This memo went out recently from Coates Bateman, editorial director of True/ Slant, to all the bloggers there. The subject: "Name calling within posts."


I'd really like to limit the above. Sometimes the device does serve the writing and the perspective. Most of the time it just pollutes the post and distracts from the point of the post.

To wit, calling someone a 'piece of shit' isn't welcome within the network.

I think we/you can be more creative than that.

I welcome thoughts and arguments.


Now! The most prominent name-caller on True/ Slant is, of course, Matt Taibbi, who is also the site's biggest name blogger (and probably "piece of shit" caller Coates refers to). Bateman tells us "it wasn't targeted at matt," but adds, "I had just seen a lot more of it on the site in general - perhaps some younger writers trying to emulate matt."

Of course, Matt Taibbi's entire career has been spent calling people names, and he's gotten famous for it, justifiably. So if you're a young writer, just don't bite his style. Think of more creative ways to call people pieces of shit.

New media issues!