Monday, March 5, 2012

Commenting on the internet (Don't do it!)

I don't normally touch on politics but had an experience this weekend, where upon I inadvertently identified myself as differing myself as not in perfect lockstep with the groupthink of the collective on a left-leaning blog.

Even though I expressed agreement with the statements they had made, I was instantly branded as sub-human and what followed was a completely unexpected screed of vitriol and hatred that I was unprepared for.

They would take a simple statement of "Person X said something BAD, and I do not agree with it."  as somehow support of  Person X and use that position to rationalize stream of ad hominem attacks in attempt to discredit me as insultingly as possible... in spite of the fact that I was *agreeing* with them.

The event literally left me stressed and nauseated.

It reminded me of why I stopped commenting on public forums years ago.  I won't be making that mistake again soon.




2 comments:

  1. That's interesting. I almost never comment online except here. But I've watched the vitriol of the left, especially the young left, with dismay these last few years. Last week a friend of a young friend of mine wrote something evil and profoundly ignorant about someone on the right. I carefully contructed a response in the kindest terms I could come up with to correct the error. Perhap even to educated a little and suggest what she said was unacceptable. With my finger poised to send it, I hesitated. I knew before hand what the reaction would be and while the reaction I predicted from her would roll off me like water off a duck, realized I could get the same reaction for our mutual friend, who shares her views. I deleted it without sending it and felt exactly the stress and nausea you describe. What a sad and sick movement the left in America has become.

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  2. Hmmmm... I suppose commenting here is a bit safer. (Looks around) I seldom comment in a public forum. I am opinionated (who knew?) with substantial thought given to whey I have those opinions. The sad part is that I don't think that the vitriol is restricted based on ideology. I've seen ridiculous statements, personal attacks, and random maligning aimed at any rational discourse. Basically the theme is that "Agree with me now and absolutely or you are not intelligent". I recently posted an article on Google+ that held the premise that we are starting to become to stupid for democracy. I'm sad to say that I agree with it. The lack of depth in comments is a symptom. The disease is that we're no longer a nation of thinkers.

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