service... - [info]mmanurere, 2008-02-18 07:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ms_treesap, 2008-02-18 03:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]judyhazeleyes, 2008-02-18 06:08 pm UTC

[info]luckdragonfujur
2008-02-18 04:26 am UTC (link)
I'd always thought you needed a thick skin to be a journalist. ;.; My whole life is a mistake.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]velvet_mace, 2008-02-18 06:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]luckdragonfujur, 2008-02-18 06:55 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]velvet_mace, 2008-02-18 07:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]luckdragonfujur, 2008-02-18 07:07 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]velvet_mace, 2008-02-18 07:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]luckdragonfujur, 2008-02-18 07:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mmanurere, 2008-02-18 10:18 am UTC
(no subject) - dracothelizard, 2008-02-18 04:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]msmanna, 2008-02-18 07:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mmanurere, 2008-02-18 07:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]luckdragonfujur, 2008-02-18 07:07 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2008-04-12 12:14 am UTC

[info]sisterelwood
2008-02-18 05:35 am UTC (link)
I'm throughly enjoying the biting comments of our friends across the pond (speaking as an American, mind you). It warms my black heart.

(Reply to this)


[info]velvet_mace
2008-02-18 06:43 am UTC (link)
So, for the Guardian's next scintillating idea of space filler, will it just post blog entries at random from the internet? Frankly I think that would be more thought provoking than this guys "what I did during my summer vacation" blog.

Poor Max getting his ass reamed in such a public venue. You see, this is why you should never use your real name on your blog.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]shaysdays, 2008-02-18 07:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]wankaholic, 2008-02-18 07:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mmanurere, 2008-02-18 07:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]velvet_mace, 2008-02-18 07:05 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 09:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]foresthouse, 2008-02-22 12:24 am UTC

[info]kaen
2008-02-18 07:19 am UTC (link)
I have been in fandom way too long, because when I clicked on that link I was surprised at how good it was on first glance. Bad fanfic has trained to expect a complete lack of anything like normal grammar and spelling that looks like the author picked scrabble letters out of a bad and hoped for the best when I click on something people say is supposed to be badly written.

Then I actually looked past the trappings and to the contents and went, "Oh, there's the badness!"

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]plazmah, 2008-02-18 07:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 04:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-19 08:17 am UTC

[info]demonbean
2008-02-18 07:55 am UTC (link)
'He's out in India on his own. We were all feeling upset at him going away anyway. But this...this tsunami of hate.'

Oh, poor taste. *wrinkles nose*

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-18 08:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-19 08:18 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]eldritch, 2008-02-19 08:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]trollprincess, 2008-02-20 02:23 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]idiom, 2008-02-21 05:44 am UTC

[info]mael
2008-02-18 08:39 am UTC (link)
I almost feel sorry for the poor bugger, really, because I'm sure that in his short life no one had ever told him how much his writing sucks before. Not just bland, but trite, repetitive sentence structure and no hint of self-awareness.

It's like that one workshop in creative writing class, yes, that one, in which that one guy nobody likes brings in his memoire and he's sure, so sure, that's it's brilliant just because his high school English teacher told him he was special.

It's an awkward moment.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-18 10:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]trollprincess, 2008-02-20 02:25 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ladyvorkosigan, 2008-02-21 08:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]foresthouse, 2008-02-22 12:26 am UTC

[info]fevered_ego
2008-02-18 11:22 am UTC (link)
It's not that his writing is bad; he just lacks experience; needs more classes in essay writing; and, has some issues with punctuation.

And short sentences. The kind that.

Jar you like a brick wall.

When you read them.

(Reply to this)


[info]jaseroque
2008-02-18 11:33 am UTC (link)
It's India that scares me. The heat, the roads, the snakes, Australian travellers.

Um. If there is an obvious answer I'd really like to know it... why Australian travellers specifically? Is there something particularly terrifying about them/us?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]apoplexia, 2008-02-18 01:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]chibikaijuu, 2008-02-19 03:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]idiom, 2008-02-21 05:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-18 02:54 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaseroque, 2008-02-18 02:54 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mary_mac, 2008-02-18 02:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-18 03:10 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaseroque, 2008-02-18 03:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]caffeine_fairy, 2008-02-18 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaseroque, 2008-02-18 03:50 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]caffeine_fairy, 2008-02-18 03:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]tangentialone, 2008-02-19 07:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-18 03:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]dominosteine, 2008-02-18 03:11 pm UTC

[info]electricwitch
2008-02-18 12:35 pm UTC (link)
"You may like or dislike the blog but the cruelty is shocking if quintessentially British."

Hahaha, right. Because nobody else in the world is mean on the internet.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - magpiggles, 2008-02-18 06:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-19 08:23 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-21 07:09 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-22 03:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]issendai, 2008-02-19 03:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]tangentialone, 2008-02-19 07:22 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]electricwitch, 2008-02-19 03:30 pm UTC

dracothelizard
2008-02-18 01:36 pm UTC (link)
This is like all those 'omg you called my fanfic bad you meanie, I will send my friendslist after you!' arguements on LJ! Where are the cat macros?

Really, Guardian, get with the times! Mean people on the internet aren't news!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]southerngaelic, 2008-02-18 01:40 pm UTC

[info]doyle
2008-02-18 02:37 pm UTC (link)
I have to wonder whose side the mods are on, considering they froze the travel editor's thread in such a way that "I hope he gets dysentry and shits himself to death" got to be the last word on the issue.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]apoplexia, 2008-02-18 03:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sharps, 2008-02-18 04:36 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]caito, 2008-02-19 07:56 am UTC

[info]verpon
2008-02-18 03:16 pm UTC (link)
Why can't this happen everytime a crap young writer who just so happens to be related to an editor mysteriously gets a job writing on the same paper?

Stories like this crop up so regularly in Private Eye and it really would be so much more fun if they could all respond to the revelation like this.

(Reply to this)


[info]apoplexia
2008-02-18 03:33 pm UTC (link)
Hey, Max has his admirers too:

Yes, clichés are there for a reason, and Max knows it. Clichés are the droning sounds that insects make as they bleed away their lives in mindless servitude to the hive mind of Conformity. In other words, clichés are the language of the common man, and though to Max, the argot of the common man is as alien a tongue as the strange, gibbering dialect of the aboriginal Walmajarri, he will use our language to communicate with us... and employ it with the easy precision of a born polyglot. Burton comes to mind again.

Now this boy can write!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]hallidae, 2008-02-18 04:21 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]verpon, 2008-02-18 04:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]caffeine_fairy, 2008-02-18 04:27 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-18 04:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 06:58 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-19 11:18 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 11:23 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]no_touching, 2008-02-19 11:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]vzg, 2008-02-19 12:19 pm UTC
(no subject) - nam_jai, 2008-02-18 06:07 pm UTC

[info]coffee_mug
2008-02-18 05:03 pm UTC (link)
Dude, this guy writes Skins? Man, and I just yesterday plugged the show to a friend as a "really well-written show". Then again, the blog could be written by a really dull version of a Skins character so I suppose there are similarities..

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]verpon, 2008-02-18 05:12 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]coffee_mug, 2008-02-18 06:11 pm UTC

[info]comixology
2008-02-18 05:03 pm UTC (link)
@_@ Personally, this is just disheartening to me. I hope trash writing like that isn't the future of journalism. Ouch.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2008-04-12 12:17 am UTC

magpiggles
2008-02-18 06:02 pm UTC (link)
He's 19 and you think he's the youngest blogger to get lynched online?

Have you even SEEN the internet?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]distractogirl, 2008-02-18 08:07 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]issendai, 2008-02-19 03:34 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]evilsqueakers, 2008-02-19 08:28 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]distractogirl, 2008-02-19 05:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2008-04-12 12:17 am UTC

[info]lady7jane
2008-02-18 06:15 pm UTC (link)
He's out in India on his own. We were all feeling upset at him going away anyway. But this...this tsunami of hate.

Better that than a tsunami of love. Now that's scary.

(Reply to this)



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