My last word--until the NEXT word

[anahata56]

First, go here and read. And I suggest you also read the links posted within the content, so that you really are aware of what the TOS actually SAYS--i.e., Live Journal can, indeed, by their own Terms of Service, to which you agreed before you opened your account, make changes to the structure, the accounting and the general Live Journal-ness of

Comments

[wolfette]

I think the phrase is "WORD".

:-)

[eiredrake]

Arooo?

[anahata56]

Oh, just being cranky again....

This whole thing has me feeling just...sad.

[trishtrash]

I'm a little confused... the protest is pointless because it will achieve nothing? The apology it has engendered is worth nothing, we have not really been 'listened to'? Asking for change is pointless?

I'm sorry, but I have little time for naysaying - any positive change is worth demonstrating for, and asking that lj listen to and communicate with the people who use it is a request for positive change.

And just for the record - arrogance creates more 'wank' than simple goodhearted protest, which is what I read here.

[anahata56]

I'm not the kind of person who demands, or threatens for, an apology. Because just like any other show of aggression, the act that is the response to that aggression is nothing more than that--something to make the aggression stop.

I question the value--and the sincerity--of an act that is the result of a show of aggression.

I didn't see a whole lot of "simple, goodhearted protest"--I saw a lot of people screaming and hollering and threatening. That is the kind of behavior that leads me to want to protest, because that's not negotiation--that's bullying. And the problem with bullying, as I see it is that not only is it not particularly pleasant to look at, it's not particularly effective.

This is not a war--and yet all I hear about is who "won". And I am also not seeing a particularly clearcut definition of a "win".

Is the apology a "win"? Why?

If I slap someone, and say, "Oops, sorry!" only to turn around and slap them again, of what value is that apology? But that's exactly what happened here, because nothing concrete has been

[trishtrash]

I'm not unfriending you because you and I have differing opinions - I'm unfriending you because you write entries that speak to your 'friends' like they are idiots; the arrogance (which I have seen displayed by you elsewhere, and in your treatment of others) is not something I find at all appealing

[anahata56]

If you can point to one place where I expressed my opinions of any individual in a less than flattering light, I invite you to show me where it is.

And for the record, I don't have the power to "make" anyone look or feel stupid, especially not via the expression of an opinion that I expect no one (or at least very few) to share.

For the last week, I've been subjected to post after post after post about the evils of LJ, and the implication that anyone who does not participate in this strike as some sort of suck-up, or worse, as a collaborator. And while you are not one of the people who have done that, you are the one who took it upon yourself to be offended when I expressed my offense at those people who did.

Why? This doesn't belong to you if you're not one of the people displaying the behaviors. And surely if you took offense at this post, then you would take equal offense at the people who gave rise to it--right? And if arrogant, insulting people offend you, then you would be equally offended by the people who did resort to

[laurelian]

Right on, sister!

[anahata56]

I just don't see the import of staying away for a day.

It just isn't going to MEAN anything.

[laurelian]

Exactly. Especially in the context - as you pointed out - of the owners of LJ acting within the scope of the TOS that we all agreed to upon account creation.

We're not talking about the President of the United states decided to ban gay marriage here. We're talking about a company acting completely within its rights according to clearly stated Terms of Service. And even if it were something more serious, refusing to use the service for a day really isn't going to create a noticible effect for the company.

Everyone refusing to pay or visit the site for a month? That might produce a noticible effect...but does anyone really want to do that in protest? I'm not so sure that I would go along with that.

[griffen]

It meant something to me, Belle. I'm a permanent user, and I participated. The fact that it means nothing to YOU does not mean it means nothing to ME. As you said in your most recent post, some people will be downright pissed that you didn't bring a chocolate ganache cake to the potluck when you brought a chicken, but that doesn't change the value of the chicken to YOU, does it? Same here for me. Participation in the strike meant something important to me and many others who participated, even if it looks stupid or pointless to you.

Reading your interaction with trishtrash, above, upsets me. Both of you have been my friends for a long damn time. I have read your post from today, and your "potluck" analogy, well... think of it like this

[madfedor]

I've ignored the Plus account upgrade because i don't really need the extra features, but I think I may upgrade now, not only because my basic account may at some point be in jeopardy, but because I, too, read the TOS. ;-)

[anahata56]

And your upgrade will cost you exactly nothing--except to be exposed to those EEEEVVVVIIIIL ads...

This is the thing--nobody is being asked to open their goddamned WALLET. No one is being discriminated against on the basis of MONEY.

But at the same time money is not going to keep anyone OUT of LJ, neither is it an issue that LJ can ignore--because their customers are demanding more and more features that COST THEM MONEY.

I don't know--maybe I've just been innoculated by the corporate mindset, but...TAANSTAFL, yanno?