Smart Street fighting on the Internet
Anyone can be a tough-talking internet badass. Making threats and intimidating people in blog comments and message boards. You see it all the time with the 101st Fighting Keyboarders. All you need is a big mouth, a screenname and some anonymous surfing program. Taking a stand while hiding behind a BIG wall of anonymity?
Big deal… You’re a WUSS!
Now when you put your REAL NAME out there. Your reputation and business on the line? That’s balls!
The big news this week was the thousands of people revolting on Digg over posts regarding the DVD HD encryption code being posted as they removed it and banned the members.
Then, Digg founder Kevin Rose surprised everyone by blogging about it and posting the encryption code!
It’s not about the encryption code anymore. It’s become a symbolic fight against censorship and those companies and corporate bullies we love to hate…
…but with a catch, do you support piracy?
It’s a false dilemma. Choosing the lesser of two evils when you have a 3rd hidden option.
I support people trying to protect their intellectual property. I also oppose some of the ridiculous laws and corporate bullying going on by the AACS, RIAA, MPAA and any other DRM group. A lot more than I oppose piracy, but not enough to condone one evil over another.
So I present you another false dilemma:
You’re in a street fight. You opponent is way bigger than you. What do you do?
a) Don’t back down and get your ass kicked.
b) Run away and look like a wuss in front of everyone.
BZZT! BOTH WRONG! The answer is….
c) You hire an even BIGGER MOTHERFUCKER to take down your opponent.
(Do I have to do ALL the thinking for you?)
The Tiki Lounge has a great discussion about it, as well as Problem Adults. If you support Digg and Kevin Rose and the stand they’re taking, rather than stand there chanting “Fight! Fight! Fight!”, you can help him by keeping this issue in the spotlight and by supporting the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
They’re bigger. They’re badder and they take on these kinds of censorship cases all the time. Join the EFF and give till it hurts.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:20 am
Big thumbs up from me. You’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head.