When I moved to Colorado from New York 14 years ago, my wife constantly reminded me to look up when we strolled through the neighborhood streets and parks (not down at the ground). “People are nodding and smiling hello here. You need to look up.”
Indeed, Colorado is full of sunny, happy people. However, there is a darker side lurking beneath the surface. Colorado’s face on the Internet — as revealed on message boards, media websites and Facebook comments — is one of enmity and vitriol. The tone of civil discourse is more often a fight club than a debate club.
Visitors to Denver’s local news sites know what I am talking about. Stories appearing in the online version of The Denver Post are followed by “article comments,” a forum for readers to post their opinions. Hiding behind a veil of pseudonyms, online readers rage with self-righteous venom on any and all issues. Nothing is off limits.
By allowing amateurs to share online real estate with seasoned professionals like Woody Paige, the snarky Grinch in the corner bar has been given a soap box to preach from.
Theoretically, publishers covet this aspect of online journalism; it proves to advertisers that readers are fully engaged. This is a specious argument. Most reasonable readers are repulsed by this funhouse mirror of diatribes and barbs.
There are social networks devoted entirely to letting people rant. Websites like Yelp, Urban Spoon and similar glorified message boards promote amateur reviews of restaurants, retail stores, art galleries and auto shops.
These sites have become socially dysfunctional forums that enable the growing “disconnect” in our society. In the old days, a customer would offer feedback to the chef, manager or curator, or share his experience with friends and co-workers. Nowadays, a Yelper retreats to his computer or smartphone and jabbers on about his hair cut, oil change, shopping day or milkshake.
Is this really how we, the denizens of a fair and sunny city, should express ourselves?
As a restaurant owner, I’ve had my share of darts thrown at me. That doesn’t bother me. This is about the world our kids will inhabit. An entire generation of great thinkers might avoid a career in the public arena because of the rising stench from the bleachers.
We need to stand up to the bullies. We can start by asking publishers to eliminate forums that run amok with hatred. We can avoid websites that judge our local businesses and instead talk directly to our neighbors and co-workers (or rely on professional reviews found in newspapers). We can talk to business owners, managers, servers and clerks, and look people in the eye, not via social networking sites.
As for the nattering nabobs of negativism (thank you, Spiro Agnew) who spend their time online disparaging journalists, athletes, chefs, artists, government officials and most everyone else who toils to make Colorado a better place to live, I have three words for you: Get a life.
The ugly mob that trolls the Internet is a minority here. They are not my neighbors, not even close. Still, every school has its bullies. It is time for the adults in the room to save Colorado from the ruckus in the muckus. We are, after all, the true sunshine state, not the mud- slinging state. We look up when we go for walks in the park, not down.
Jay Solomon is a Denver business owner.
