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 Entertainment or Incivility? You Decide!
So, when I was younger I used to really like the website endearingly titled "Am I Hot?" I mean, we all like to think of ourselves as pretty sexy, but to put yourself on the line for millions of unknown people to ridicule you? Well, I was too scared to submit my picture, but of course, I sat with my cruel friends and rated and ridiculed others. Hey, they were the ones putting themselves out there, not us! But anyway, these rating systems provided me with hours of entertainment.
Upon visiting AmIHot.com earlier today, I saw that now they even include testimonials of two "hot people" or conversely two ugly people who have found true love on AmIHot.com. I think we all watch those commercials on TV about finding true love on online dating websites, and a secret part of ourselves wants to put ourselves out there, but this website is another monster. I'm saying, I can understand if someone finds someone on Match.com or even, let's say it, Myspace.com. BUT AmIHot.com???!!! Really?
My point is really about the ratings systems that spawn websites. A popular one for the college crowd is RateMyProfessor.com, which boasts over 6 million opinions. Now, it can be argued that this rating is more practical. But, just like statistical surveys, you should remember that the population is extremely self-selective. People who respond usually have either a very strong opinion about a professor either way. What I like to do is Google a professor's name and try to read a paper they wrote or something like that. But I also look at my fellow student's ratings - some have been helpful, some I thought were outright lies (case in point: the amazing, wonderful, and nice teacher who was so unhelpful, ambiguous, and rude to me). Enough of my gripes! What I find even more amusing is how MTVU has partnered with RateMyProfessor.com to create the show "Professors Strike Back."
Finally, there is another new rating phenom - something that actually may be instructive: RateMyCop.com. Some officers find this problematic because, according to Jerry Dyer, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, the site places officers "in grave danger because it reports their names and agencies." Hmm.... It seems that shutting down of the site would run into serious First Amendment issues, because the names are, in fact, public information. Most of the information is coming from California, Texas, and Florida, but other states should be signing on soon. Should this site be treated differently because of the relationship between the police and the community? I think not - but I don't think the police should pay much attention to what a few disgruntled (or pleased) citizens have to say about them.
Personally, I would not like to be reviewed and placed up to ridicule by others. I don't think I would be ready to read all the nasty and horrible things that people could say. I'd rather not know and live in the company of friends. It's true - no one will be liked by everyone no matter how good a person they are. And if there is a page on a website devoted to the bashing of my name - so be it, I will never look. On the other hand, if you know me and take some issue with me, I would prefer to be confronted in person. Doesn't it seem that the anonymity of the internet allows people to be crueler?
Let me know what you think!
Links: http://professorsstrikeback.mtvu.com/professor-sally-boysen-ohio-state-university/#more-46
Resources: "Irked by a Ticket? Now Drivers can Rate the Officer Who Issued It" NY Times 3/22/2008
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