01/04/2009 12:49:21 AM EST
Ok, so tell me again why we post diaries?
posted by acramer
I recently posted a diary relating to Obama's future relationship to the military
So, anyway, I post my comments and get attacked on a personal basis by some guy that I had never heard of, and have never met. Ok, well, I guess that that if you post something, you should expect good and bad. That is fair.
However, I simply do not get why so much of the attack of other another diarist's commentary is subject to such a personalized level of attack within a forum such as this where we are supposedly trying to encourage discussion and debate.
Many of you saw and commented on my last post, but I noticed that the final posts involved me and only one other diarist. No one else commented after this diarist and I got into our "p*******g contest"; I admit it was getting childish. I shouldn't have let this commentary get under my skin, but then, I wouldn't be me. And even now, I would guess I am posting right now, partially at least hoping for some validation of what I said. Chalk this up to weakness, cowardice, or silly emotinalism if you wish. But I'd prefer some meaningful feedback instead.
So how about if folks, was I out to lunch on this? If not, then how do we have dialogue? I think that this is really what bothers me the most about this.
I joined the Young Turks thinking that this would be a fourm for meaningful discussion; maybe for a guy my age, I am surprisingly naive. I am over 50 now, and just too old and tired to want to even get involved in silly male hormone laced proving of my intellectual manhood. I don't have the time, and I don't have the energy. I mean really, if the commentary is serious and civil, then why the need for such vitriol?
I know that I am not the only person that has been subject to this kind of vitriol here. However, why even bother having a forum if the commentary becomes vicious and dishonorable? I have in the past tried, with varying degrees of success to come to the defence of others who have experienced the nastiest vitriol after having posted. As the saying goes, I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it. Disagree fine, but don't throw the chance for real interchange out the window.
I would welcome your thoughts. As to the individual in question, all I can saw is what I always say. I served to protect everyone's right to comment, regarless of how stupid or smart, silly or wise, shallow or inciteful. And, that included you.