Hi Guyon!

22 comments on “Hi Guyon! ”

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1. tinfoilhat 1

   15 August 2014 at 2:05 pm

   Thanks for this interesting post Bunji much appreciated.

   “And when people express their cynicism about politics, we need to point out the way to stop this is to get involved (and vote them out!) not leave running the country to the politicians.”

   That is true, however it is tough not being revolted by the public face of New Zealand politics in NZ at the moment which seems to be dominated by an amalgam of Key, Slater, Hager, Dotcom and Bradbury

   It looks more and more like a spiritual home for a bunch of egocentric narcissists and I’m fed up with the lot of them.
2. shorts 2

   15 August 2014 at 2:28 pm

   Bill Ralston and Guyon Espiner and all those who trot out the same old tired pseudonymous line… show just how antiquated they and their notions are

   sigh
   • Tracey 2.1

     15 August 2014 at 3:29 pm

     can anyone name the year either of them last did a genuine piece of investigative journalism, rather than relying on orchestrated press release from very interested parties?
     • TheRealist 2.1.1

       15 August 2014 at 6:51 pm

       Honestly I didn’t even realise they were still around
     • left for dead 2.1.2

       16 August 2014 at 11:21 am

       a genuine piece of investigative journalism, Tracey,I think so,Bill Ralston at lest.A wine interview on NatRad a few years back.Maybe that might help us understand why he reflects in that manner,just thinking out loud.
3. fambo 3

   15 August 2014 at 2:46 pm

   The best thing Labour and Green supporters can do right now is get out and do some door knocking for their respective parties.
4. Anne 4

   15 August 2014 at 2:46 pm

   Good on you Bunji

   And may I add to your sentiments by introducing a bit of light relief and the promise of a hearty chuckle or two:

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/toby-manhire/news/article.cfm?a_id=810&objectid=11309070
5. weka 5

   15 August 2014 at 2:57 pm

   First, will just point out that people that use a handle consistently online are pseudonymous, and those that don’t are anonymous. Important difference. Bunji uses a pseudonym, the editors at the Herald are anonymous. Like people using their RL name/ID, pseudonyms build up a recognisable identity over time and people know who they are on the internet. Most people who object to pseudonyms are people who don’t spend much time online in community or social media, and they fail to appreciate that the rules and the culture are different than in RL.

   Two more reasons why someone blogging (politically or otherwise) might do so pseudonymously –

   One is that women, particularly but not limited to feminists, get a massive amount of gender hatred, including sexualised content and sexual violence, directed at them when they blog politicially. This isn’t just on political blogs, but also in special interest topics where they bring in issues related to women. Many also get stalked and/or threatened. Using a pseudonym in that case is just common sense. This is a very well documented phenomenon on the nets.

   Another other group of people who have specific vulnerabilities are beneficiaries, particularly ones who are unwell or have a disability. There is so much prejudice in NZ now that makes beneficiaries blogging politically unsafe for many. One issue that comes up is if someone can blog/tweet etc, why can’t they do a job? This isn’t just random people offering ignorant prejudice, it can and does actually affect the income of people with disabilities.

   We also know that the current govt believes that beneficiaries as a class are exempt from the Privacy Act at the whim of the govt. So again, blogging without revealing RL ID is just common sense.

   The issue then becomes whether that person’s need for safety is outweighed by the public’s need for accountability vis a vis Dirty Politics. I agree with Bunji – content stands on its own merits, and people usually give enough context to put that content into a wider frame. I also think that most bloggers aren’t journalists (who have a higher level of accountability if blogging professionally), and most bloggers don’t have the degree of influence of Slater.

   Having said all that, Slater is not pseudonymous, and here he is doing all this nasty shit, with a secret background context. So what does it matter if his RL ID is known or not? It’s his actions that are being questioned here, not what it says on his birth certificate or voter enrollment.
6. Papa Tuanuku 6

   15 August 2014 at 2:58 pm

   so the left needs a four week plan to get thru the election?
7. ianmac 7

   15 August 2014 at 3:21 pm

   Even if people used their real names it would not mean as much as the tone and style of their writings. Puckish Rogue is known as a quibbler who is tireless in trying to twist and spin for Mr Key et el. He may of course be paid to quibble but not a good bargain. Ralston is just using a Key deflection and thus is able to avoid the wider issues.
8. Papa Tuanuku 8

   15 August 2014 at 4:05 pm

   Listen folks as Guyon turns the mike off when he disagrees with what she says. Is this the next story – media shutting supporters of Hager up?

   http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20145775
   • marsman 8.1

     15 August 2014 at 7:42 pm

     @Papa Tuanuku- Listened to the audio-player link you provided. Didn’t notice any tape turning off only silly Espiner continually interrupting and trying to stick to his ‘But the Greens did it too’ attack/ agenda. But Meteria wouldn’t have bar of it and countered him at every point AND at the end of the ‘interview’ basically told him calmly and politely that he was being a fuckwit. Very worth a listen. Go Metiria. Have put it on Facebook.
   • marsman 8.2

     15 August 2014 at 7:46 pm

     PS- She made much the same sane points that BUNJI made in this Post.
     Thank you BUNJI.
9. marty mars 9

   15 August 2014 at 4:41 pm

   Another aspect is that because people have expectations of many many things including what they expect people to be like, to look like, to sound like – when presenting certain arguments about certain topics, that often the actual message can become subsumed by the discussion about the person writing the article instead of the actual content. This article is an example.

   http://nativeappropriations.com/2014/07/shes-so-pale-the-good-and-bad-of-national-exposure.html

   I am 98% positive that if this NPR article wasn’t accompanied by a photo, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. There is very little commentary challenging my ideas, or what I had to say about Native students transitioning to college–it’s all focused on how I look.

   You wonder why I care so deeply about representations? This is why I care. Because all those people think that Native identity is tied to looking like something off the side of a football helmet.

   Pseudonymous authors have a thin layer of protection from that and I think that is good.
10. Plan B 10

    15 August 2014 at 5:35 pm

    Guyon an Bill probably don’t read The Economist- they do not attribute authorship except when review books written by one of their own team.
11. papa tuanuku 11

    15 August 2014 at 7:25 pm

    What if the left set 5 goals in relation to the revelations:

    • Collins must resign.
    • Ede arrested.
    • Police, GCIS to state official positions on the revelations.
    • Mass distribution of the book through our volunteer efforts (donate a book anybody?)
    • Media must out themselves where they have been complicit with #teamkey (like having Slater as commentator after he made ‘feral’ comments, removing any credibility).
    • weka 11.1

      15 August 2014 at 7:44 pm

      I think the imperative for the left is to get people out to vote, and to counter the ‘they’re all the same so why bother voting’ meme. I’m a bit stumped on this, because mostly I want to throttle people that believe that.
12. BLiP 12

    15 August 2014 at 8:14 pm

    ‘

    Nice work, lprent. I too appreciate the anonymity offered and protected by <i.The Standard because I have little doubt that my job, and those of various family members, would be at risk otherwise. Also, as Oscar Wilde once said . . .

    . . . Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth . . .
    • Murray Olsen 12.1

      16 August 2014 at 3:25 am

      That’s not my favourite Oscar Wilde quote 🙂

      I listened to Metiria and Guyon Espinha. She is very good, sharp and won’t be bullied. I wish Labour would be a bit more proactive on this, even if only to announce that they don’t participate in the sort of crap outlined in the book.
13. vto 13

    15 August 2014 at 9:39 pm

    ..

    being able to bash political content around without identification prevents bloodshed

    simple as that
14. Jrobin 14

    15 August 2014 at 11:33 pm

    Guyon did not acknowledge either, that it is more deceitful to work for RNZ using your real name but not acknowledging your political bias, than writing with a consistent psuedonym and being honest. His underlying motive is often obvious despite his lack of anonymity.
15. Inky 15

    22 August 2014 at 8:43 pm

    I don’t have a problem with anyone using a pseudonym, there are legitimate reasons for doing so, and a potentially unhappy boss is definitely high amongst them. The only bloggers I have an issue with are those who are willing to let any sod write under their name and proclaim any garbage they churn out as their own. That’s zero credibility right there. But I guess the good folk on the right just can’t understand that.

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