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KatyaR

(3,445 posts)
Thu May 23, 2013, 02:50 PM May 2013

Why I Hate The Internet, Disaster Edition, by Colin Newman

(I'm posting this because I have tornado storm burnout....)

http://okc.net/2013/05/23/frequently-asked-questions-hate-internet/


I considered putting together a big compendium of every snide, offensive, ignorant, or otherwise wrongheaded comment I could find about the tornado. I decided not to, both because I have railed against that tactic in the past and because it would literally kill my soul to compile it. Let me instead address the salient points that keep cropping up, in the hopes that someone who is modestly reflective will stumble onto this post and will be persuaded to not be an asshole. I realize that this is optimistic in the extreme, but a man can dream.[/exerpt]

1. “Stupid Okies. You should have had tornado shelters.”

A lot of people do, which is part of why a tornado that destroyed thousands of homes killed 24 people. A lot of those were children at school. Generally people assume that large institutional buildings like that can take a hit from a tornado better than a house can. Not necessarily. That’s one of the things we learned this week. We have already started pushing for better code requirements for schools and hospitals, but thank you for the concern about our stupidity. It means so very much to us in this trying time.

....


10. “Generic Snide Remark about Oklahoma, Okies, Flyover Zone People, etc.”

We’ve heard it all before, but could you at least hold off on it for a week while we bury our neighbors? I promise you can get back to sneering at the yokels any day now.
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Why I Hate The Internet, Disaster Edition, by Colin Newman (Original Post) KatyaR May 2013 OP
When's a better time to talk about it? The next news cycle? coldmountain May 2013 #1
"bury our neighbors" CBGLuthier May 2013 #2
The Internet has destroyed the standard of interpersonal communications. Pragdem May 2013 #3
It sure hasn't elevated the conversation wryter2000 May 2013 #4
Ther's something deeply addictive about flame wars. sibelian May 2013 #5

CBGLuthier

(12,723 posts)
2. "bury our neighbors"
Thu May 23, 2013, 03:03 PM
May 2013

The bodies were not even cold when the shit started and I mainly read one website so three guesses where the shit was at and the first two don't count.

I imagine this thread too will be full of sickening statements before it is done.

 

Pragdem

(233 posts)
3. The Internet has destroyed the standard of interpersonal communications.
Thu May 23, 2013, 03:13 PM
May 2013

It has created this troubling environment in which someone is compelled to make a more over-the-top comment than the last person.

Expressing our sympathy should be enough. People no longer know how to act like human beings.

sibelian

(7,804 posts)
5. Ther's something deeply addictive about flame wars.
Thu May 23, 2013, 03:25 PM
May 2013

I speak as a never-quite-recovering flamaholic.
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