My least favorite comment(s) in any given thread are those entitled “Thank You,” and upon clicking that little arrow dealy, all I find is either a regurgitated quote from the diarist or some insanely ridiculous two word pedestal to prop the diarist up on. More often than not, I try to see the nicety beneath the uselessness of such ‘commentary’ and give it a little mojo if not simply for the sake of acknowledging the complementary intent of the comment.
That old habit is suffering its long awaited fate today. It (in some undetermined future time) will be replaced with one of two habits: the first being a glazing over and the second, on those that seem baseless, needless attempts to file in behind some odd notion of prestige, I’ll question the gratitude; enquiring “why?”
I find it hilarious and sad simultaneously that people who can be so thoughtful in writing their diaries; yet have no idea how to accept criticism or diametric opposition to their opinions. Worse, the disagreement from the reader’s side is so often the opposite of critical expression, and worst of all, upon the first sight of non-linear support of the diarist’s expressed opinion, the woodwork weeps with cantankerous assaults of the dissenter, which deliberately places the image of some rogue ambush on the diarist by an ‘unworthy outsider,’ who was ‘clearly crouching in the shrubbery, waiting to pounce.’
What this implies to me is that tragically, it seems that far too many people have no idea what critique is or how to critique; or why one should expect and furthermore invite criticism. It is as if none of us have ever been wrong about any single thing, ever in our lives. It is as if we are willing to blindfold ourselves and step forward when in the company we are keeping at the present time is someone of intense reputation, therefore we perceive that he or she is incapable of offering the wrong way forward- the shortest, safest direction onward.
Too often, this nonsense infects the hierarchy of a diary, and in scrolling down, we can always find the diagonal battle toward the right of the screen, until the script defaults to perfectly aligned, vertical worthlessness, repudiating just who, exactly, the ‘asshole’ is. By doing so, the ‘participants’ do little else but to reveal their own flawed practice of critique.
Some folks (perhaps myself) are, in fact ‘assholes.’ All of us join the ranks at one time or another. However, one thing that can definitely hold all of us above the permanence of such classification is the adoption, use and understanding of objective thinking. Sadly, at this point, it seems we are swirling back downward to the practice of alignment and exclusivity. The lowest common denominator saturates the ‘debate.’
The end-game of this practice is to institutionalize this forum and replace its openness with a Caste system; those deemed ‘inside’ deeming others ‘outside.’ One concerned newcomer stifled by baseless, personal attacks by comfortable alum.
There is a big difference between becoming ‘an’ institution and being ‘the’ institution. The way things are going lately in my opinion are more accommodating to the latter. Money for my candidates aside, I do not ever wish to participate in such a venture.
I am not without my faults. For a time, I would throw high numbered insults out there in reply to high numbered insults, which was just as wrong as the comments made by intentionally disruptive ‘members.’ Further, when I read a diary that was highly trollish, I would remove all of the other tags, leaving the “troll diary” that was placed there by someone else. I am also certain that somewhere back in my comments, I had crossed the threshold and just plain insulted someone; but, mind you, I have made the opposite my habit.
All of this… All of this coupled with the poisonous slander certain people had thrown at one of my favorite members of this forum last week. All of that wedged beneath the steep rise of anti Semitic, anti Palestinian, mischaracterized Nuremburg Law justifications and unsupported, un-cited, opinions presented as ‘fact(s)’ have pretty much left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. This stressful feeling is something that I never thought I would feel from participating in this forum, even after the “shiny, new” novelty had worn off.
The diaries and commentary should be considered as a Pollyanna. Those who we disagree with here present their gifts to us. Our expressions of disagreement and critique are our reciprocations. What prevents this potential wonder of dignified discussion is frankly a flawed and (seemingly contagious) immaturity.
When we click the post button at the bottom of the screen, we are tacking our artwork to the wall for all to see; a gutsy move to say the least. Surely we hadn’t properly foreshortened an area of the subject somewhere. We most certainly did not choose the right color or technique- the right tone or value in a portion of the composition; but that is why we had tacked it to the wall in the first place- to present it for comment-for praise, yes, hopefully; but more importantly, for the gift of critique- for the suggestion of exploring avenues we would have never conceived, and in doing so, in a more perfect universe, we would graciously expand our expertise, lending it to other artwork tacked on other walls.
To dismiss the work by dismissing its creator is the opposite of critical behavior. To dismiss the dismisser only starts the cycle toward meaningless stagnation.
If we are here to align ourselves blindly to whatever, or whoever, is there really any purpose of being here in the first place?
Is “Thank You” enough for us to say in summation of several, likely diverse paragraphs? Is “You are an (explative)?”
And so. . . I think I'm going to take a piece of my own advice. Although it is 16 degrees right now, just beyond my plane of vision is a running creek with some massive, hungry trout...
I'm sure I am somehow, somewhere part of the problem. I'll inform those who don't know that I have an unusual love for this forum and its members. Some folks probably need no reminders of that. That said, I beg of you to recognize the bravery that the majority of thoughtful people show by posting their opinions here. They deserve your input and disagreement rather than your dismissal just as you deserve their defense of their own opinions, despite anyone's percieved brilliance or prestige. It is simply a matter of learning how to give and accept critique, something all of us should have picked up on our journey toward adulthood.
Update: I'm sorry, it seems that Kos wrote a diary about this already. I wrote this last night and finished it up this morn. I should have seen his, but I didn't even look at the homepage.
I'm all bundled up and have my rooster-tail hooked up. Wish me luck.
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