Sleazy, stupid, and clueless are no way to go through life

Every now and then you read something and ask, now why did he write that? Latest example is this Opinion Journal piece by Daniel Henninger.

Mr. Henninger is worried about the internet. He thinks it might be bad for us. He's talked to some psychologists and they agree. They even have some cool sounding names for the problems.

Here's Henninger's big worry:

The power of the Web is obvious and undeniable. We diminish it at our peril. But what if the most potent social effect to spread outward from the Internet turns out to be disinhibition, the breaking down of personal restraints and the endless elevation of oneself? It may be already.

Wow! Everything was just A-OK until people started using the internet. Then we started breaking down those personal restraints that are essential to civilization.

Has Henninger ever heard of the Abbie Hoffman, Allen Ginsberg, television programmers, TV and movie critics, Quentin Tarantino, Howard Stern, Arnold Worldwide advertising agency, 2Live Crew, "Sensations", Tom Leykis, Janet Jackson Madonna?

Surely he has. Yet, he is worried about the way people comment on blogs.

Another point: Several of the blogs he cites-- Wonkette, HuffPost,-- are not quite the best example of what the Internet enabled. The HuffPost is heavy with old media types, the Wonkette was started by a card-carrying member of the media guild.