2008 Woodie Awards
Column: Negative Nancys take over the net
Danny Deza
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: The Inside
I can't stand slow drivers or that annoying guy in my political science class who can't seem to get enough of his own voice. I hate bad dates and Wal-Mart is the pits.
I could continue, but I'll tell you right now: I like to complain, and venting tends to be my only solution. From bad quiz grades to a runny nose, my friends and family are the first to get an earful of my sorrows.
With the Internet's prominent role in everyday life, it's becoming an outlet for the Negative Nancy who resides in all of us. Complaining has morphed into a new form and has created an online boom that gives individuals the empowerment they need to vent about other people's bad behaviors.
E-tattling has swept through the Internet and is ready to devote its services to an array of problems people face on a regular basis. If you want to give the virtual finger to bad drivers on PlateWire.com, for example, the freedom is yours. E-tattling is becoming a new social trend because it is easily available at the comfort of your own keyboard.
Ask user "Sugabum" on DontDateHimGirl.com. The website is "a powerful online resource for women and men seeking counsel and community about love, sex, dating, relationships and marriage," according to its About Us section. But really, it seems like a place for people to vent.
Sugabum's dilemma is her "momma's boy" fiancé who doesn't seem to leave his mother's side. Her fiancé asked her to begin planning a wedding, but put on the brakes when he couldn't keep up with his mother's bills. Now Sugabum worries about their financial future together.
"Please help me," she writes. "His mother doesn't have a job that pays much and I wonder if it will continue when it's time for her to retire. How will she have retirement money if she never had it??? Humppph."
While some people are annoyed, others are just plain angry. Complainers have become society's watchdogs and are fighting back via the Internet. The Vancouver Sun reported about fed up people using blogs or photosharing websites to vent concerns about a South Carolina Wal-Mart. Some used the picture hosting website Flickr to expose the corporation's nasty conditions, which are now being investigated.
I could continue, but I'll tell you right now: I like to complain, and venting tends to be my only solution. From bad quiz grades to a runny nose, my friends and family are the first to get an earful of my sorrows.
With the Internet's prominent role in everyday life, it's becoming an outlet for the Negative Nancy who resides in all of us. Complaining has morphed into a new form and has created an online boom that gives individuals the empowerment they need to vent about other people's bad behaviors.
E-tattling has swept through the Internet and is ready to devote its services to an array of problems people face on a regular basis. If you want to give the virtual finger to bad drivers on PlateWire.com, for example, the freedom is yours. E-tattling is becoming a new social trend because it is easily available at the comfort of your own keyboard.
Ask user "Sugabum" on DontDateHimGirl.com. The website is "a powerful online resource for women and men seeking counsel and community about love, sex, dating, relationships and marriage," according to its About Us section. But really, it seems like a place for people to vent.
Sugabum's dilemma is her "momma's boy" fiancé who doesn't seem to leave his mother's side. Her fiancé asked her to begin planning a wedding, but put on the brakes when he couldn't keep up with his mother's bills. Now Sugabum worries about their financial future together.
"Please help me," she writes. "His mother doesn't have a job that pays much and I wonder if it will continue when it's time for her to retire. How will she have retirement money if she never had it??? Humppph."
While some people are annoyed, others are just plain angry. Complainers have become society's watchdogs and are fighting back via the Internet. The Vancouver Sun reported about fed up people using blogs or photosharing websites to vent concerns about a South Carolina Wal-Mart. Some used the picture hosting website Flickr to expose the corporation's nasty conditions, which are now being investigated.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mark B.
posted 3/08/08 @ 12:47 PM EST
the author definitely has his finger on the pulse of society! cyber-kvetching has become a national pastime rivaling professional sports!
i admit to a share of it, and feel that because a fair % of the population feels lost in the shuffle and powerless, this IS a vital outlet for venting. (Continued…)
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