Why Newspapers Shouldn't Allow Comments

[KenFSU]

I still don't quite get what the author is trying to say. We don't exactly need a Constitutional Amendment banning comments on a newspaper's website. At the end of the day, a newspaper is a business. They can make their own decisions. If the New York Times, Times-Union, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, whoever wants to incorporate "comments" -- whether moderated, unmoderated, anonymous, signed, whatever -- into their business and web model, who is some geek at Gawker to say "Oh it bothers me, no one should do it."

Newspapers, even the best ones, make mistakes. I think it's great to have a forum to intelligentally discuss thoughts and feelings on an article once it has been published. If someone sitting at their desk somewhere can provided documentated proof or make a persuasive argument that the author might be misinformed or incorrect about a fact or opinion, I would love to read it. Sure there are going to be idiots who offer nothing, or even detract, from the conversation, but that doesn't mean we just turn the whole thing off. There are idiots on Wikipedia too, but studies show it to be every bit as accurate as Brittanica. Give people enough credit to assume they can filter out the garbage and still take something from the discourse.

[David]

A lot of it does have to do with anonymity and people having the courage to say things they otherwise wouldn't say. Another thing I think, is people simply taking what is written in text the wrong way. Some things  are said jokingly and get misconstrued, some things are said seriously but people take it as a joke and some things are just seen in a completely different light then originally intended. It is true that a good chunk of our communication is done through body language. So, until the masses adapt to communicating via text with one another, it's going to be a clusterf*** on the internets.

[thebrokenforum]

I think it's great to have a forum to intelligentally discuss thoughts and feelings on an article once it has been published.

That's exactly the point though. The TU doesn't have that. They have the online equivalent of bathroom wall graffiti. But you are right - it's their business and they can do what they want.

It's really interesting (and awesome) how the TU's message boards and the ones here differ yet provide news and opinions about Jax.

[KenFSU]

I think it's great to have a forum to intelligentally discuss thoughts and feelings on an article once it has been published.

That's exactly the point though. The TU doesn't have that. They have the online equivalent of bathroom wall graffiti.

Breaks my heart to say, but I think the comments you do see around the internet might sadly be a reflection of just how stupid people have allowed themselves to become. We're living in a country where only 2 out of 5 citizens can name the three branches of the federal government. Only 1 in 7 can find Iraq on a map. Only 1 in 5 know that we have 100 US senators. More than 1 in 2 can identify at least two members of the Simpsons family, and only 25% can name more than one right guaranteed by the First Amendment. 7 in 10 believed Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11. I just finished reading Just How Stupid Are We? by Rick Shenkman, and it just paints a terrible portrait of how ignorant the majority of people around us are.

That's why effecting any change, either local (commuter rail) or national is such an uphill battle. The vast majority of those around us are intellectually lazy, unapologetically ignorant (but are literally too ignorant to even realize they are ignorant), and tragically susceptible to manipulation from the media. I've got well educated, rational people in my office convinced that Obama was sworn in the Koran, refuses to say the pledge, and is a practicing Muslim. Their source: some foolish, baseless chain email. If the JTA was set on doing Bus Rapid Transit, all I really think they would need to get public support is a goofy chain email about how rail was designed in Iran and is easier for terrorists to attack, or maybe a front page headline in the T-U that said "Jacksonville wants Bus Rapid Transit." Whole article could be about how terrible BRT is, but all people even bother to read anymore is the headline.

Pessimistic? Sure. Realistic? Absolutely.

The average person on the streets these days is the comments/message board goon with their taglines, and poorly written insults, and stubborn opinions that likely have very little real thought or independent research behind them, just myth. They'll believe anything they're told if it's presented simply, repeated often, and if the source appears credible. Love the line that "Myth gives the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." The media doesn't do us any favors either. Maybe it is good to have some voices of reason, however sparse they may be, in the sea of idiocy that is the T-U, its comments and discussions, and its constant failure to ask the question that most need to be asked.

[gatorback]

A lot of it does have to do with anonymity and people having the courage to say things they otherwise wouldn't say. Another thing I think, is people simply taking what is written in text the wrong way. Some things  are said jokingly and get misconstrued, some things are said seriously but people take it as a joke and some things are just seen in a completely different light then originally intended. It is true that a good chunk of our communication is done through body language. So, until the masses adapt to communicating via text with one another, it's going to be a clusterf*** on the internets.

Very true.  And then there's reality for me and reality for you.  Even straight up communication is one of the hardest process known to man.  The lack of tone and no inflections, makes it's even harder to effectively communicate in words.  Then there's the skull f#!$ig that some just like to do.  So, consider the source.

[BridgeTroll]

I think it's great to have a forum to intelligentally discuss thoughts and feelings on an article once it has been published.

That's exactly the point though. The TU doesn't have that. They have the online equivalent of bathroom wall graffiti.

Breaks my heart to say, but I think the comments you do see around the internet might sadly be a reflection of just how stupid people have allowed themselves to become. We're living in a country where only 2 out of 5 citizens can name the three branches of the federal government. Only 1 in 7 can find Iraq on a map. Only 1 in 5 know that we have 100 US senators. More than 1 in 2 can identify at least two members of the Simpsons family, and only 25% can name more than one right guaranteed by the First Amendment. 7 in 10 believed Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11. I just finished reading Just How Stupid Are We? by Rick Shenkman, and it just paints a terrible portrait of how ignorant the majority of people around us are.

That's why effecting any change, either local (commuter rail) or national is such an uphill battle. The vast majority of those around us are intellectually lazy, unapologetically ignorant (but are literally too ignorant to even realize they are ignorant), and tragically susceptible to manipulation from the media. I've got well educated, rational people in my office convinced that Obama was sworn in the Koran, refuses to say the pledge, and is a practicing Muslim. Their source: some foolish, baseless chain email. If the JTA was set on doing Bus Rapid Transit, all I really think they would need to get public support is a goofy chain email about how rail was designed in Iran and is easier for terrorists to attack, or maybe a front page headline in the T-U that said "Jacksonville wants Bus Rapid Transit." Whole article could be about how terrible BRT is, but all people even bother to read anymore is the headline.

Pessimistic? Sure. Realistic? Absolutely.

The average person on the streets these days is the comments/message board goon with their taglines, and poorly written insults, and stubborn opinions that likely have very little real thought or independent research behind them, just myth. They'll believe anything they're told if it's presented simply, repeated often, and if the source appears credible. Love the line that "Myth gives the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." The media doesn't do us any favors either. Maybe it is good to have some voices of reason, however sparse they may be, in the sea of idiocy that is the T-U, its comments and discussions, and its constant failure to ask the question that most need to be asked.

Ken...

While I agree with the basic premise that most are uninformed and ill equipped to have an intelligent convo regarding ANY of the worlds problems the examples you cite are a bit unfair... There are also many who blame all the worlds problems on Bush, think america is the cause of the worlds ills and we are headed for a depression... soon.

There is plenty of ignorance to go around...

[gatorback]

my college professor said his prof said Americans just want to bowl. I agree.Where do you fit in with this picture?

[thebrokenforum]

There are also many who blame all the worlds problems on Bush...

Wait a minute here...you mean he's not the anti-christ??

[Driven1]

wait - was this thread serious?  no comments on newspaper sites???

[civil42806]

my college professor said his prof said Americans just want to bowl. I agree.Where do you fit in with this picture?

Hey I love to bowl, but then I'm just stupid.   Bowlers unite, arm youselves against the arrogant masses.  You have nothing to lose other than your balls.

[civil42806]

my college professor said his prof said Americans just want to bowl. I agree.Where do you fit in with this picture?

Seriously I told my niece and others not to pay a bit of attention when a professor tries to tell you about life.  Some grey hair that hasn't looked for a job in 30 years doesn't know squat about life.  Tenure is a killer

[Tripoli1711]

Amen, Civil...

[gatorback]

Before today I was very active in the community doing intellectual things and helping a cause, but now, I just want to bowl.

[jtwestside]

The problem with comments anywhere on the internet boils down to a simple "internet farkwad" theory.

“Normal Person plus Anonymity plus Audience equals Total Farkward”

Ilustarted here: http://www.owned.lv/4268/Normal-person-plus-anonymity/