YES! YES! Thank you, Gary Kamiya. This article should be posted on every LiveJournal community, and all LJ members should read it.

You regular readers know that I have encountered at least one extremely rude, obnoxious, cynical, and malicious bully on every single LJ community where I have posted. Usually more. Whether it's _scientists_, runners, ljdemocrats, atheism, philosophy, richarddawkins, med_school, nurse_students, and this week---diabetes, it doesn't seem to matter.

There's at least one guy or girl who is full of hatred, suspicion, and cynicism, who lives to disrupt a civilized conversation by acting like an asshole to me and others around our discussion. It has never failed to happen---especially with the big discussions I tend to attract, which may spawn over 100 comments. These folks seem to care more about attracting controversy and attention than actually learning something and figuring out the truth. It doesn't matter how innocuous or polite my initial post or question is. This person will find an imaginary fault or offense, bite on my ankle like a rabid dog, and drag the whole talk through the mud.

It's sad, because one of the best things about LiveJournal, and why I moved to it in the first place, is the LJ communities. They give you a chance to instantly talk to people with almost any interest, hobby, or background you seek. They let you ask your question to thousands of people around the world, efficiently.

However, one of the worst things about LJ is also its communities. The coarseness, humorlessness, and offensiveness of some of the folks who respond is unbelievable. Their willingness to start a fight about ANYTHING makes you feel you have landed in a professional wrestling ring, instead of a cafe with your friends. I've known people who have left all LJ communities because they are sick of being attacked.

I have a thick skin and never get intimidated by anyone, but getting meaningful talk about of the trash talk can be exhausting and painful. And I feel bad for the shy thoughtful introverts who are turned off and stop talking, because of the bullies waiting to pounce.

Mind your manners online (Salon.com): The Internet is being degraded by rude and self-centered people who smother civil discussions.

The future of the Internet hinges on manners....

The result of people not regarding their postings as two-way communications is a trail of rhetorical wreckage that litters the Web like burned-out vehicles after a strafing raid. Grunts, shouts and gestures replace arguments. Online conversations bog down or trail off down inconsequential byways. The chess game is no longer played at a high level. Worse, the coarser rhetorical and emotional tone that is set becomes self-perpetuating. The salon slowly turns into a gladiatorial arena. It isn't a Darwinian processs, either, because in this arena, the strongest and smartest aren't the ones who usually survive. The loudest, rudest and most obnoxious are the winners. The quiet, the shy, the reflective are driven away. Even those who have thick skins, and are not themselves involved in a discussion, will often simply give up trying to mine a thread for interesting ideas. It isn't worth the psychological agita.