I am sitting in with the infamous "Fuck Panel" consisting of an all-star cast of Amanda Marcotte, Duncan Black, Kevin Drum, Lee Papa (the "Rude Pundit"), Digby, and Jesse Taylor. The topic is the use of language in the blogosphere, in particular the liberal use of profanity on the liberal blogosphere.
The Rude Pundit gave a nice little discussion of how rudeness was the only reasonable response to the state of the discourse in 2003 when the war was the bestest thing evah. Duncan Black used the infamous "suck on this" quote by Thomas Friedman as an example of the kind of truly offensive speech one is permitted on the Charlie Rose show when it is uttered in the furtherance of brutal stupidity. He concluded that if the "premier" foreign policy correspondent in America can say things like this, he can write "fuck" whenever he so desires. Kevin Drum noted that he steers away from profanity in part because his mother reads his blog everyday (what a nightmare!).
Duncan Black suggested that criticisms of the language on blogs by the mainstream media are generally an attempt to marginalize the substance of what is actually posted.
There was an interesting discussion as to what limits the bloggers observe -- Amanda discussed the fact that much raunchy humor is sexist in nature and that she tries to be provocative without ever buying into that frame. Digby said she avoids belittling people on the basis of their looks.
When asked if the snark shuts down conversations, Duncan Black observed that most of right wing discourse has lapsed into "Jonah Goldberg conservatism" -- sheer stupidity that defies conversation -- one can try and refute the silliness that is "Liberal Fascism" or one can simply note that Jonah Goldberg is a fucking idiot and move on.
There is much good humor among the panelists -- when asked how they maintain the ability to write every day, Duncan Black noted that "it's the large checks from George Soros" that keep him going. Jesse Taylor observed that once Obama is elected and we are living in an Islamic theocracy that he wants a good spot in the new regime and that five to seven posts a day is a small price to pay for it.
My battery is about to die -- must find outlet.
