It was surprising to hear that Michael Arrington was “taking some time off” from working on his highly influential TechCrunch site. He’s been bombarded with hate mail, death threats and was spat on in public while leaving a conference.

 

How could such incredible events occur to such a renowned journalist and industry pundit?

 

I have a theory. It’s based on simple economics.

 

Back in the days of the great techno-bubble (and even before), journalists were treated by startups (especially European companies) as if they were U.S. Congressmen being wooed by well-financed lobbyists. Highly overcapitalized organizations with some kind of tele-gizmo or whiz-bam service would keep the airlines busy by flying people like Yours Truly to various destinations worldwide.

 

In retrospect it seems (almost) embarrassing how companies have attempted over the years to ingratiate themselves with anybody who they deem a “key communicator” – an old public relations term for somebody whose opinion is widely disseminated among certain segments of the public. Key communicators can be the local town barber as much as an industry pundit with an audience ranging into the millions. But they do have an impact. They can affect the success or failure of companies for better or worse, at to some greater or lesser degree.

 

But now that companies no longer have the capital to try to suck up to well-known, prominent industry observers as Arrington, they do the next best thing – they take out their frustrations as a child would on a school playground, resorting to teasing, insults, threats and even physical violence. Many corporate types are amazingly stressed out these days anyway, as they continue to make cutbacks in staff and resources. Not surprisingly, some of them have developed a “hair trigger” or two when it comes to verbal criticism.

 

So I think what’s happened to Arrington is not the result of a particular conspiracy directed against him or a new trend involving bloggers in general. Instead of inviting him to a guided tour of a facility or a meeting at a fabulous restaurant, or even just some verbal pampering, the cordial facade of corporate greed has at last been shattered. It’s just another indirect sign of what’s happening in a collapsing world economy – the Hostility Index is skyrocketing (yes, there is such a thing; it’s a real, objective measure of psycho-aggressiveness).

 

Perhaps this is good in the long run, since Arrington, being diligent as he is, certainly needs as much sleep as the next fellow, and working 18 hours a day on a website can get drive you up the wall after a while.

 

As for me, I’ve been perusing the latest line of executive bulletproof vests….