The macho posturing of pseudonymous (or anonymous) bloggers and commenters

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One thing I find particularly repellant is macho posturing of pseudonymous (or, even worse, anonymous) bloggers and commenters; who - behind the facade of unidentifiability - 'pull no punches' in advising others (typically in graphically obscene language) to stick-their-necks-out, be bold, explicit and confrontational; and for such characters even to build-up themselves (their pseudonymous selves) as some kind of example of a 'dominant male'!

I guess some of these may be Leftist provocateurs, hoping - like Mao - to 'Let a thousand flowers bloom' in order to identify, and lop the heads off, any reactionaries.

But some, I suspect, are genuinely unaware of the slimy, grandstanding cowardice of their behaviour.

Therefore, if you are a pseudonymous web presence, and there are indeed good reasons why pseudonymity may be necessary (and I mean Good, not just expedient, reasons); then be aware that this fact precludes as illegitimate any systematic attempt to present yourself as (ahem) a 'tough guy'.

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