Two things a person doesn’t always know: Who’s listening and how words are going to sound before they come out. The latter, if we want to get technical about it, is regulated by the orbitofrontal cortex of the amigdala, which unfortunately is switched off while a person uses the Internet—nonverbal communication is required for this to function properly—hence all the stupid comments loading down the Internet like a soiled diaper.
Thus, we have an inspired comic from xkcd, where a hacker writes a virus that will read comments back to a person before they post. The target despairs in the end, coming to a long overdue revelation of his own idiocy.
It’s post-modernism meets stick figures. Is that post-post-modernism?
Anyway, it looks like some Googlers are xkcd readers because a short time after that comic appeared, a modification was made in the comments. YouTubers can now listen to an audio preview of their comments before they post. Sometimes hearing oneself is the best remedy.
Then again, as noted at the xkcd, erm, “blag,” one YouTube commentator opined:
It’s the DUMBEST FEATURE I’ve seen thus far. There is no practical use for it. None. Zero. Nada. Sheesh. (the audio preview of my own post sounded moronic!)
Ah, Irony, you cruel mistress.
