Comments on: Where Does the Public Conversation Start? http://www.contentious.com/2005/07/31/where-does-the-public-conversation-start/ Amy Gahran's news and musings on how we communicate in the online age. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: badgerbag http://www.contentious.com/2005/07/31/where-does-the-public-conversation-start/comment-page-1/#comment-28398 badgerbag Tue, 02 Aug 2005 06:11:02 +0000 #comment-28398 I was thinking more about the "terror" comments by Jay (I was hatin' on him when he stood up to talk - it was such a pat on the head! oh, how brave, in our climate of terror, to face your terror of the internet! - but his post is better by miles and not at all what I thought it would be). How weirded out he seemed to be, that people might talk about doubt, fear, insecurity and still ACT. As if everyone didn't feel that stuff? Showing vulnerability is not weakness - it's being so strong you can risk it. Clearly, too, if you have less privilege to lose you're not so afraid to throw it on the table. Among the subaltern, deliberate vulnerability inspires trust - boasting doesn't. I don't think any essentialist "women are this way" explanation is necessary. I was thinking more about the “terror” comments by Jay (I was hatin’ on him when he stood up to talk – it was such a pat on the head! oh, how brave, in our climate of terror, to face your terror of the internet! – but his post is better by miles and not at all what I thought it would be). How weirded out he seemed to be, that people might talk about doubt, fear, insecurity and still ACT. As if everyone didn’t feel that stuff? Showing vulnerability is not weakness – it’s being so strong you can risk it.

Clearly, too, if you have less privilege to lose you’re not so afraid to throw it on the table. Among the subaltern, deliberate vulnerability inspires trust – boasting doesn’t. I don’t think any essentialist “women are this way” explanation is necessary.

]]> By: Roger Benningfield http://www.contentious.com/2005/07/31/where-does-the-public-conversation-start/comment-page-1/#comment-28303 Roger Benningfield Mon, 01 Aug 2005 04:20:54 +0000 #comment-28303 Amy: "And I like the idea of taking away anyone’s ability to threaten me with being “outed" Good for you, although I think your post on CNet already did the job. :) Amy: “And I like the idea of taking away anyone’s ability to threaten me with being “outed”

Good for you, although I think your post on CNet already did the job. :)

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