A perfect storm, Web 2.0 style

One of my SCA and Facebook cohorts pointed me to an interesting slice of karma dished out--a la mode--by crowdsourcing. Apart from my natural tendency to root for the underdog (not to mention instinctive solidarity with my medievalist "cousins,"), I found the brouhaha interesting for its "perfect storm" characteristic. And also for the mind-boggling refusal of some people to realize three fundamental truths about this phase of the internet's existence:

1. Virtual snottiness isn't any less snotty than real-world snottiness.
2. Your snottiness is out there in front of the intertubes 'n everybody.
3. Going viral isn't necessarily a good thing, even when you're the protagonist.

I'd add "Don't annoy passionate medievalists," except that this truth predates the internet--by which I mean that it's not about the swords and other assorted pointy objects; it's the inexhaustable capacity for research. Oh, yes, and a tendency to write witty, satirical songs about you. That kind of of cultural--even subcultural--immortality you don't need. Trust me on this.