Of course it’s optional…
MaryJanice Davidson rules for blogging:
RRB rule #1: Blog visitors must kiss the bloggee’s ass.
You can see how most comments to a blog post will generally agree with the bloger. Hell look at MJD post comments, most people are agreeing. Why are you at a blog? You like the author, you are interested in the subject, you agree/like/know the blogger, random google hit or you were looking for porn.
Right? I am sure I missed a few things. Now if it is a random hit, link you followed and/or a blog I have never gone to, more often than not if I don’t agree with the blogger I will either click out and forget it or come back to my blog and talk about. I will link back because that is just right and I try to never say anything about something I wouldn’t say to the person.
At the same time I don’t think every bloody person gives a shit about what I think. So randomly commenting on a blog of a blogger I don’t know to say, nope don’t agree with you, is something I generally don’t do. Not to say I have never done it. That could just be me.
RRB rule #2: Blog visitors must, while puckering, agree with everything the blogger posted, at risk of the blogger siccing her unholy army of toadies on the author.
If I were to go post on a I Hate Romance blog about how wonderful romance is, I think they would prolly eat my lunch. They could be nice about it, snarky or down right bitchy. I would be a fucking dumbass to be shocked by any of it.
I do have to say I don’t dislike MJD, of course I don’t know her. I read her, still will read her until I think the books suck. Or well she does something to button my omfg button. Like turns into LKH, hmmm but really that has more to do with the books sucking ass. At the same time I don’t know Indida and think her post was over the top. Her comments would so fit into a Reader Behaving Badly but whatever, tis her blog and she can post whatever she wants.
RRB rule #3: If blog visitor won’t pucker, won’t change her mind, and won’t knuckle under, she’s a bitch, a cunt, full of herself, or a schoolyard bully (I’m not making this up: I’ve been called these , and more, in the last 6 weeks.)
As one who has been called all of the above and more I can just say whine, whine, whine.
An author has a right to say whatever she wants about whatever she wants to whoever she wants. As does a reader. The chips may fall where they do. Is it a double standard? Yes. Is it nice to call someone a cunt, nope especially when they aren’t acting like one. Of course, how does one act like a cunt?
But as with all things, not everyone will agree on everything and goodnight the internet seems to bring out the worst in people. Tis silly to expect differently. And some will never ever agree to disagree, so if you keep talking, expect them to keep it up. We should be too old to be name calling, at the same time we should be way fucking over being pissed off about being called a ‘bad’ name.
I don’t think it is a rule though or hell maybe jane/bam/candy/karen/nameyourrabidreaderbloggerhere is being supersekret and calling me a cunt behind my back because I disagreed with her. Who knows… But for the most part I have had a very problogging experience. Honestly if I hadn’t I wouldn’t keep it up and would turn in my rabid reader blogger button. Really life is too short to drink bad wine.
There will always be anon posters who know everything, message boards will forever have freaks, fangurls will luv their author forever and evah and someone will always bring a gas and a match to a flamewar. Other than unplugging forever what can you do?
Well other than point and laugh?
Rabid Reader Blogger should SO be a button…
I am so not an ass kisser =\
LOL
Isn’t that a quote? I couldn’t member and haven’t bothered to google it yet. le sigh so much blogging to do so lil time *g*.
Actually I read the comment where someone called her a cunt and I was shocked that people would use that word in a simple discussion.
Yeah, we shouldn’t be calling anyone names unless we’re all just goofing off and I think most of us know when we’re foolin’ but God forbid someone do any serious name calling against anyone on my blog.
I mean, as a blogger I think you set the tone of your blog and although there were a lot of high fives for that Inidi(?) post it was quite mean spirited and because of that her point got lost. I think Keishon has said it any number of times much more eloquently than that person. Then to get into a cat fight in the comments and act like no one was called a cunt is just weird. I won’t be reading those kind of blogs for the most part.
I enjoy the blogs about books and around the house stuff and sure, we can rant but many of us aren’t ranting against a person but against a publisher or covers or secret babies.
Okay, I’m done 😉
CindyS
I don’t expect ass kissing at my blog, I do expect basic civility and if people can’t be bothered to give it they’re asshats.
People disagree,that’s life. And when you put yourself out there -reader, author, whatever- people will respond and sometimes in less than nice ways.
Generally, I don’t use cunt as an insult becuse I like it as a descriptor for pink parts and when it’s used as a slur, it carries baggage and hinders my use in sex scenes.
And I’d rather just insult someone to their face, LOL.