Rocket Bomber - article - site news - snark - An advisory to commentors. (not all - not most - just some)

Re: the commentary to date on the posting ‘The Seven Types of Bookstore Customer’, see also the first follow-up, the second follow-up, the third (and I had hoped) last time I revisited the topic, and also the recent posting (incl. reader comments) The Eight Types of Bookseller.

Reader Spiff was asking (and I’m paraphrasing) “If you didn’t want to reap the whirlwind, why did you sow the wind?”

and so:

if any of it really bothered me, I could delete the negative comments, or even go so far as to delete the original post.

I’m pretty thick-skinned, actually, and I’ve a fair sense of humor, and am mostly agnostic about it all.

Obviously, I invite comments (since there is a comment function) but the beautiful thing about the web is that one can also comment to one’s own space, with a link to material. — in fact, the vast majority of readers first discovered this blog by reading about it [with commentary, both good and bad] on someone else’s site.

What surprises me is the number of people who feel compelled to comment here, like I posted this to a public forum or on their website. The original post, and this one, constitute My Opinion on these topics and if I’m so inflammatory or offensive or outright wrong — then why did you read it?

There must be something true in it, or no one would have linked. None would have commented. No one would have bothered to read the post all the way to the end. (and certainly, if the overwhelming response was all negative, that’d be one thing, too, but what of those who posted in agreement or support?)

I’m guilty of bias; I suppose I’m guilty of posting flame-bait, too. Fine.

But the internet is all about bias and flame bait — which internet have you been reading?

My objection to negative comments is like a host objecting to guests pissing on the carpet: sure, there’s nothing wrong with the behavior per se, it’s fine in context — but there is a forum for that sort of thing and most people do it behind closed doors, & at home.

One could slander my character and rebuff all my points and arguments or tear apart my ‘arguments’ as plainly false on their face and question my suitability for my job (or any job) or even wonder aloud how long it will be before my neighbors band together to remove me as a blight to the community —

I’d just ask that you not do it on my blog, and to me that’s just as sensible as a host asking people to stop pissing on his living room rug.

The proper html is <a href=“http://www.rocketbomber.com”>THIS GUY SUCKS ASS!</a> (or your own pithy commentary) and you can post it to a web forum, or a social networking site, or to a blog of your own devising, where you pay the registration fees and hosting out of your pocket.

Just stop asking me to pay for and support your negativity. Just because it’s the internet doesn’t make it free, and I get the bill for this site.