Disappointment with Political Bloggers
This happens again and again. I find a cool blog, usually a feminist or liberal/progressive political one. I read a couple of entries, think 'wow, this person is cool, intelligent, has views I didn't even know I had too till they articulated them so well' - sounds nice, yes? My internet crush is all set to flower.
This blogger is aggressive and sees right through bullshit and doesn't mind calling people on it, kind of mean about some people but hey those people really are idiots and trying to oppress X. I read some comment threads and go 'aaw, how cute and friendly and intelligent the discussions!'
Then there will invariably be a post that's really interesting and makes me think but I'm not sure if I quite agree with it. Eager and excited I will go to read the comments. Hmm, agreement, agreement, agreement and then...
There will be a long comment by someone who disagrees with the author, very polite, good spelling, interesting point of view, excellent rebuttal. I *bounce* mentally, sure I'm going to see an awesome discussion that will let me figure out what my real opinion on this issue is...
What I see instead is the commenter being viciously attacked, what they actually said misrepresented, and ignored and called names.
It is so incredibly disappointing. It's hard to like someone after you see them go rabid at some valid and polite disagreement. What makes people do this when earlier in the same blog they condemned their idiological enemies for not allowing any dissent?
It makes me wonder if it's possible to be aggressive and condemn anyone without eventually falling into this trap. Once you start cussing and calling some people names online, can you refrain from it when someone tries to have a decent debate with you? I used to think so but I don't know anymore. I do know that this kind of behavior is pathetic and sad.
I suppose it serves me right for idolizing anyone just because they write well and have some cool ideas. It's true that when I first fall in love with a book or a book series my first inclination is to fall in love with the author as well. I guess I'll just have to learn to accept that human beings all have flaws and disliking disagreement is a common one, especially online in your own blog where you are surrounded by fans, and that flawed human beings can say cool and fascinating and funny things too.
Humans - all about the contradictions and the exalted and the vile sitting side by side in one skin.
I don't really encounter this in fandom though, maybe some slight echo every now and then, but mostly it's a shiny and sweet place by comparison. Of course when it comes to fandom I'm very isolated and keep to a small corner and also, there is only so much to disagree about. Still, there are a couple of lj users who would break my heart if I ever saw them behave this way.
P.S. I've finally found an lj format that makes me happy! Wheee!
This blogger is aggressive and sees right through bullshit and doesn't mind calling people on it, kind of mean about some people but hey those people really are idiots and trying to oppress X. I read some comment threads and go 'aaw, how cute and friendly and intelligent the discussions!'
Then there will invariably be a post that's really interesting and makes me think but I'm not sure if I quite agree with it. Eager and excited I will go to read the comments. Hmm, agreement, agreement, agreement and then...
There will be a long comment by someone who disagrees with the author, very polite, good spelling, interesting point of view, excellent rebuttal. I *bounce* mentally, sure I'm going to see an awesome discussion that will let me figure out what my real opinion on this issue is...
What I see instead is the commenter being viciously attacked, what they actually said misrepresented, and ignored and called names.
It is so incredibly disappointing. It's hard to like someone after you see them go rabid at some valid and polite disagreement. What makes people do this when earlier in the same blog they condemned their idiological enemies for not allowing any dissent?
It makes me wonder if it's possible to be aggressive and condemn anyone without eventually falling into this trap. Once you start cussing and calling some people names online, can you refrain from it when someone tries to have a decent debate with you? I used to think so but I don't know anymore. I do know that this kind of behavior is pathetic and sad.
I suppose it serves me right for idolizing anyone just because they write well and have some cool ideas. It's true that when I first fall in love with a book or a book series my first inclination is to fall in love with the author as well. I guess I'll just have to learn to accept that human beings all have flaws and disliking disagreement is a common one, especially online in your own blog where you are surrounded by fans, and that flawed human beings can say cool and fascinating and funny things too.
Humans - all about the contradictions and the exalted and the vile sitting side by side in one skin.
I don't really encounter this in fandom though, maybe some slight echo every now and then, but mostly it's a shiny and sweet place by comparison. Of course when it comes to fandom I'm very isolated and keep to a small corner and also, there is only so much to disagree about. Still, there are a couple of lj users who would break my heart if I ever saw them behave this way.
P.S. I've finally found an lj format that makes me happy! Wheee!