Dec 26 2008
Fanning The Flames
Flame wars destroy
I have lost track of how often I have read a blog post entitled something like, “10 Tips for Boosting Traffic” that includes the advice “Be controversial.”
Please, don’t.
Be honest, be straightforward, be blunt, be yourself. But please, no – please do not be controversial.
It’s hard to build a community. It’s easy to destroy one.
Screaming matches add nothing to a blog. Snide and snarky remarks do not sway opinions. The shouting match culture of cable TV is not entertaining – it’s adolescent.
I don’t know of any studies that show the number of blogs and forums damaged by flame wars vs. the number of blogs and forums made successful by controversial posts. I do know that I no longer visit a number of former favorite hang outs because of the ugly atmosphere created by internet bullies.
Why would you open the flood gates to toxic sludge just to boost your stats?
Use Offline Manners Online
It may not get you to the front page of Digg, but using your offline manners can be surprisingly effective if you want to participate in an online community, rather than a mob.
- Address people by name.
- Ask, don’t demand
- Say please and thanks
- Give others the benefit of the doubt
In short, even on the internet, treat others the way you’d like to be treated.
Photo by Esther Kirby Released under Creative Commons license
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