March 3, 2008
Campus Gossip Gets Hateful. Wait, Isn't That the Point?
A couple of blogs have pointed out that Matt Ivester, creator of the campus gossip blog JuicyCampus.com, has pleaded for a cease-fire among users who have apparently gotten particularly hateful. This comes in light of the backlash the site has received from various students and administrators.
“Some of the things that have been posted have been mean-spirited, and we have received e-mails from people claiming to have been defamed on the site,” Mr. Ivester writes. “Our hope for the site has always been that JuicyCampus would be a place for fun, lighthearted gossip, rather than a place to tear down people or groups.”
But what did he think would happen?
Not that this is the first place this has been said.—Hurley Goodall
Posted on Monday March 3, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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It’s what happens when some nitwit passes out loaded guns to immature idiots who think life has a rewind button. People get hurt. Twits who don’t know the difference between gossip and slander or between commentary and libel will be getting an education, even if not the kind their parents think they’re getting.
Pretty comes and pretty goes, but dumb is forever.— Dan Kirklin Mar 4, 08:46 AM #
I don’t think there is such a thing as “fun, lighthearted gossip.” Gossip by its nature will hurt the subject, or at least annoy.
It’s more salutary – and more in keeping with respect for one another’s personal dignity – to put our efforts into building one another up, instead of tearing each other down. If such positive comments are made on this blog, they will start to reverse the damaging effects of the gossip.
— thoughtful Mar 4, 09:54 AM #
Chalk this endeavor up under the It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time column.
— Ike McCaslin Mar 4, 10:07 AM #
Well, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but if you want to know something about Matt Ivester, I heard from his good friend—-now you can’t tell anyone I said this because it could ruin Matt’s career—-but this friend told me something about Matt that is so bad my friend could hardly talk about it without gagging. I really can’t believe it’s Matt who would do such a thing, but my friend swears it’s true and so I’m posting it here because I think people should know what other people are saying just in case that person—I mean those persons—-well, you know what I mean—I just think it’s not fair for Matt to get away with it, you know?
— marci Mar 4, 04:55 PM #
Wow, I think I heard that same thing. It was really awful so he started that website so people wouldn’t pay attention to what had happened and what he did.
— Marjrorie D Mar 4, 09:10 PM #