Comments on: Maybe It’s Time To Rethink Our Focus

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 02:08:51 +0000

“I think there’s enough hate in the world.”

I agree. I haven’t been following what has been happening, but any response based on hate simply breeds more hate.

Thanks for standing up and stopping the cycle of hate.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:23:57 +0000

It seems to me that we never really properly appreciate the people in our lives until something terrible happens.

Part of being human, I think. It’s not necessarily wrong, it just is.

Instead of making this about hatred, anger, and law enforcement — why not combat this travesty with love and goodwill? I’m such the idealist - no?

Don’t change, Erica. Idealism is a wonderful, oft-unappreciated trait. Idealism is that part of our humanity that says we can become something better. That said, there are times when focused anger and law enforcement are a necessity. To borrow from the semantic web, words mean things. In Real Life, words have consequences, especially if really nasty action is implied. Note I didn’t say hatred is sometimes necessary. Hatred is a negative multiplier. It takes the focus of what’s appropriate and drags us all down.

The whole thing is a mess. Maybe this incident (there have been so many of these in other parts of the blogosphere) will wake enough people up to the ridiculousness and pettiness of it.

You spoke in another post about connections. There’s something to be learned about connections in this mess. Not sure what it is, yet, but it’s spinning in my head.

By: Jonti

Jonti — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:23:03 +0000

I twittered this statement today = Character Education is often defined as knowing the good, loving the good, and doing the good. What that means is knowing the difference between right and wrong and willingly making the right choices. Today I was not as shocked as I should have been by the people threatening Kathy Sierra, but the angry and violent reactions of others made me see that most people are only two steps away from not choosing the good.

Maybe the best outcome of this whole event is people like Erica and others seeing that the only way to stop cyberbullying is to put it out in the open and educate everyone to it’s horrible results. Then, choosing to help and do the right thing by everyone focusing on the good.

By: Big Pink Cookie - Creative Geek » So Much to Say, So Little Time…

Big Pink Cookie - Creative Geek » So Much to Say, So Little Time… — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:45:12 +0000

[...] - Speaking of working together, I am still aghast over what has been going on in the blogosphere lately. Once again, I agree with Erica’s sentiments on this (not shocking, since we discussed it last night before she wrote that post). Put positive energy out there in the world. [...]

By: Erica

Erica — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:09:15 +0000

What’s interesting — is the person who made that statement is someone who I admire a great deal. And to be rather honest — the thought had crossed my mind as well. I think it goes back to focus. I could spend all day being angry because this happened — or I could use it as a chance to focus on the great things Kathy has brought to my life.

It seems to me that we never really properly appreciate the people in our lives until something terrible happens. Instead of making this about hatred, anger, and law enforcement — why not combat this travesty with love and goodwill? I’m such the idealist - no?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:03:02 +0000

“Volunteering to hunt down and pound the bejeesus out of anyone who would threaten Kathy Sierra” is certainly not an acceptable course of action. It’s not constructive, either. I think we have to keep a head of common sense, we have to work together to deal appropriately with those who commit these horrid acts, and we have to focus on the good, as you say.

If we’re adult about it, it helps keep the ones who aren’t in line.