Write Better At Work

  • Home
  • Books
    • Write More, Stress Less
    • Write Better Emails
    • Write to Be Understood
    • Write to Get Action
  • Free Tools
    • Whitepapers
    • Quizzes
    • Checklists
    • Email Etiquette
  • Consulting
  • Blog
    • Becoming a better leader using an authentic voice
  • About
  • Contact

Email etiquette in action: Facing down trolls

July 6, 2017 by Cecelia

Troll Warning Sign by Gil Mnogueira

Author Josh Bernoff has lots of actionable writing advice, and he prides himself on Writing Without Bullshit.

Lately he’s been critiquing apologies by CEOs who’ve been outed (and even ousted) for sexist behavior. His July 6 post confronts a different offense: trolling. He calls out the Reddit user who posted a video of Donald Trump beating up on a figure identified as CNN and then apologized for being a troll.

As usual, Bernoff takes the apology apart paragraph-by-paragraph. First, he quotes a portion of the apology verbatim. Then he gives a succinct analysis:

Analysis: This is true: “Trolling is nothing more than bullying.” Now one troll has seen the light. There are only a few million left to reform.

Finally, he boils the verbiage down to what he thinks the author is really saying:

 Translation: Trolling is bad. Don’t be like me.

Then he asks, “What shall we do with trolls?” His answer: Expose them. “It’s a lot harder to be hateful if we know who you are.”

In response to those who take exception to his criticism, he asks, “Would you say it to their face?” He considers his comments fair if they critique “words and actions, not people or groups” and if he would deliver them directly to the person criticized.

His standards for fairness reflect a core principle of online etiquette, articulated by Virginia Shea in 1994: “Never mail or post anything you wouldn’t say to your reader’s face.”

Bernoff’s critiques are hard-hitting but civil. Taking on trolls without descending to their level requires a clear head and a stout heart. Thankfully, Bernoff has both, he’s willing to use them to expose self-serving apologists and trolls.

  • facebook Recommend on Facebook
  • linkedin Share on Linkedin
  • twitter Tweet about it
  • email Tell a friend

Filed Under: Email Etiquette, Uncategorized

Cecelia Munzenmaier
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Get alerts to new book launches and more in your inbox when you subscribe to Write Better At Work.

Sign up for Updates

* = required field

Books

Book: Write More Stress Less
Order Now

Book: Write Better Emails
Order Now

write-to-be-understood
Order Now

write-to-get-action
Order Now

Copyright © Write Better At Work. All Rights Reserved.
Website Development by HTML Marketing
Photos by Kevin Riggins Photography

  • follow:follow:
  • Sign up for emails Sign up for emails
  • RSS RSS
  • Tweet with me Tweet with me