Blue Like You

Jonathan Kay’s column in today’s National Post bemoaning the decline of print media is a story in itself, but his example of what we would be missing without it is equally fascinating (You’ll miss us when we’re gone ).

Having always been interested in psychology I was intrigued to read the NY Times article to which he was referring - The Rise of Malwebolence by Mattathias Schwartz.

Kay argues that without the financial resources of a strong print media and old-fashioned "shoe-leather reporting", great stories like Schwartz’s will be missing.

Since I already touched on the future of MSM a few months ago, I’d like to focus on Schwartz’s column.

What is a troll?

Kay provides the following definition, borrowed heavily from Schwartz’s piece:

They are the juvenile cretins who infest Internet message boards, taunting the earnest types chatting away about Gossip Girl, or Barack Obama, or Scientology. Their method is to post willfully ignorant, insulting messages, then sit back and enjoy the righteous, impotent fury aroused among the true believers.

Trolling is an inherently nihilistic activity — which is why most trolls tend to be adolescent males, the sort of specimens who would otherwise entertain themselves by using bathroom graffiti to libel the sexual habits of high-school classmates. But there is a small elite that has turned trolling into a full-time calling. They congregate on anonymous Web sites such as 4chan.org, and informally tally the "lulz" they’ve earned by humiliating others.

One of the ‘trolls’ that Schwartz interviewed explained:

"Lulz is watching someone lose their mind at their computer 2,000 miles away while you chat with friends and laugh…"

Nice.

Kay admires Schwartz for being able to acquire the confidence and trust of the "cynical, nihilistic misanthropes who, by their own professed creed, don’t trust anyone. They met him, in the flesh, showed him where they live and even let him watch as they went about their trolling."

Kay interprets Schwartz’s investigation of what makes a troll tick with the following observations:

…As they warmed to Schwartz, the trolls dropped their macho facade and revealed themselves as damaged souls. One troll prince Schwartz met had been molested by his grandfather and had shut off communication with his mother by sending her a letter instructing her to kill herself. Another is an apocalyptic hatemonger, who fantasizes about putting the Web’s "retards" "in the oven." These are sad, sad people, trying desperately to medicate their self-loathing by imposing it on others …

Well, self-loathing may indeed be part of it, but I think the real key can be found at the end of Schwartz’ piece:

…Weeks later, after talking to his longtime friend Zach, Fortuny began considering the deeper emotional forces that drove him to troll. His mind-set, he said, "allows me to find people who do stupid things and turn them around. Zach asked if I thought I could turn my parents around. I almost broke down. The idea of them learning from their mistakes and becoming people that I could actually be proud of … it was overwhelming." He continued: "It’s not that I do this because I hate them. I do this because I’m trying to save them."

The way I see it, the more aggressive trolls believe that they have far superior intelligence compared to the rest of us and feel compelled to save us from ourselves. In their minds, they are doing us a favour. They are pointing out our stupidity with the hope that we may someday see the light.

And they will keep trying until they succeed - which is to say, until we agree with them.

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Update: Sandy has a great column up at Jack’s Newswatch - A follow-up to trolls & Canadian Cynic.

Yesterday Jack posted this story as it appeared in the final version of the NY Times. The link I provided above is obviously an earlier, shorter version. Check out Jack’s Newswatch for the whole story. (Kinda catchy, don’t ya think Jack?)

Big City Lib addresses Jonathan Kay’s concerns about the future of MSM. And related to that, Lawrence Martin muses on the fate of the National Post. A Liberal Senator wants to buy it? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Several bloggers and readers have noted that MSM’s reaction concerning Prime Minister Stephen Harper being the first Canadian to receive the B’nai Brith International President’s Gold Medallion, has been underwhelming to say the least.

As Sandy pointed out , if you do happen to stumble upon the story, it is buried in news of Harper’s reaction to the Zimbabwe ‘election’ results. I haven’t had any success at all trying to find a MSM link to the award story itself.

Meanwhile, Rob Granatstein bemoans the the tough state of the newspaper industry today - Paying for quality work:

The newspaper industry has been turned on its ear.

The change in the way news is being consumed, from the solid version printed on trees (recycled paper in our case) to the Internet, has been unkind to us in the great, old newspaper business. Not everyone has been able to keep up.

Having the news delivered in electronic form is our future. That’s bad news, potentially, because the economics of producing a newspaper haven’t yet translated into the online world — even with the savings of not having to print and deliver the paper…

I hear him on the last issue. It is tough making any money on the internet from ads. And trying to charge the reader an online fee doesn’t seem to work out either. Just ask the Globe, which recently ‘unlocked’ all online articles.

However, I think there is a healthy balance for MSM and bloggers. Exactly where that balance is and who will pay for it remains to be seen.

But when MSM downplays an important event like the Prime Minister of Canada receiving an historic Human Rights award, or the print media gets scooped by bloggers, you have to wonder where the ‘quality’ journalism really is.

Don Martin’s comment piece in today’s National Post has been bugging me all day (Harper looks to woo soccer moms) and I couldn’t figure out why. Then the answer start bubbling up through my consciousness. - His sexist attitude is showing again.

Remember when he was telling Helena Guergis how she should be acting under certain circumstances and when she was allowed to show emotion, and so on? Well, now he’s trying to tell us that Harper’s concern for human health and consumer safety is an attempt to “crack the estrogen voting code”!!!

Never mind that there may actually be the odd male out there who cares about his baby’s health or if that apple juice he’s giving his toddler really comes from Canada even though it’s labeled as “Product of Canada “.

But here’s the best one:

…But the overarching point of all this is that all three initiatives cater to soccer mom and Tim Hortons sensibilities — voters who don’t fret over young offender legislation, mandatory sentences or 99% of all those Conservative ideological priorities …

Get that, ladies? You don’t need to worry your purdy little heads about crime, and complicated stuff like that. Let the menfolk deal with it.

Perhaps it’s time for the Post to send old Don off for some sensitivity training …

Again we are witnessing the thinly-veiled symbiotic relationship of MSM and two of the opposition parties as they work together to smear this Conservative government. The only question is which one is actually the instigator here.

CBC’s Keith Boag reported on last night’s National (right-click on link and choose ‘open link in new tab’) , that the opposition parties knew about this for weeks , so why did they wait so long to raise an issue that supposedly relates to national security? He says that the opposition parties encouraged the media to report it before they dared bring it up themselves.

Why? Did they already know this story had no substance and they needed the media bandwagon to justify the invasion of privacy of the Minister and his ex-girlfriend?

Chantel Hebert confirms the conspiracy:

..But the inside story is that, behind the scenes, the Bloc (and the Liberals) had been actively lobbying the media to break the news for weeks…

To its credit, the NDP party does not feel that this is any of their business, which would tend to support the view that the Bernier’s relationship with Couillard hardly represents a breach of national security.

Or as Don Martin pointed out, "Julie Couillard has never been charged nor convicted of a crime, except falling for a political figure in a Parliament where guilt by association overrides the presumption of innocence."

But considering the lack of substantial policy offerings in the Bloc and Liberal parties, one can understand (but not forgive) their desperate attempt to grasp at any straw as they glumly watch their polling numbers stagnate if not decline .

And some members of the media are only too happy to assist.

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Update : Steve Janke continues investigating the conspiracy angle here .

Saturday Update : Gerry Nicholls has a great letter in today’s Post :

The Liberal Party of Canada has officially hit rock bottom. With all the important issues facing this country — war in Afghanistan, possible economic recession, soaring gas prices — the Liberals have chosen instead to focus public attention on the sex life of Cabinet minister Maxime Bernier. How sleazy. How sad.

It seems the once proud party of Laurier, King and Pearson, the party some have called the "most successful political machine in Western democracy," is now simply the political equivalent of The National Enquirer.

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Sunday Update : The Chronicle Herald has a cartoon that I feel is in really bad taste. I don’t even want to link to it directly, but you can view it via National Newswatch. I wonder how many other past Cabinet Minister’s names could be inserted in that cartoon? I can think of one Liberal cabinet minister for sure. Oh, that’s right. Liberals keep their mouths shut. Uh-huh.

Today’s Star features an intriguing article that examines how MSM is starting to wake up to the fact that many people are turning towards the internet as their #1 source for news - Papers boosting their online “brand”.

The Star itself is focussing more attention on ad revenue generated from interest-specific sites, which is also an area that has attracted many bloggers.

As for the print version, I think it will continue although subscriptions will probably decline over time as downloads to personal portable devices rise in popularity.

Another area that will likely grow is the option of a subscription to an ad-free internet zone, embellished with extra features not available on the free site. This is where I think the Globe is behind the times with most of their stories under subscriber lock. It discourages Bloggers from linking to their articles, which decreases traffic to their ad-revenue generated sites. If they were more media-savvy, they’d have both.

Can bloggers and MSM co-exist? Undoubtedly most political blogs are dependent on MSM, and I’ll be the first to admit it.

However, I do see a symbiotic relationship emerging as bloggers drive traffic to MSM internet sites and further discussion surrounding their editorials and news items. Some folks may even be encouraged to pick up the print version due to a Blogger’s urging.

Yesterday, I was told by a well-known MSM reporter that he has a “problem with bloggers because they are not trained reporters, and frequently spread misinformation due to their reliance on speculation and assumptions driven by their personal, dogmatic agendas…”

Well with all due respect, I don’t think bloggers have a monopoly on that one, sir.

On Monday the Canadian Press released a story stating that Alyn Waage said that Brenda Martin advised him by letter of a demand by Mexican officials for $500,000 to be able to get out of prison.

Funny thing is, it’s not true according to Brenda Martin herself who supposedly told Charles Rusnell, who then mentioned it on Tuesday’s Charles Adler show.

You can hear it yourself by checking out CJOB’s audio vault, and selecting Tuesday, March 25 at around the 1:40 p.m. mark. (H/T Orville who’s been right on top of this story, and Peter 12 in comments at DMB)

Rusnell clearly says on the tape that Brenda told him that she has never been asked directly to pay a bribe… That it doesn’t work that way anyhow - it’s all done through a law firm.

So there may be a nuance of truth somewhere along the line, but the con man’s version of the story is shaky at best. So where’s the update, CP?

Meanwhile, a couple of MP’s are still perplexed by the $500,000 bribe allegation.

Why is it so hard to get the facts, and why weren’t Waage’s allegations verified before the story was released?

If I wanted fiction, I’d have bought a novel.

* Denier - Anyone who crosses David Suzuki.

Tomorrow, Kyoto überkop David Suzuki will use a news conference in Ottawa in another attempt to shame the Federal Government into including in its budget a “carbon tax or carbon trading system to cut greenhouse gas emissions”.

If that doesn’t work there’s always jail.

Meanwhile, Kate has highlighted two excellent columns in today’s Sun. Angelo Persichilli asks for some truth from the media about how much environmental changes will cost us and how effective (or ineffective) they’re likely to be - Science and politics overlap the truth.

The ever-witty Lorrie Goldstein explains how the ‘Suzuki Nation’ attempts to shame us lest we dare complain about the high costs of going green and how we’re being hoodwinked into thinking that something might actually be accomplished in the bargain - It’s green fever madness!

Best line:

…And finally in crazytown … Ottawa … where, amongst so many other absurdities on the environmental front, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, a man who can’t control his caucus, has a plan to control the climate…

But Kate’s got a few little gems of her own as she exposes the hypocrisy of jouralists who pretend to care about the environment:

…But let’s back up a little, for this is the end of civilization as we know it, and they’re apparently convinced of that. A planetary emergency, no less.

How does one convinced of impending planetary doom get up in the morning to work in the industry they do - an industry that employs vast numbers of people to travel the country via commercial jet and automobile, that sustains huge media complexes clogged to the ceilings with electricity consuming CO2-belching technology, that hauls tons of satellite equipment to produce on-the-scene reporting?

That indulges in the broadcasting of sporting events? And entertainment “news”?

“We interrupt this report on the last remaining meter of Arctic sea ice to bring you live footage of Britney Spears’ entourage leaving the hospital … John, you’re in the helicoptor, what can you tell us?”

When it comes to curtailing wasteful practices and excessive C02 emissions, shouldn’t they be among the first to go?

From SDA: Y2Kyoto - The Twilight Zone.

Brilliant stuff, Kate!

So as Saint Suzuki gets on the media pulpit tomorrow to whip up his congregation into another lynch-mob frenzy, just remember that there are a few truthful media pundits left.

Cherish them - before they join Harper in the gallows.

Greg Weston’s hostility and vitriol directed at the PMO has reached a new low - PM makes ‘em gag.

…Even letters to the editor that may be critical of The Conservative Truth are apparently out.

“If you identify yourself as a Canadian Grain Commission employee in a letter to the editor that criticizes government policy relating to (the commission), you could create a perception that your views of government policy are not impartial, and that you may not be able to follow or apply government policy in an impartial manner.”

Translation: By all means write to the paper, and be sure to check the want ads for your next job opportunity…

Pull-eeze. Public servants are supposed to appear non-partisan. A few years ago, I was at a large family get-together, and wanted to talk politics with a relative who works for Elections Canada. He shied away from the discussion citing a need to be non-partisan. And that was a Liberal Government, Greg. At a family party. Not even a public forum.

So go find something else to whine about.

Today’s Globe cites an ‘anonymous source’ as having some inside information on the Afghan detainee controversy - Detainee fallout: take few, free quickly. (H/T National Newswatch)

How is it that the Globe can publish operational security details? Don’t they know that the Taliban can read?

…One well-placed source who spoke to The Globe and Mail Monday on condition of anonymity said that, in addition to being told that Canadian detainees were being held at Kandahar Air Force base, he understood some insurgents detained in joint Canadian Forces-Afghan National Army combat operations were being turned over to the Afghan military in a “grey zone” action.

He said he has been told that Canadians have been content in some cases to allow operations to be labelled as Afghan-led military proceedings. Thus, detainees passed into Afghan military hands with no records kept…

But the Post reports that Harper calls this information “operational security”:

…Citing “operational security” and the desire not to tip their hand to the Taliban, Mr. Harper and his Cabinet refused yesterday to discuss what was being done now with detainees…

Politically, it would be to his advantage to disclose the information and be ‘transparent’ about the whole process, so there must be a reason to keep details on a need-to-know basis.

And so just who is this ‘well-placed source’ and why did he feel he needed to bypass national security and the safety of our troops to get this story to the Globe? And how do we know it is true? How can we check?

Where’s the accountability?