Two of the dumbest arguments broke out in Buffalo’s Twittersphere yesterday afternoon, and it all started with this simple question:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nateatsbuffalo/status/103922579991048192″%5D
The suggestions came in fast: San Marco, Siena, Trattoria Aroma, Carmine’s – people came up with helpful ideas almost instantaneously; Twitter is all about instant gratification in 140 characters.
Then came this:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103922814737846272″%5D
Twitter is also all about seeing stuff that makes you shake your head in astonishment.
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nateatsbuffalo/status/103923543850487808″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103924656817442816″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nateatsbuffalo/status/103926644858826752″%5D
I think you see where this is going. It’s another 2005 vintage suburbs vs. city online argument, in this case begun by a self-described “city snob” who remains deliberately ignorant of the suburbs; someone whose business is to attract entrepreneurs to the region.
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103924047670284288″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103926170134913024″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103926404403560448″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103926531218350080″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103926640035368960″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103927278907555840″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103927558369837056″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103927715274559490″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103928095920226305″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nxtARROWpres/status/103928674981642240″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103928615326064640″%5D
It went on and on from there, and I tried to redirect the conversation with this:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103929636001546240″%5D
But @nxtARROWpres kept trying to backtrack and change the subject to how sprawl “kills” and how ignorant and insensitive suburbanites are. He called for MetroRail to be expanded for the sole purpose of bringing suburbanites downtown to see all of the city’s cultural wonders, ignoring the fact that an improved Metro system would also help city dwellers reach jobs located in the ‘burbs.
So, argument #1 was a group of people rebutting some vividly ignorant views on regionalism. Thanks to @nateatsbuffalo, @buffalucci, @edwardmichael, and @speljamr for fighting the good fight. Regional cooperation trumps dumb city/suburb cleaves every day.
Ah, but I promised two dumb arguments.
In the midst of all of this, “@BuffaloRach” tweeted this:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103932240349761536″%5D
Now, let me be clear – I had given @nateatsbuffalo the San Marco and Aroma suggestions. I didn’t jack the thread – @nxtARROWpres did, never giving a suggestion thanks to his deliberate ignorance of all things suburbs. Furthermore, I haven’t argued with @nxtARROWpres on Twitter for literally months, about anything. So, I thought @BuffaloRach was out of line and full of crap, so I defended myself. That’s when, for the second time in as many weeks, I got this argument:
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103932500170113024″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103932695117176832″%5D
There’s this meme that’s started in town about how I react to the opinions of others. Essentially, it breaks down like this:
a. Someone writes something stupid;
b. I argue with the person, inviting them to defend their stupid statement;
c. I am accused of not respecting the opinions of others.
That’s not how it works. If you write or think something stupid, you don’t just get to do so without challenge.
Hey, Obama is a socialist! Thank you for your opinion!
Hey, the suburbs suck and the city is the greatest! Let’s agree to disagree and not discuss this at all!
No.
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103935144959803392″%5D
What does that even mean?
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103935528927379456″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103935725514399744″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103936118654906368″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103936282853523456″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103936696478998528″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103936480673665025″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103936939664748544″%5D
Again, it went on from there. Now, I was using Twitter to argue a deeply existential argument about our very region – the political, economic, and social future of Buffalo and WNY hinges, I think, on government consolidation, regional government, and the city and suburbs working together. That is extremely important to me, and here I am arguing with somebody who thinks I shouldn’t argue on Twitter because it annoys her that I don’t just instantly roll over for stupid opinions.
If the topic is “Twitter threads that annoy me”, I should go ballistic every night of every fall, winter, and spring with idiotic and facile one-word-Sabres Tweets as people watch hockey – stuff that belongs on an IRC chat, not for the public’s benefit. If the topic is “Twitter threads that annoy me”, I should call out the little PR/social media expert Twitter cliques that like to prove what great friends they are and what fantastic social lives they have as they make plans – in public, on Twitter – to meet for drinks and food after work – stuff that belongs in a text message, not for the public’s benefit.
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103952753679810560″%5D
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/buffalopundit/status/103941811655028737″%5D
So, to recap:
1. Arguments about how the city sucks and the suburbs are great, and vice-versa, are idiotic and counterproductive. They are damaging to the region as a whole, which needs to work together to move forward;
2. When I am confronted with a stupid argument, such as the one shown in number 1, supra, please don’t tell me what I can and can’t argue about, or that I’m wrong to not just roll over and quietly accept other people’s dumb opinions; and
3. If you have a bad Twitter habit like making plans for drinks on the patio of the Mansion with your Twique every other day, and otherwise using a public platform for your private conversations, don’t hammer me for my bad Twitter habit of engaging in arguments about important political, economic, or social issues.
[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BuffaloRach/status/103950207305265152″%5D
Thanks!
The Buffalo Record 