I am a bit grumpy, not overly so, but enough to make me stomp about the house muttering to myself, whilst absent mindedly chain eating tim tams.
I like to speak my mind on issues that matter to me, I prefer to be proactive and I have zero tolerance for bullshit or time wasters.
I am a deep thinker and I will often spend days thinking about a problem, or in the case of my recent research project, weeks.
One of my solutions to problems that bother me overmuch, is to write my thoughts out here on the blog and then see what you have to say about my words. Generally with your help I get things straight in my head and I can move on, formulate a plan and be happily proactive.
I feel better when I am doing.
I also like to know where I stand and most importantly I like other people to know where I stand.
In discussion about politics I wear my green heart on my sleeve, I lean towards the pagan and fundamentalists of any persuasion make me twitchy.
You would think that this sort of attitude would make my life simple.
But it seems that the world is full of people who just want to argue and threaten and shout down any opposition to their own narrow world view.
The worst aspect of an online life is that anonymous commenters can pop up going “rabble, rabble, rabble” and attempt to bully people into silence, by shouting about defamation.
Yesterday, my daughter Veronica published a post about criticism in the blogposphere . In her post she questions why bloggers are so afraid to disagree with other bloggers and in the writing of her piece, also questioned why she had felt unable to publicly talk about the bloggers manifesto being eerily similar to a piece of her own writing.
Veronica did not accuse the authors of the bloggers manifesto of plagiarism, Veronica simply stated how she felt.
I’ve found myself purposely staying silent over issues simply because I didn’t want to rock the boat. And maybe that’s fine, but not rocking the boat can be a bad thing too.
Why shouldn’t I say that I’m unhappy about the Bloggers Manifesto because it sounds scarily like a post of mine on Ethics and Integrity I wrote before the Aussie Bloggers Conference? What scares me so much about disagreeing, that I would purposely stay silent, for fear of the waves?
When the comments were getting a bit heated and one of the most prolific of all authors, “anonymous” waded into the fray. I allowed my daughter to remove part of one of my comments, not because I was concerned about defamation, but because I couldn’t be bothered arguing the point in the comments section of my daughters blog.
I can’t be bothered arguing the point here either.
I will simply state for the record that I think that the bloggers manifesto is the most simplistic piece of fluffy crap I have ever had the misfortune to read. It provides me with the unfortunate mental picture of a bunch of cheerleaders high fiving each other in an arena full of pink balloons and bunting, congratulating themselves that they are the chosen ones and they alone can tell the rest of us mortals how to behave.
This version of the bloggers manifesto worries me, in the same way the simplistic, populist policies of Tony Abbott worry me. We are dumbing down as a nation and the shouters are starting to win. I would like to have read the original document which by all accounts was well written and had a bit of substance to it.
This is my opinion. I am not casting aspersions on those of you who signed it. I am simply saying what I think.
I would also like to remind that lovely author, Anonymous, that this is the internet and that most of the population think that people who write blogs on the internet are a little bit unhinged. Your opinions do not carry any weight on this blog, as most of the populace do not care what you or I have to say.
Also if in doubt about my intentions regarding anonymous and or trollish comments I will direct you to my comments policy.
Please read this carefully.
Regards Kim
Comments on this entry are closed.
I must admit that I was a little shocked by some of the comments on Veronica’s blog post, I went to write my own and then stepped back as I didn’t want to inflame the situation. I believe what Veronica wrote was a well structured question of why she was feeling like she was feeling, I personally see nothing wrong with that. I also read your comments, but after they were edited and saw nothing wrong with them either. But a certain people, in my opinion, got very, very personal, they were rude and ignorant, and your daughter had the courage to leave them there – which in only strengthened her argument about being open to criticism.
I have not signed the BM nor do I see any need to, I am an mature woman who knows how to behave, and I believe most of us out here in the blogging community do. I will also not be told what to think or do by a group of people I don’t know, much like I don’t like being told what to do by politicians (no matter what their party).
My advice to you, as a mother to mother, is breathe deeply today and relax. We as mothers go into protection mode, no matter what age our children are, and sometimes to the detriment of ourselves and our own health. You have had a lot to deal with as a family, but particularly as the mother and wife in the last while, be kind to yourself and know that if I was there I would give you a hug, share a cuppa and let you share your burdens with me, much like we do in cyberspace but much more personal than just words. xxxx
Thank you Kakka, I think that a lot of bloggers forget that I am Veronica’s mother and I do go into protection mode. I am also very forthright and outspoken. Combine those two and sometimes I am very volatile 🙂 But again it is generally Veronica who calms me down and the “lioness within” retreats for a bit.
“I have not signed the BM nor do I see any need to, I am an mature woman who knows how to behave, and I believe most of us out here in the blogging community do. I will also not be told what to think or do by a group of people I don’t know, much like I don’t like being told what to do by politicians (no matter what their party).”
couldn’t have said it better Kakka
I think too many people mix up the words criticism and analysis. Criticism is all about judgement, analysis is rational, sees both sides. I think constructive criticism is a misnomer, (or maybe an oxymoron) like limited freedom or apathetic interest. We are all entitled to our opinions, but when did the simple disagreement with any person’s subjective experience become intertwined with a sense of entitlement? Its as if those nasty cheerleaders ( I loved that!) are having a temper tantrum because we didn’t like the fact that they called us names.
Blogger Manifesto?? I mean really. Since when did the internet need a babysitter? As long as we are not promoting hate speech then we have the right to say whatever we like. If one or two “cheerleaders” don’t like it, well, they can go shut off their computers.
I will step off my rant box now. Hugs.
Thank you Liz, I have calmed down considerably now that I have written the words out of my head. Your thoughtful comment has also made me smile.
It is such a fine line we walk, but we walk it as adults. And should behave like them too. Respect is hugely important to me, not because I have signed any silly piece of crap saying I will be respectful, but because it is how I choose to behave. Part of my mantra if you like. But equally I don’t have to agree with everyone all of the time.
No, I don’t agree with every blog I read. For goodness sake, I don’t agree with myself all of the time – how can I possibly agree with everyone else 100%. If I disagree with a blog I will either say so politely and try and explain why or if the issue is not impinging on my own value system simply remain quiet.
I am prone to making snap judgements, most of the time I am correct in my initial evaluation but sometimes I will have to admit that I have been too hasty. As an adult I am then more than capable of admitting that I have made a mistake and maybe the situation wasn’t as cut and dried as I first assumed.
Thank you for your comment. I agree with you.
I think I’m grown up enough to play nicely on the net without signing something or other and (hopefully) without pissing someone off with my off-the-cuff comments. 😉
Yes, I think you are as well Jayne.
Hello!
I’m not a blogger but I am a reader of blogs such as yours and Veronica’s and I couldn’t give two hoots whether you’d signed a manifesto or not it wouldn’t change anything.
Do bloggers these days write for the readers or just for other bloggers, because I’m sure that the readers wouldnt even notice if something had been signed or not. The content of the blog is what keeps them coming back.
Sorry if this comment is all fragmented but I’m on my iPhone in the car, I just wanted to add that all those blogs that are happy, sappy and have that cheerleader odour are the ones I seem to avoid!
Thanks for the comment Emma, You have raised a very good point. Who do I write to, or for? I write to make sense of my thoughts but I also am very conscious that I my writing is also for my regular readers who have become my friends. I am also very aware when I am writing a post about Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, that I am also writing for a potential first time visitor who could possibly be looking for answers re: EDS. I certainly am not writing for the cheerleaders. Thanks for the added perspective your comment gives to this conversation.
“They’re the chosen ones..”
Chosen by who?
I don’t think they’re the chosen ones, so much as they might actually be the ones who are bullying the rest of us into behaving the way they think we should.
I haven’t read that Bloggers Manifesto, I don’t think I need to, since I’ve read here and at Veronica’s that her ethics post, which I have read, is very similar.
I don’t see how people can make such a fuss. Surely they can’t expect everyone to agree with everyone else all the time?
Differences of opinion are what make this world go round.
I’m happy to let anyone have their own opinion on anything.
I signed it. Not because I need any help with maintaining ethical standards but because I have regular sponsored posts I think it’s useful to have a bare minimum of standards that a client can look to that I adhere to on the blog in terms of disclosure. But it doesn’t contain my ethical approach in its entirety.
The defamation comment was ridiculous. But not in that laugh-at-the-moron ridiculous way. In that scary ridiculous way.
I am glad you could see that I wasn’t having a go at the people who signed the manifesto Zoey 🙂 the defamation accusation was laughable as it wouldn’t have stood up in court. If the offended person had bucket loads of money they wanted to waste they could have had their lawyer send me a letter, then my lawyer would have sent them a letter making counter accusations, etc etc. and then I would be seriously peeved and feel compelled to document the whole sorry process publicly on my blog.
I have not signed it. Don’t know why. Just haven’t. x
I have not signed it either. I delight in behaving poorly. It gives me a balance because I try to get my kids to behave well and respectfully.
I have promised myself never ever to comment anonymously since starting my (poor, sad neglected) blog, and if that means I don’t say something, well then that is for the best.
Beck
I find myself commenting on blogs less and less as I see more and more arguments blowing up. I worry about how my comments will be taken and find myself often second-guessing – it takes way to long to write comments that way so more often than not I keep schtum.
I commented right at the end of it all, having felt unwell and then come back astounded to find some of the stuff I read. I gave my penniworth although never sure whether I make it worse or not. I hate bullshit. Too tired to read all the comments here today sorry people. I just get protective also of people I like who write no more or less than their opinion and all the bigoted self opinioned small minded people in the world (well perhaps not all but you know what I mean) suddenly appear all ego’d up. My god is it illegal to have an opinion I think not. But then again perhaps I am one of those opinionated people I probably am but at least I own up to it. I just think the internet is a big enough place for all of us and if they don’t particularly agree surely they could remember to be kind, nice, intelligent, debate………. sulk, annoyed. agree with you. What are tims tams? I am a mother Leo so get that. I comment everywhere saying pretty much what I like when I like though as you know, I do try to behave decently and with verity and probity etc. No one can comment J/Sh*t on mine because my brain is too mushed to blog at the moment!
xoxoxox