The Reveres write about science blogging, science journalism, and the age-old pseudonymity/anonymity confusion at Effect Measure. A snippet:
why should you believe the views of Dr. X. of University Y when you’ve never heard of him or her and only know their title and nothing else? There are enough examples of how experts’ opinions are shaped by things other than science. At least if you read us regularly you have a sense of what those opinions and extra-scientific commitments are. We are depressingly consistent here.KSJ Tracker’s question about the authority of a pseudonymous blogger is a good one because it opens up a Pandora’s Box of other questions. It’s like science itself. Trying to answer one question usually leads to many new ones.
Related to the anonymity and authority question is an interesting piece in Wired about some guy in South Korea who started writing up apparently persuasive economic/financial analysis and advice under a pseudonym, “Minerva.” He was just .. some guy.. though..not South Korea’s Ben Bernanke secretly offering tips, and after he was unmasked, nobody listened to him anymore.
By the way, the comment thread at the Effect Measure post is fascinating. The one point I will make that is hinted at in the comment thread is that, by and large, women have a different sensibility about the value of pseudonymous or anonymous online interactions simply due to the misogynistic nature of, well, far, far too many things.
I had a similar reaction to Twitchhiker’s travel project earlier this year — awesomely cool idea, but much easier and less dangerous for a man to do than a woman.
