A Journalistic Tough Skin = Necessary

Posted by Joshua S. Hill

January 4, 2008

You know, each day I realize just how glad I am to have my happy pills (ie, medication for depression and anxiety). As I continue to grow in my journalistic abilities and continue to be read by more and more people, I find that I’m getting more and more mail - and very little of it is encouraging.

Most of it consists of people who believe that my opinion is wrong, and are intent on telling me so. This is especially so with anything I write for Green Options, which is not surprising considering the topic.

I’ve been constantly targeted recently by certain commenter’s who definitely do not like what it is I am reporting on. They believe that I am skewing the reports, and putting my own hype on them. I respond by saying (I don’t, but I’ll do it here anyway) that there is hype necessary, and the only hype I give it is the one necessary to make people see what is happening.

But then again, when I make it to Digg, it get’s ten times worse, where the ability to comment is given to the masses, with a lot of ease. Take a look at this comment from my latest front pager on Digg!

Global warming deniers don’t deny the earth is warmer we just deny its mans fault. What we don’t like is neo-communists like yourself, using increased temperatures to slow down the progress of the West through climate agreements that do nothing but tax developed nations for their success and place no limitations on newly developed nations. Carbon credits and schemes like that are global socialism trying to transfer wealth from rich nations to poorer ones. We see your sick little plan and are not gonna play your fucking game.

I feel like I’m back in the McCarthy era, about to be strung up for putting communist Russia against of my own mother country. That my mother country never had any trouble with Russia (that I know of) is another point entirely. How sheep-minded must you be to believe that those of us trying to help the environment are out to take money away from the wealthy.

Side note - I’d join that cause!

Veronica Belmont has also had some trouble of late, with the internet providing people the ability to voice their mediocre and lame opinions far too easily. Thankfully, on her own blog (see point 6), she linked to a comic from Penny Arcade which all to well sums up what happens on the internet! Take a look!