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I find it bizarre that you can come onto a forum like HN and insult me, call me an asshole, and effectively slander me and that's quite alright. You're totally

by zedshaw 16y ago

I find it bizarre that you can come onto a forum like HN and insult me, call me an asshole, and effectively slander me and that's quite alright. You're totally not an asshole at all. But if I out-rant a dude who compares me to Lady Gaga and tries to kick me when I'm down for no other reason than to drive traffic to his poorly written blog and sell more videos, then I'm an asshole? You have the same double standard all geeks have. You let the blow hards, pundits, and bullies get away with treating other people poorly, lie, and hype themselves endlessly, but when someone calls them on it you call them an asshole or worse.

tel 16y ago
You're right. It's easy to talk about people as though they're not people online, even when you're secretly trying to praise them. I'm usually finding myself agreeing with you when reading things like that and even loving the vitriol while wincing. So I apologize for writing timidly previously. I apologize for standing behind your back and spreading my opinion in an unbalanced fashion. I made the classic mistake of forgetting I'm actually in public. I'll say it to you directly. Zed, I'm glad you stand up for yourself, both against my clumsy commentary and all the other blowhards who strike at you. I'm even glad you do it so vocally because it is a damn good story: the wronged who doesn't go quietly into the night. The only negative side is that your voice is corrosive and bitter and if it weren't I'd feel a lot more comfortable about agreeing with you. As it is I feel like I'm nodding along as the bully takes out that annoying kid who really just had it coming. It feels good, but society is built on not just sitting and watching that happen. Worse, I hate that I end up remembering that feeling whenever I read about any of the cool things you do. So yeah, I still think you're an asshole. It's unfortunately not what's fair or what's owed but instead how it looks. I'm sure you're ready to tell me why I'm wrong, but don't worry because I've already got a truckload of cognitive dissonance going on. It doesn't help that I think Fret War and Shedding Bikes and Lamson and Mongrel are all great projects and am completely sure that you're a great friend to those who earn your respect. I just see it as the image you've intentionally built for yourself. Starting with ZSFA and now eking into oppugn.us.
- andrewtj 16y ago
  Zed's writing has generally struck me as being pure larrikinism (especially under the banner of ZSFA). Unfortunately I'm not sure that there is an analogue for larrikinsim in American culture and it's not a concept I can easily explain; there is a subtlety to it that makes it both difficult to convey and difficult to execute. If you Google it you might be able get an idea of what it's about and perhaps get a different perspective on Zed's writing.

by zedshaw 16y ago

tel 16y ago

You're right. It's easy to talk about people as though they're not people online, even when you're secretly trying to praise them. I'm usually finding myself agreeing with you when reading things like that and even loving the vitriol while wincing. So I apologize for writing timidly previously. I apologize for standing behind your back and spreading my opinion in an unbalanced fashion. I made the classic mistake of forgetting I'm actually in public. I'll say it to you directly. Zed, I'm glad you stand up for yourself, both against my clumsy commentary and all the other blowhards who strike at you. I'm even glad you do it so vocally because it is a damn good story: the wronged who doesn't go quietly into the night. The only negative side is that your voice is corrosive and bitter and if it weren't I'd feel a lot more comfortable about agreeing with you. As it is I feel like I'm nodding along as the bully takes out that annoying kid who really just had it coming. It feels good, but society is built on not just sitting and watching that happen. Worse, I hate that I end up remembering that feeling whenever I read about any of the cool things you do. So yeah, I still think you're an asshole. It's unfortunately not what's fair or what's owed but instead how it looks. I'm sure you're ready to tell me why I'm wrong, but don't worry because I've already got a truckload of cognitive dissonance going on. It doesn't help that I think Fret War and Shedding Bikes and Lamson and Mongrel are all great projects and am completely sure that you're a great friend to those who earn your respect. I just see it as the image you've intentionally built for yourself. Starting with ZSFA and now eking into oppugn.us.

andrewtj 16y ago
Zed's writing has generally struck me as being pure larrikinism (especially under the banner of ZSFA). Unfortunately I'm not sure that there is an analogue for larrikinsim in American culture and it's not a concept I can easily explain; there is a subtlety to it that makes it both difficult to convey and difficult to execute. If you Google it you might be able get an idea of what it's about and perhaps get a different perspective on Zed's writing.