I want to know when people are going to realize that expecting privacy on the Internet is like expecting companies like WorldCom and Enron to be moral. IT JUST AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
Whenever I read nonsense about people claiming that their online diaries are akin to the diaries one might stuff under a mattress, I feel violent. When you write something for anyone to read it, you are waiving all rights to privacy from ANYONE, including people that might know you. Getting pissed off because you wrote 'GOD, Sharon was SUCH a BITCH today' and then having Sharon confront you on it is bullshit. Saying that Sharon should not have read that because your online diary is your 'outlet' is bullshit. Take some fucking responsibility. If you want to write about Sharon being a bitch, write it in a paper diary.
I hate this absolute nonsense with people suddenly being self righteous about their journals, as though complaining about their daily lives is a service to you. I do not consider this diary a service to anyone, save for myself. All are free to read it, to comment on it, and if I discuss you or someone you like in a derogatory manner you are free to take me to task for it.
But, you see, the situation where I would publically decry a person on the Internet is rare, because I have come to understand what I stated above--PRIVACY ON THE INTERNET DOES NOT EXIST. Even if you carry out your catty sniping behind password protected livejournals, someone is probably going to find you anyway. Now, I think a person who at least tries to restrict their words by a password has more of a right to be offended than someone splattering hate all over their public blog, but regardless--the internet is not private. It never has been. It never will be. Get the fuck over it.
Do I write everything I think in this diary, or in my livejournal? No, because I know that if I did I might offend people. Maybe this offends you, but this is not a direct attack on anyone (unless they choose to miscontrue it that way), but an attack on an emerging attitude in the 'weblog community,' an attitude that I think is incredibly moronic. If you don't want people reading your writing, then don't publish it. But wait! You do. Only, you only want sychophantic, innocuous friends and complete strangers reading it, so you won't have to worry about people taking you to task when you act like a bitch. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way.
Even in my 'friends only' livejournal entries I rarely attack people, mostly the stuff I put in a friends only entry is just severe whining that only LJ friends get to be subjected to. But if the general public or if one of my 'enemies' read it, I wouldn't mind, because I'm not attacking them. In general, if I think someone is insulting me, or if I have a problem with them, I'll take it to them directly through AIM or email, as opposed to starting a row in my blog. Because, unless strongly pushed (and I admit, as that post down there might suggest, I'm being pushed right now), I don't write entries saying Sharon is a bitch, because I know what happens. But I also understand the need to get things out, and not just get it out, but get it out in public. Have the whole world know about what this person has done to you. And that is okay. I'm not saying for you to not write that Sharon is a bitch. I'm just saying that you shouldn't get pissed off when Sharon finds out about it, because chances are that if she has any INKLING that you own a website, she will.
And also that it might be a better idea to just ask Sharon why she was acting the way she was. Maybe you misinterpreted her behavior, or maybe she was being a bitch but didn't realize it. But the only way to solve a problem is to address it--not to whine about it behind her back.
(and no, I don't know anyone named Sharon, which is why I used that name as an example)
