Spouting Off Online: Public Places and Private Spaces

By Tom Creely, Ph.D.


Too often we hit the enter key without rereading, editing, or even sleeping on what we have written. The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently published an article about Atlantan John Fitzgerald Page, a jilted suitor who blasted the potential damsel. Laced with malignant narcissism, Mr. Page’s blast noted his superiority: the damsel should be honored for him to even consider her. He had done a great thing, he is a great man, and he has prestige and power. Being so overwhelmed with such magnanimous personality, the damsel couldn’t keep it to herself. With such greatness, Mr. Page’s character must be shared with the world. That, she did. She forwarded it to Gawker.com, which has awarded him the title of “The Worst Person in the World” status.

Is spouting off online our right to say what we want, or is it a matter of character? The Internet has given the general public a medium to write and publish to the world. The power of the electronic media is in the hands of anyone with access to the Internet. Myspace and Facebook are websites that allow us to network and make friends. Friends and so-called friends can post their opinions on the two sites. Like this blog, we can express our opinion and seek reflection and input from others.

However, throwing out what is on our mind without thinking it through critically makes us vulnerable to our emotions driving our behavior. Just because we have freedom of speech does not mean that we can say anything without repercussions. The Internet can be a technology that comes back to bite us when we spout off about other people. We forget that others have the same power to spout off about us whether what is said is true or not.

Technology subverts the norms of civility with its instantaneousness. The process of civility and ethical pondering is eliminated for expediency in being heard. The power of the Internet has diminished love thy neighbor and sacrifice the ego. Is silence no longer powerful? Have we become a society of talking heads?

Once what we have said has been disseminated into cyberspace by the forward key it is there for eternity for all to see. I’m sure our prospective employers will be impressed. Can government and corporate sensitive jobs that require backgrounds investigations trust those who spout off? Does such behavior reflect our character? Are there ethical concerns regarding forwarding private emails to others?


Dr. Tom Creely is assistant professor of ethics at the Siegel Institute, Kennesaw State University.