Ok so I know I’ve done like 3 discussion post in the past 5 days but, I don’t have any reviews scheduled and stuff keeps popping up that I REALLY want to talk about! And today’s random post is no exception.
So the other day I was cruising around the twitterverse (as always) and I happened upon a conversation between a few bloggers I know. And no, you are not getting screenshots or names because that is not what this post is about. Anywho, blogger “A” was offended that a person commented on her Waiting on Wednesday post (that blogger “A” obviously gushed about) with “I have this. I hope I like it.”. In comes blogger “B”, who agrees with the “offensive”, showoffy, and “greedy” comment. Next comes blogger C who says quiet simply “what was offensive about it? Sounds like they were excited.” Of course this morphed into:
“it’s just etiquette. You don’t go onto someones page and blatantly flash your book in their face! It’s rude!”
Personally I was thinking “It’s a meme, the point is for people to view it”. Being that I’ve already stalked the convo for about 5 minutes, I figured I’d drop in my two cents:
Look, I know I’m not your average lady. I curse like a sailor and I can dish out two insults for any insult you throw my way. So maybe I’m a bit “tougher” than some. But this really got me thinking. This person left a comment on a blog that she obviously follows right? So it’s safe to assume that maybe she also follows blogger “A” on twitter too right? So, what do we have to say about this commenter who’s comment was deleted because of reasons? Even, if by chance they didn’t see the tweets they could have, and they could seriously feel like shit right this second. I’m not saying that I personally enjoyed their comment. To be honest I prefer comments with more substance, but I don’t see the reasoning nor the point of potentially publicly humiliating some poor girl who just got excited that a blog she follows is excited for a book she owns.
Of course this is only the tip of the iceberg!
I genuinely feel that, as a people, we are getting way too soft. Everything is offensive. Everything is bullying. Everything is wrong. And to be honest it’s all really hypocritical. You are offended that someone got a book you want, but then you post haul videos were you received more books than my local library has? Really?! You clam that an author was bullying your negative review, so then you go and rip them a new one on every social site you can imagine, because obviously thats just getting the word out. Nope. Not bullying AT ALL. It’s just a never ending cycle of butthurt (thanks for that word wife) folks and it’s exhausting.
I know there are rude/mean/showoffy people out there, but we are adults dammit! And that is the way of life. I think the scarier part is that as adults we can’t see the difference between someone being excited or defensive or just plain old confused, and them being a genuinely rude person.
When I was a kid I thought my Granny was mean because she always told us two things:
1. Put your feelings under your feet and walk on them, because that’s what most of the world is going to do no matter what.
2. Mickey Mouse rocked the house, and Donald Duck don’t give a fuck.
What does this mean you ask? It means that, people are going to be mean. People are going to be rude. Some people are going to be total jackasses. BUT! Don’t let a jackass turn you into one. And as an adult, I’m grateful that these are two facts my Granny shared with us when we were young, because I just can’t see myself as one of those overly sensitive people.
So, bookish folks. I’m sure many of you are waiting to rip me a new one, and I’m sure some of you are ready to give me a standing ovation, but first I have a question. The point of book blogging is to connect with people who have the same passion that you do. A passion for reading. Etiquette, is one thing but when do we, as a community, realize the contradictory rules we’ve somehow implemented on everyone? When do we jump off our high horses, shrug our shoulders and realize that not everything is meant to be offensive? And above all, when do we take the camera off of ourselves and look though it from someones else’s viewpoint?
Go on and tackle the comment box.
