I wonder...
...how many bloggers are lost due to nasty comments? I mean, I know every blog has them, but I wonder what percentage of bloggers end up quitting partly due to them? I love This Fish's "advice free zone"--clearly from too many advice-happy commenters in the past. I know the comments drive Kim crazy--and she either doesn't post, or posts with the no comment option. I prefer to keep the dialogue open, but still. People get so INVOLVED. It's, like, only a blog, y'kno? No one's forcing you to read it. But then again, there are those people, like one of Cyn's law school buddies, who thinks the internet is for posting nasty things to people (I'm clearly not of that camp).Just wondering.
posted by . @ 11:18 PM
20 Comments:
Blogging loses 3/4 of its appeal if there are no comments. Nasty comments can be very annoying, but I think more people stop blogging for another reason -- they just get overwhelmed with dealing with all these other bloggers. Are they friends? Are they strangers? It could all just get draining.
I wish you would blog more Kim- I kind of miss hearing about what is going on in your life, and your opinions. I know criticism is hard to take sometimes, and people can be truly nasty, but it's nice to get a wider perspective about issues- even if people may not agree or say positive things all the time.
For me, I really don't care either way. Negative comments don't bother me and if they come from someone who I don't know, then I figure they are only putting in their two cents. I guess I'm not as emotionally into blogging as others... :)
I used to get a shit-ton of nasty comments (and rather vulgar and directed at my family as well) so after ignoring them for a good month or so, I made it so I had to approve the comments...problem solved...
I like the comment option, as you can tell, I always have something to say. Most of the time when I comment I like for it to be more of a "one liner", rather than something serious.
I just wrote about this the other day. I am like you, it is just a blog. I hate that some people are about to quit blogging over some of this crap. The stalkers are something else I don't understand.
I've actually turned off comments on my blog for a few reasons. I don't want to stop blogging and I was afraid that the comments would cause me to becaome less interested in posting. I may turn them back on at some point, but for now, it's sort of liberating to just write and hit publish. I'm enjoying it more.
If I start getting nasty comments, I'd probably just delete the ones I don't like... yeah, it's censorship, but my blog, my rules.
Or just shut off the comment function.
If you don't like comments on your blog, don't post blogs in the first place. Ever heard of a diary?
Anon,
This is why people like Kim don't blog. My suggestion would be to take the anonymous option away.
Anoyne that would post a comment without considering the feelings of the person they are commenting to, is a complete assface.
I personnally like the comments. No offense, its not like I care what people think, but its cool to know that people are reading the blog and sometimes they give me a different point of view about certain situations.
it's great if they read the whole post, or if they are ppl who have been reading our blog for awhile, but it seems like most ppl will be blog surfing or something, they'll read a second of somehting and then feel this need to say something nasty. that's what i dont get.
disclaimer - I enjoy this blog and the term "you" refers to bloggers in general, not the writers of this blog specificly.
I'd have to agree with spyder.
I would think that appeal of a blog vs. a private journal would be the interaction of the reader.
Blogging is part exhibisionistic (we publish our thoughts on a medium that is accesible to everyone on the planet) and part voyeristic (people read blogs written by strangers religiously).
Publishing your inner most thoughts on a public medium and then being surprised there is feedback (especially when you have courted a readership) is the classic "come here, go away" situation.
Because the accesiblity is so wide, there will always be people who don't agree with you or say mean things. It's just something you need to figure out how you want to deal with it before it happens, because it will happen.
I never have this problem because not many people read my blog. But I think that comments are good. I haven't been the subject of any negativity though, so I am not sure how that would feel...
i wish you girls would grow some and not care what comments you get.
You have the ability to delete shitty comments, right? Don't give them the satisfaction of being unnecesarily mean. It's not about you, it's about them. For all you know, it's some loser lover you rightly ditched a ways back.
Do you guys ever read dooce.com? She turned off her comments and her husband made his have to be approved... because of jerks.
You have a fans. Most comments are supportive. Don't let the pettiness get to you.
Unfortunately, I think every blog has its share of nasty comments and/or people who get way involved with the blog and you don't know them.
Notice for the former, it's always anonymous comments? So cowardly. I've been getting rude comments as well, and I don't bother deleting them nor acknowledging them. Let the trolls languish in their petty little worlds, I say.
Anyway, isn't it really pathetic to keep reading blogs when you can't stand the author for whatever reason? You just gotta feel sorry for them. ;)
p/s I've been reading this blog for months now and enjoyed all your posts!
Oh, you could always turn on the option of moderating your comments as well -- it's a newish feature on blogger. Comments get sent to you before you approve them on your blog.
Cheers!
I don`t mind nasty comments. What I do mind are the occasional spammed advertising things that pop up.
No, I don`t want to (a) start my own business (b) earn 5 grand a month stuffing envelopes at home (with what, crack??) (c) purchase cheap viagra/insurance/time share property. Go away you loser internet spammers.
Ok. Sorry for the nasty rant...lol. I love the blog land, and even the tough love I get sometimes. It`s spine-strengthening stuff.
Everyone,
Thanks so much the support. It's nice to know that the majority of people are nice. You've reaffirmed my faith in the blogosphere. Thanks!
Post a Comment
<< Home