The Dark Side Of Public Expression

As best I can tell, my audience splits 1/3 online/catalog marketing folks, 1/3 arrive via search, and 1/3 are from the blogging community.

This means 1/3 of my audience are disturbed by the way one of our own has been treated. Kathy Sierra of Creating Passionate Users recently received vile, disturbing threats.

We all have a responsibility to lead by example. Bloggers don't need to blast every corporate entity that represents an easy target. Those who comment on blogs can be part of a community without stating every vile opinion, just because you can. If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything.

For the rest of you, I am going to be far more careful when I link to others, or share information from other sources. I need to only link to reputable folks who exhibit a positive attitude. Those I link to are, by default, an extension of what I stand for. More than anything, that's what I've learned from the sad Kathy Sierra situation.