Why Stop At A Blogging Code of Conduct?

Can someone stop for a second in all this kerfuffle about a Blogging Code of Conduct and answer me two questions.

1. Why?
After all, Kathy Sierra has said that the code of conduct would not have helped in her case. Which seems to be the case that started Tim O’Reilly investigating and promoting the Code of Conduct. What benefit does a set of rules provide, when it is imposed by others on an area when we can barely agree what a blog actually is?

2. What is the Goal?
Can it be summed up in one sentence that clearly defined what the Code of Conduct is for? Not ‘we need a code of conduct for blogs’ but the actual goal of the code.

3. Why Only Blogs?
If, by creating a Code of Conduct for Bloggers, we solve the percieved problem, why should we restrict it to this? Why not take the code and rewrite it for instant messaging; for IRC; for people getting bullied by SMS at college; for sexual discrimination in the workplace; for armed bank robbers holding up your local branch of the HSBC.

…heck, why not just put together a wiki at the United Nations for each conflict in the world and sort out the mess in Iraq with the power of Web 2.0?

When the masses stand up and say something is wrong with such a unified voice, let’s not call it mob justice. Let’s call it common sense. Which is what this problem needs more than anything.

Oh and I wish I had made up this cartoon, but it’s very apt…