Truth be told, there's value in transparent commenting

One of our clients, John Zoccola of Vantage Learning, e-mailed me this morning with his reaction to my post yesterday about anonymous vs. transparent commenting. I wanted to share his thoughts here:

Yes, absolutely commenters ought to identify themselves. For as much as it provides credibility perhaps to the folks they're commenting about, it can eliminate the false courage people have when posting anonymously and cut down on some of the nonsense that has to be monitored.

Thanks for the comment, John. I appreciate you taking time to read my blog. I think you are right. All too often, comments lose their value because anonymity emboldens ridiculousness. And that's fine. But comments can also be a valid part of the conversation.

That's why I suggested a hybrid system where the rabble can still rouse, while those of us who want to enter into more thoughtful discussions have an opportunity to do so in the bright light of transparency. In the end, I think this might serve everyone's needs and provide a way to further our clients' objectives, while responding to legitimate issues and concerns brought to light by real people seeking real answers.