Oh, LJ...

[snowgrouse]

...I have been thinking about that LJ Like button thing for ages because it's just so awfully quiet here these days. I think it's all the microblogging stuff that just allows people to like posts and then move on that's made them more lazy when it comes to actual communication in the blogosphere. And of course, I prefer good conversation, but

Comments

[snowgrouse]

The hugs button would be a good idea--if someone posts about something really miserable having happened to them, a "like" does indeed feel inappropriate. I think that a lot of the time, people are too awkward about leaving even the "hugs" comment, even when they do read and are sympathetic--god knows how many posts I've scrolled past and have felt that but haven't commented, and feel bad about that.

And it really bugs me that there isn't much conversation around any more, just people yelling on their own blogs about how [insert oppression du jour] a show is. I still want to go off on long meta rambles about things, but I lock everything to do with Who or Sherlock because people are even flamier and kneejerkier about big shows now and I don't want my squee harshed. I am up to fucking *here* with people calling the Moff names when I love him to tiny bits and I don't want to hear *anyone's* opinions on what he does wrong now. I don't want to hear any criticism of him now because I'm so sick of it that even the most sensible critical analyses will just trigger a minor panic attack in me because I am just reminded of the batshit nutters. (Having said that, please don't tell me what you think about him, now that I've mentioned him. That's how bad it's getting.) I don't think it's even possible for me to talk big fandom stuff now without that panic being triggered because there are simply so few intelligent and compassionate people about who *don't* want to set you on fire when discussing fandom.

And yet I don't friendslock some of my old movie stuff because I'd like to talk about, say, the way guys were allowed to be prettier in the silent movie days and would love to have intelligent discussion about that with people, but even if I linked to the post from Tumblr, I'd just get tumbleweeds because people are too scared to comment on LJs (or other wordier blogs) now, I think. Whereas they don't seem to have a problem in reblogging someone's post on Tumblr and vomiting hate all over it.

I don't know, man. It's depressing. But we do need that like button!

[vilakins]

I don't comment on people's fandom rants (and luckily I don't come across many) because I'm unlikely to change their minds. Just back away slowly. (Though I'd use an :agree" button for some of the old RTD ones.)

Sorry, but I have to say that I love the Moff, and Sherlock!

Maybe the Russians will ask for buttons. We can hope.

[snowgrouse]

I was just thinking that maybe I should ask for a like button in Russian and then they'd listen. Time to figure out how to say that in Russian...