Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Parents who feed their crying babies

Author:Dave Winer
Posted:11/25/1998; 8:22:12 AM
Topic:Testing a new feature.
Msg #:496 (In response to 495)
Prev/Next:495 / 497

You could be right. But from my point of view, and from the point of view of a lot of public writers, the whole thing backfires on the crybabies. In fact I am not their mother, they are strangers to me, so the only level I care about them and their needs is thru projection, which is a total fantasy. I imagine that they're someone who needs my help and protection, but they don't. They could put up their own website, build an audience, and present a balancing opinion to people they disagree with. If they do it in an interesting or timely way, I might even point to them, sharing my flow.

I think there's always a choice between being powerful and powerless. Complaining is powerless. Doing something to provide balance is powerful. This is my problem with Netscape. Almost since the beginning they were claiming they were powerless. Same with Apple. Same with me, too. But there came a day when I understood this, and I try to add to the world, not subtract from it.

The people who complain about my linking to pieces they don't like are powerless, acting like I'm their mother and if I don't see it their way they will perish. This is total nonsense.

Dave

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