On Spitting as Teaching Method

Michael Arrington was spit on at the DLD and not suprisingly he was not amused. Factoring in the backstory he relates in his post, his call for change makes sense. Paul Carr weighs in, urging himself and others to be nicer and reflect a bit about our fucked up actions and not believe everything that is written on the internet. One would think we knew that, considering yellow press is old news and  these publication are fish-wrapping paper at best. Why would it be different on the internet?
Interestingly enough (at least to me), this whole episode comes in the wake of the Change-Master’s inauguration. I am emotionally still in a “change” mood, waiting for and no doubt expecting exciting actions from Barack Obama. And, I am indeed watching the TV show The West Wing at the moment, fascinated by how fast things happen, which brings me back to Arrington’s Techcrunch blog. Successful operations will piss people off, because at some point the volume of input will be prioritized and stuff will fall of the back shelf. That’s life. No reason to spit. And no reason to forget you manners.
The day before reading Paul Carr’s article I had just watched the quoted West Wing episode, which not only was a reminder to stand by your own words

“You know what, fellas, when I say something, I sign my name.” Sure
enough, he grabs a pen and paper and scribbles the message “you’re
fired – Sam Seaborn”. Surely that’s rule number one – the Seaborn Rule
of internet commenting: If you’ve got something to say online, say it
in your own name or fuck off.

but also to be respectful to other opinions, even to listen to what the other side has to say, think about it and maybe, maybe come to the conclusion that you’ve been a horse’s ass and change you own view of things. (Sam changes his mind on a position after listening to Ainsley with an “n”)

Now, I am going to put myself out there a bit and I know Mike Arrington doesn’t need people standing up for him – that is not what I am doing here, but I just have to call out Marco Arment, developer of Tumblr, and will proudly put my name under this post.  Who the hell do you think you are, hoping that the spitting incident will

“make him (Arrington) a better person. Maybe he will finally make TechCrunch a worthy publication with quality writing and some semblance of journalistic integrity.”

Not only are you mixing up personal stuff with business stuff, in my opinion “you’re so far over the line, the line is a dot to you” (JT). Who died and left you the judge on who is good person? I know I am not, maybe you are and nobody told me, but, and let me quote Will Hunting here, from the scene were Clark emberrases Chuckie:

The sad thing is, in about 50 years you might start doin’ some thinkin’ on your own and by then you’ll realize there are only two certainties in life. One, don’t do that.

I care and my name is Sebastian.