…badges.

There’s been some discussion recently about a ‘voluntary’ blogging code of conduct (I can get a badge and add more bling to my sidebars). Here’s a perspective from the Index on Censorship.

Now I’m all for manners and civility in the blogsphere. For me it comes down to this. If you want a civil blog, and your com-boxes to contain civil discourse, no badge or code is going to do it. You have to manage your blog. Isn’t that the thing that makes for a great blog, the writers involvment?

Sure, if you want to write a few tidbits here and there about your personal adventures that’s fine – for your and perhaps grandma’s reading enjoyment. But if you, in any way, choose to be serious, you’ll be involved. You’ll write on some sort of regular schedule, prune the comment spam (better yet, use Akismet), and monitor AND respond to your com-boxes.

What you say? You’re Arianna Huffington and you can’t manage the whole thing (we should all have this problem) by yourself. Well then, get yourself down to your local geek, writers, or politicians watering hole and hire a few folks to help you out.

Unfortunately it would appear that some desire cover, just in case they have to unceremoniously delete someone’s snarky commentary. Look, friend, I’m a member of the state, and we don’t put up with that, and because of our laws, I’ve got to delete you.

Uh, yeah. But only if you need a state (read any organized community) to act as cover for your lack of personal standards, courage, fortitude, or management ability.

Don’t you just hate it when a non-system evolves into a system?