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R.I.P Snark: The Apparent Laming of the Internet

by Warren Riddle on February 24, 2010 at 06:10 PM

Attention trolls, lurkers, flamers, and irreverent jerks: seek haven elsewhere. Apparently the Net -- and its horde of online, overly sensitive crybabies -- just doesn't want your universal disdain any longer. A troubling trend has arisen, troubling at least for snarky bloggers (ahem), and it involves a terrifying movement toward a kinder, gentler Web. And this new Web for weaklings, where apologies, kudos, and effusive praise are replacing cynical attacks and baseless complaints, will undoubtedly be incredibly boring.

According to the New York Observer, this brown-nosing progression (or regression?) toward civility and butt-kissing can be attributed to a growing swell of kindness on social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Gifting, poking, liking, and sharing virtual gifts has evidently inspired people to treat others with genuine respect and kindness.

Even in the Big Apple, home of the original "Pfffftttt!!" Bronx cheer, online personalities are defending each other from random attacks, and are actually praising each other's work. (Seriously, what is going on here?) The Observer also points out that during his coup de grace, Conan O'Bryan even implored people, "Please don't be cynical." (Umm, Coco? That Triumph character wasn't exactly a bastion of sunny gentility.)

So, if you're still perusing message boards and comment sections, hoping to lambaste an unknown poster over their use of "its," or to viciously point out to some moron that Tatooine is actually in the Outer Rim territories, prepare yourself for a gentle backlash of apologetic love. And, no, that Coke we just spit up all over our keyboards isn't the result of LOLing. [From: The New York Observer and The Awl]

Tags: blogs, internet, messageboards, snark, socialnetworking, top

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