Ironically, I am probably the only person who visited this blog this week who had not read Matt Forney's "justification" for doxxing me last Sunday. It took me a few days to summon the steel to do more than glance at it. I'm sure you can understand.
I have only just read it in its entirety tonight, and... and... Oh, how can I put this? I have to admit that he demonstrates an exceptional flair for... this particular kind of thing. (I'm not sure what to call it -- character assassination? I'm not being snarky BTW -- I'm absolutely sincere. If he weren't so emotionally crippled, he could be the Karl Rove of his generation.
I mean, Holy Moly! By the time I had finished reading, I was scared of myself. I'm not sure I come across as a narcissist, though -- more like a someone with severe Borderline Personality Disorder. I had to go back and read what I had written over the past year just to reassure myself that I was actually pretty lucid (at least most of the time).
What strikes me is how much effort Forney put into this. It must have taken him days, if not weeks, to compile. And none of those hours were compensated, not even at his modest advertised rates. In a way, it's a shame, because trying to make this thing "go viral" turned out
to be a complete bust, and if he attempts to milk it further, he's really
going to look desperate.
Not only do I expect that his fan base found the "expose" rather boring, but, on some level, the whole episode must have made some of them downright queasy. My rather white-bread, matronly mug probably reminded them of their own moms'. And something tells me that the last thing a typical Matt Forney reader wants to be reminded of is his mom.
Face it, 99.9% of the "manosphere" participate anonymously. How can they fail to acknowledge how vulnerable their identities are? This is not to be construed by any paranoiacs out there as a veiled threat BTW. If I have ever "doxed" anyone (this is Mr. Forney's justification for behavior that violates even the norms of his own community) it was not intentional and I have apologized and rectified the error.
See, I'll admit I'm kind of a dope about technology (blame age + lack of interest). I can barely operate the media console in my classroom! Obviously my own naivete contributed to my own doxing. Live and learn.
In closing, I must say it's been a strange and singular experience to see an image of myself planted at the foot of a manosphere blog home page, kind of like it would feel to unexpectedly glimpse myself in someone else's movie. The picture, BTW, was taken at a local restaurant a couple of years ago, at a birthday celebration. I recall that I was a little tired, but having a nice time with my friends. I'm grateful that I at least look pleasant. If he'd found my old faculty picture, everyone would think that I was an elderly Korean man on a bender.
I think you let your excitement from being featured on your object of study's blog influence your perception of quality of the piece, which was entirely mediocre. To an outside observer, it looks like a tedious chronicle of some feud that took place exclusively in an obscure, niche corner of the internet. Kinda like a dispute between 2 prominent Sherlock/Lestrade slash fanfiction writers. Sounds like the subject matter is very important to the writer of the article, but leaves an uninitiated reader feeling as though the intended audience is only the "in crowd". "She said I'm 40, and I'm not 40. And she keeps talking about my friend's blog in her blog. What an ugly, fat, barren bitch, right guys?"
ReplyDeleteNo doubt.
DeleteWell I hope some good came out of this ordeal. I hope you learned some valuable lessons regarding stalking. Additionally I hope it can serve as a reminder that you need to seek the services of a mental health professional.
ReplyDeleteWhen she's done with those services, she can refer them to you maybe? Seems like you need it. :)
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DeleteIndeed, I have been thoroughly chastened and now see the error of my former ways.
ReplyDeleteYou sanctimonious twat..
Different anonymous here.
DeleteFor what it's worth, I don't think that you're crazy. The manosphere advocates a lifestyle, and Doosh and Horney have set them selves up as self styled guru's of that life style. So, yes, throwing some light on what that actually boils down too is fair game. Examining their motives and their message is fair game. Though the picture of Doosh's sister…..not so much. Try to imagine if the sphere did that to your S.O. or someone close to you. You'd feel like a line was crossed. I'm more ambivalent about the book review. Normally, I'd say don't go there. Though, pointing out that Horney wrote one of his reviews as Ferd is a fair point to make. Do you know if it's still up or if he's removed it?
Look. the stuff these guys write can be vile. It pushes buttons. And I think that it pushes yours. Horney is willing to use bullying and intimidation tactics to silence critics. He wouldn't be the first. Though he loses the moral high ground in doing so. And that includes stalking the internet. (Not sure if it was him or Doosh that was tracking down the pictures of critics of the eating disorder post and rating them.) He also wrote that he had the name and location of BC, a moderate blog in it's criticism of the sphere. Which has closed up shop. Though, I think that worked against him. I've got a feeling that BC was a guilty pleasure of the sphere. Looking like he was doing the bidding of Doosh also worked against him.
If you are intent on keeping up with the blog, I'd seek legal advice in order to make sure that your ass is covered at all times. Be aware of what ammo you might unwittingly give them.
Thanks. I agree with every point.
Delete>Though the picture of Doosh's sister…..not so much. Try to imagine if the sphere did that to your S.O. or someone close to you. You'd feel like a line was crossed.
DeleteEh, why? They do that, like you said about the eating disorder article. Why not show us the girl who said that guys in America are like gays and there seems to be not many real men left?
> I'm more ambivalent about the book review. Normally, I'd say don't go there. Though, pointing out that Horney wrote one of his reviews as Ferd is a fair point to make. Do you know if it's still up or if he's removed it?
What book was this?
>He also wrote that he had the name and location of BC, a moderate blog in it's criticism of the sphere.
Doesn't she write with her name and stuff though?
Anyway, threats and attacks are all good, except when somebody decides to attack you back, would be my word to Fatt Corney. :)
Regarding BC, I thought that she was pretty much "out" as well. It could be Matt being dramatic. When I went to her blog and found it was private, I didn't think too much of it. She'd talked about taking things out of the public forum. Though his words and the doxing here made me wonder.
DeleteThe whole thing with Doosh's sister can be misconstrued. Intentionally. And it is. And it's being used to justify doxing and painting cinzia in a pretty un flattering light.
And if you go looking for pictures of loved ones of your opponent, don't be surprised if the same thing happens to you. If your relationships can handle that, and you have a united front, then you've got some solid defences in place. If not, you're leaving yourself and your loved ones vulnerable. Stepping on bees is fine and good. Just make sure to put some shoes on.
By the way, glad to see your blog is back!
Delete- Our host critiques anonymity: she uses a pseudonym & has removed her picture
ReplyDelete- Our host is afraid of violence: she threatened others with violence with her "arthritic fist"
- Our host does not like personal intrusions: our host steals photos of manospshere bloggers' family members
and posts them; she digs into the personal lives of their wives and interviews childhood friends of manosphere
bloggers
- Out host is upset about fake Amazon reviews: she writes fake amazon reviews
- Our host is against stealing (I think?): she steals a library book because she disagrees with it
You have every right to critique others, but keep in mind turnabout is fair play. Be consistent. Avoid hypocrisy. Words you put on the net can be used against you just as you use the words other bloggers use against them.
Are Honey Bears related to Honey Badgers, or are they entirely different species?
DeleteYou seem to betrying to equate the inequitable.
DeleteLa Strega discussed Roosh's sister in a gentle, kind way, and showed her in a positive light. Matt Forney and Roosh put up photos and information of young suicide victims and ill people to ridicule them. They also put up pictures and info of people and explicitly ask their readers to attack.
OK it's in the post, but I will repeat: I did not interview a HS classmate of MF's. Those comments were published in "Jezebel" and the only reason I saw them was because MF posted a link to them on his own twitter! Jesus... Of course I am afraid of violence, aren't you? In fact, fear of violence is the only thing that would compel me to act violently myself (in defense of my loved ones). Finally, I'll admit I did once steal a library book. And if it makes you feel better, I'm still haunted by guilt.
DeleteAnd one more thing. I did not write a "fake" Amazon review because I have never claimed to have read Forney's book. I only pointed out in my "review" that Forney's books are compilations of his blog posts, which are available for free online. And yes, I did point out that Forney was posting rave reviews of his own books using his own pseudonym "Ferdinand Bardemu". A reader of this blog tipped me off to that fact: I can't claim credit for digging that delicious nugget up by myself, unfortunately.
DeleteIn his article on how to ruin someone with google, MF said that nobody would consider the source to closely when reading a damning blog post about an individual. You have responded in one of your previous posts that intelligent people do consider the source. You are right, of course. However, Matt is also right when it comes to an inexperienced, overworked new hr worker. A hassled hr manager might not be too diligent in doing research. But, I don't think any hiring manager would dismiss pertinent info about the sourse if it were flashing in neon, right in his face. I mention this because the blog post Matt wrote about you shows up on his site, right above a pornographic image and right below an article with a large headline "How to Crush a Girl's Self Esteem".
ReplyDeleteNow, the fact that you've associated with these people at all is pretty embarrassing for you, I must admit.
Meh, it is and it isn't. Fortunately, any job I'm likely to apply for would not depend on passing muster with "an inexperienced, overworked new hr worker". I was just googling some of the other recent victims of this "anti-feminist campaign" and the way I'm starting to feel, I'm in pretty good company.
DeleteOkay, so your job prospects aren't at risk. Good. And, I guess, different people feel embarrassed about different things.
DeleteIt's just that, effectively, you've been singled out as a porn addict, with screen shots of you masturbating to sick stuff. And like many porn addicts efore you, you've tried to claim that it's for research. But let's be honest, your objects of fascination are a small nitche group that is found, pretty much, exclusively on the internet and has a smaller than average share of power out in the real world. These people pose absolutely no threat to the order of things, and you know it.
Personally, I don't judge people who are addicted to scat porn. But I'm kinda shy myself, about the whole rubbernecking at these trainwrecks of humanity thing.
So, given what you have just asserted about yourself -- that you are "above" "rubbernecking at these train wrecks of humanity" -- I sure would love to know just how you found yourself here, on my blog. Hypocrisy much?
DeleteBTW, I do not agree that "these people pose absolutely no threat". I find many of them very threatening. Roosh, Forney & Friends have dedicated themselves to "ruining" anyone they perceive as a "feminist" (that is, anyone who criticizes or mocks them). There is good reason that the SPLC has decided to monitor them.
'addicted to scat porn'
DeleteHmm, somehow I don't think an interest in the manosphere quite equates with a taste for scat porn in term of public embarrassment. Supporting a manosphere blog, or much more so writing one, now that is closer to scat porn in terms potential shaming. I think a lot of the bile being anonymously directed at Cinzia stems from fear.
Well, no. Contributing to a manosphere blog would be equivalent to doing scat porn. Cinzia just likes to watch. Licking hot turds on video is a lot more embarrassing than watching it, of course. Matt Forney's wholr blog is a massive smear campaign against himself. Ditto Roosh's blog.
DeleteFor someone who's shy about that sort of thing, you give some very visual descriptions. When I think of scat porn I think of two words: 'Intestinal Parasites'.
DeleteYour thought process would be correct, if it not for the fact that looking away from a problem doesn't really make it disappear. However, honest and calm dissections of the problem as seen in this blog, bodycrimes, manboobz, depressedfeminist (although the last one writes pretty infrequently), help understand what the problem is.
DeleteThe words "smear" and "scat"……not a lovely mental visual, lol.
DeleteAnonymous, I don't think watching this stuff is any more (or less) embarrassing than being caught reading the Daily Mail. It's all the same thing, really. Except that the Daily Mail features more women with dresses caught in their undies. But the fatty shaming, the blowing up minutiae out of all proportion, the little pockets of drama... pretty much the same stuff.
DeleteSnork Maiden, I am shy about being caught. Otherwise, I masturbate and do all kinds of things in private. Hence me posting as "anonymous" I was simply reflecting on what would horrify me about being doxed, like it happened to La Strega. And out of all the things MF wrote about La Strega, being interested in him in any shape or form is the only thing I, personally, would be shy about.
DeleteP.S. When I think of scat, manosphere is the first thing that comes to mind.
Bodycrimes, agreed. I wouldn't want to be seen reading DM either. And, yes, Matt Forney and Daily Mail are about the same level of sophistication.
You're right, people are embarrassed about different things. As anyone who knows me will attest, I have a high threshold of tolerance for personal embarrassment. Perhaps because I don't take myself all that seriously.
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ReplyDeleteWhat happened to bodycrimes/Chloe? I know she comments here, but Chloe, why did you make it private? And are we allowed in? I loves your blog because it was light, funny, and intelligent at the same time :p I hear you made a private forum, but I'm not sure how to join. I commented as Ellie btw
ReplyDeleteI got asked to remove some comments (not by C. I hasten to add), among other things. Being the lazy bon bon eater/couch surfer that I am, it has taken me a while. Also, I've been frantically busy with not a lot to say of late. But the blog is up again! Misogyny mocking will recommence.
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