Rant: Sad Puppies vs. Anti-Puppies, as the Kilostreisands Pile Up
Yes, I've been scarce in recent weeks, but bear with me: I'm off doing something difficult but important, which I'll tell you about later.
Although it's been going on now for three years, I hadn't ever ( Read more... )
Or maybe it isn't. When I hear about shaming in this sort of context, what comes to mind is mafia tactics: "Nice little career you're starting there. Shame if anything happened to it." Or those legendary Hollywood power plays: "Pay yer dues and follow our rules or you'll never work in dis town again."
It's not about fear of physical violence. It's about fear of shaming as psychological bullying, of the sort that has driven more than a few young teens to suicide. Social networking has a peculiar hold on some people, especially young people who have everything still to prove.
(Hmmm.You've given me an interesting idea for another Contra entry that expands on this notion. Must do some research.)
It also occurs to me that shaming is how white South Africans kept apartheid going as long as they did: Whites who criticized apartheid were shunned by other whites. Is that a legacy you want to recall?
Sheesh.
Shaming is not only morally repellant, it's unlikely to work, for many of the same reasons that third parties don't work within the American political system. I'm pretty sure that shaming people who end up on an "unapproved" slate will only hurt those who value your approval. The other guys simply don't care what your side thinks, so you end up hurting your own to no useful effect.
If all you've got is shaming, well, you don't have much. It won't work except on your own people, and once it's used often enough, will cease to work at all.
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