Should You Sign Your Name Here?
We had an e-mail from a reader who stated that while he enjoyed the blog, he didn't read as often because people don't sign their names.
We've had some discussion around this before but I thought it worth revisiting.
Now for those who don't know it, we allow monikers because many of our readers are SPS employees who might otherwise face issues if they signed their names. (Also, we allow NO purely anonymous names because it becomes difficult to follow with multiple anonymous posts and well, if you are unable to think up a blog name, you probably are not in the right place.)
However, I do find sometimes when people make grand claims, I long for a name. Who is willing to make big statements/opinions - usually backed by no data - and not sign their name? That is the frustration of the internet; that ability to say anything you want without having to take credit/blame for it.
To the credit of our readers, we rarely get trolls. We carry on a fairly civil discourse (and if you don't believe it, go check nearly any other comments section at any other site).
So, I'll ask - should people sign their names? Does it matter to the blog itself? Does it matter to you?
We've had some discussion around this before but I thought it worth revisiting.
Now for those who don't know it, we allow monikers because many of our readers are SPS employees who might otherwise face issues if they signed their names. (Also, we allow NO purely anonymous names because it becomes difficult to follow with multiple anonymous posts and well, if you are unable to think up a blog name, you probably are not in the right place.)
However, I do find sometimes when people make grand claims, I long for a name. Who is willing to make big statements/opinions - usually backed by no data - and not sign their name? That is the frustration of the internet; that ability to say anything you want without having to take credit/blame for it.
To the credit of our readers, we rarely get trolls. We carry on a fairly civil discourse (and if you don't believe it, go check nearly any other comments section at any other site).
So, I'll ask - should people sign their names? Does it matter to the blog itself? Does it matter to you?
Comments
John Smith
I don't sign my name because I have a unique name that is searchable on the internet, and thus, anything I post on a forum becomes a public record that follows me into the future (for example, a random comment that I made on a usenet bulletin board 20+ years ago can still be found associated with my name).
If I was required to post my real name, I would have to post a lot less, and much more carefully think out my comments much more thoroughly, to think of my board comments as endorsements/public statements rather than conversation.
(zb)
Frankly I know of very very few blogs/forums etc that require such a thing and I actually think it's likely detrimental to open discourse - if one has the perception (right or wrong) that your job could be at stake for what you say, are you going to be as open and honest as many commenters have been here?
--- someone who knows
Anonymity is valuable and has its place. Our family is currently dealing with a poor teacher - the worst teacher we've had after all good or very good teachers the past seven years in SPS. I would love to tell this teacher what I think of him and his teaching, but I don't want it to hurt my kid. I like that this blog allows you to post without a concern about retaliation. People CAN retaliate against you for speaking the truth.
-living in the real world
-Ann O'Nymous
It takes some degree of courage to sign your name. It's not about "gratifying your ego" - it's about willing to be named, no matter what you say and have the courage of your convictions.
Your children do follow as you lead.
I recently changed my user id on the Seattle Times comments from a psuedonym, coolpapa, to my real name. We'll see how that works out.
If I was required to post my real name, I would have to post a lot less, and much more carefully think out my comments much more thoroughly, to think of my board comments as endorsements/public statements rather than conversation.
I'm self employed and have to keep track of my internet presence. Though I stand behind what I post, I don't need clients weeding through all these comments to find bits relevant to my work.
SolvayGirl
As far as wild claims, I think a strong "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" policy would be good. Challenge people making those claims to provide evidence. There are places where documents can be posted anonymously to back up claims. Where there isn't a piece of paper, people can choose to believe or not.
I have no problem with an opinion if it is stated as such.
You have to have real people, real quotes, real attribution before you are a journalist.
Past Exhibit A: Anything having to do with Maria Goodloe-Johnson's performance. The woman blatantly tried to fire employees and nonemployees alike who didn't agree with her.
Current Exhibit B: Cross the Big Ed Reform backers and they will aim to make your name mud in their cocktail circles and beyond (see LEV, Gates Foundation, Stand, Bezos parents, John Stanton)
Current Exhibit C: Cross the politicians backed by Big Ed Reform and get same result. See wanna-be-mayor and Families and Ed Levy is My Fiefdom Tim Burgess as Exhibit A in that one.
DistrictWatcher
It is nice that many people post consistently with a "name" that we can all recognize, so we get the benefit of following their thinking over time (whether we agree or disagree with it). To me, that is what really matters. From time to time, someone posts really flaming, outre stuff -- but it is easy to spot; Melissa or Charlie usually outs them by requesting proof that they can't/won't provide -- and the issue goes away. I also think that it IS true that some parents want to be able to post examples that involve their kids, or their kids' schools, without becoming personal.
Frankly, I have NEVER found the current policy to be an issue (except for the day I couldn't get the log in to work and posted as "anonymous" -- as did at least two others, causing total bewilderment trying to follow everyone's positions). That was easily solved.
"Until people sign their real names or the owners of the blog attribute quotes to real people...this will only be a blog."
Well, golly, as opposed to what? A reputable, reliable source of unbiased information, like the Seattle Times?
(That's a JOKE, son!)
I'm with just about everybody else here: sign if you can, but if you can't, no sweat.
Finally, if I'm assuming correctly that you're name tag is a play on Alexander Hamilton, please let me remind you that he famously used the pseudonym of Publius when he contributed to The Federalist Papers.
--- someone who knows
As a former SPS teacher, even with an annon name I couldn't really get into the horrible things that were happening to me last year in SPS because those details could be used to track me down. I appreciated having a voice, no matter how small, even if I couldn't really get into the abuse I suffered at the hands of SPS admin.
-PS
The reason A. Hamilton (and virtually every other writer of that era) used a pseudium was because they were not writing "unbiased" pieces.
They were writing to persuade. They were writing with an agenda. Often times they were writing with half-truths to get a result that they wanted.
gads.
-ABC
-- Ivan Weiss