Think about it. If you lived in a small town, you would be publicly shamed for this sort of thing. As our population has increased, we have seen IMO an explosion of people acting like total assholes because they feel anonymous. Now that the possibility exists to be outed for acting like a jerk, it is like the Internet is helping to bring us full circle back to personal accountability. I am sure that there is a down side, but I sure got a chuckle.
It’s strange but reading that article has almost gotten me to change my mind… or at least consider it more closely…
I used to think that it was a shame that cities (and society at large) are so big and impersonel, that there is no personel accounting for one’s actions, and that has led to the increase in rudness and lack of personal responsibility that is all too common nowadays. I used to wish that there was a way to change that.
But now that I see it in action, I fear for it’s possible misuse. What if someone had a personal grudge and created a website filled with lies? It’s all too easy for those reading it to think that it must be true.
In the article listed in the OP, that women left her job because of the ridicule she faced from not cleaning up after her dog. That’s a harsh penalty to pay for a minor incident.
Oh sure. The potential for abuse is staggering, and it seems to have gone way too far. That said, there is a part of me that likes the idea that even in this increasingly urban, anonymous environment that people can still be accountable for their actions.
IMO, the two most important aspects of the case are that 1. she is guilty of what she’s being accused of (so no one is speading lies about her), and 2. she did it in public (so no one violated her right to privacy).
After that, I say let the public decide.
After all, if she were the “just missed the elevator girl” or the “can’t decide which movie to see girl” they could put her mug on every website on the internet and who would care? No, she’s the girl who refused to pick up her dog’s poop on a public train. That’s why her life is miserable: because what she did was so offensive to people.