Fear Factor host Joe Rogan generated a bit of net buzz last week by engaging a troll named Kevin (no relation) on his MySpace page in an extended e-mail exchange which began with other MySpacer sending Joe a note, "Joe Rogan, I hate you... you're not funny...." It pretty much degenerated into a name calling and dick measuring contest from there.

In response to the controversy Joe, the self-professed "MySpace whore", has penned a further essay on his online tantrum. He waxes philosophical about how sissy men hide behind computer terminals.

The internet has created a way for people to be screened and protected from the consequences of being shitty to other people. Before the internet, this gateway was only available to writers and critics, but now, everyone can say whatever they want to say to someone with no consequences, especially if that person makes themselves as accessible as I am.

If there were no written word and no method of long distance communication, we would be forced to say the things we think about people to their face, which is the way humans are designed to communicate.

Now, when you remove the social cues you get from two people standing in front of each other talking face to face, it's a whole lot easier to be an asshole.

Could you imagine if you were just going about your day, and someone you don't know walked up to you and said "I hate you, you're not funny?" Because that's exactly the same thing someone is doing by sending that in an email. How can you defend that behavior?

...Again, you poke me, I poke you back. Glass houses, rocks... you know the deal.

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