"We can tell when a technology has truly arrived when
the new problems it gives rise to approach in magnitude the
problems it was designed to solve." -- Arthur Chandler,
1997 (quoted at the end of
this.)
I would like to think, that were I a member of the affected list, I would be overjoyed rather than outraged.
There _was_ a young girl who loved music - and she did not die.
I find the issue of her name rather trivial in comparison - in fact I wonder at the flute list - they apparently thought that she was giving her real name, her real age, and the real location of her high school, as well as (I assume) at least some information about her performance (and possibly) practice schedule yet no one thought to suggest she might want to be more careful on the net?
But there _was_ a young girl, she loved music, and she did not die.
Yes, her friend lied. Twice in fact. Once, to allow "Becky" access to the list in the first place - a list that gave her, from all evidence here provided, a strong sense of community and support. This to an otherwise isolated teen struggling with depression. And again, she lied - in a desperate yet successful attempt to save her friend's life.
Cut her a break. She's a kid and inexperience is part of the definition. No, she didn't handle it the way I want to think I would have*- but it is very easy, as adults, to forget the more limited resources of teenagers.
Does anyone know if "Becky" ever got any help? Or did her parents just take away her few net privileges and yell at her - you know, punishment by shame and isolation - just the thing for depression, eh?
- Karen - who, despite the cynical tone of this post, is rejoicing -
For there was a young girl, much loved, who did not die.
* I like to think that I would have called a hotline, such as 1-800-SUICIDE and asked them for advice and local resources. Or of course the traditional clergy, teachers and relatives. But in my experience the last three downplay the dangers. Depression kills. Go with the hotline.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the issue remains....unclear at least
There _was_ a young girl who loved music - and she did not die.
I find the issue of her name rather trivial in comparison - in fact I wonder at the flute list - they apparently thought that she was giving her real name, her real age, and the real location of her high school, as well as (I assume) at least some information about her performance (and possibly) practice schedule yet no one thought to suggest she might want to be more careful on the net?
But there _was_ a young girl, she loved music, and she did not die.
Yes, her friend lied. Twice in fact. Once, to allow "Becky" access to the list in the first place - a list that gave her, from all evidence here provided, a strong sense of community and support. This to an otherwise isolated teen struggling with depression. And again, she lied - in a desperate yet successful attempt to save her friend's life.
Cut her a break. She's a kid and inexperience is part of the definition. No, she didn't handle it the way I want to think I would have*- but it is very easy, as adults, to forget the more limited resources of teenagers.
Does anyone know if "Becky" ever got any help? Or did her parents just take away her few net privileges and yell at her - you know, punishment by shame and isolation - just the thing for depression, eh?
- Karen - who, despite the cynical tone of this post, is rejoicing -
For there was a young girl, much loved, who did not die.
* I like to think that I would have called a hotline, such as 1-800-SUICIDE and asked them for advice and local resources. Or of course the traditional clergy, teachers and relatives. But in my experience the last three downplay the dangers. Depression kills. Go with the hotline.