I have a different approach....I kill the rud-ders (not a word) with kindness; that gets them each time. There's no rebuke, no bad feelings. And. I'm a better person for it. Because I made myself feel good. I rose above it...Whatever that IT means. Who knows how that person woke up that morning, or if they are in bed with long Covid and they use their miserable moment to lash out? It has nothing to do with you and all to do with them. There's nothing in your postings, ever, that should elicit rude responses. What has to do with you is how you choose to take it.
One yucky comment is too many for you to be experiencing! Bleh. Too bad there isn't an AI colour-code/mood ring for comments that Substack generates so you can decide whether to read them at all. What would happen if you didn't reply? I imagine they're just not worth your time.
It used to upset me a lot more. Now I find it mildy amusing. Some people must walk around really angry with the world and with far too much time on their hands.
What's the old PR adage (I think it's PR) - Any press is good press, because it gets your name out there. For me it's any comment is a good comment because it means someone's reading what I'm writing. I've written a few things on Medium that prompted some "negative" stuff but not too bad at all. I responded to almost all of them. That's not my peeve.
My peeve is silence. Medium provided me with an interesting test in March. I wrote an article and posted it through a Pub I work with and it was out there for about 72 hours before it got boosted. So, I got to compare my usual first 72 hours on Medium with the next 72 hours after people actually get to see it.
The first 72 hours 15-20 views with a few nice comments. The next 72 hours, over a 1000 views and some of the nicest comments I've gotten on Medium - 99% from people I had never heard of before. It was a massive boost to my ego and my analytical mind because it finally gave me insight into what my writing could produce if given the chance.
Yeah, silence is my peeve as a writer. As a normal human being hanging on a Saturday morning - silence is kind of nice.
But I also wonder if a lot of online rudeness is an outburst after "the last straw" on any given day. You know, not counting the people who are just habitual jerks, but sort of out-of-the-blue outbursts that seem head-scratchingly disproportionate to anything you've written. I called someone on it once; I said, "I sense that you've had a really rotten day. I don't know who's been mean to you, but I hope that taking it out on some random stranger on the internet has made you feel a bit better, maybe saved your loved ones from your angry words or kept the dog from getting kicked. I hope tomorrow's a better day." And I actually got a reply (which, on that site, necessitated dropping the anonymity of the first comment and revealing real identity). It was a high school student who had, indeed, had a rotten day. He apologized. And from then on was never rude or unkind to anyone on that site, to the best of my knowledge. Point made and well-received.
THAT SAID, I don't believe that the habitual jerks are only jerks because it's the internet. People are who they are. Maybe they put up a better front with people whose opinion of them matters more, in person, but that does not mean they aren't jerks at their core.
yup, rude comments are very high on my list. I also don't like people who obviously didn't read my article, yet feel entitled to post links and ask for follows. That behavior doesn't do much for my opinion of them or their writing.
I’m actually surprised I don’t get more rude comments, given that I write about controversial subjects like US politics, climate, and global events. I have no problem blocking them when I do get them. I’ve got a pretty thick skin which helps.
My Biggest Pet Peeve About Writing Online Has Nothing To Do With Writing
I have a different approach....I kill the rud-ders (not a word) with kindness; that gets them each time. There's no rebuke, no bad feelings. And. I'm a better person for it. Because I made myself feel good. I rose above it...Whatever that IT means. Who knows how that person woke up that morning, or if they are in bed with long Covid and they use their miserable moment to lash out? It has nothing to do with you and all to do with them. There's nothing in your postings, ever, that should elicit rude responses. What has to do with you is how you choose to take it.
There is my speech for today. :))
Rude people ruin everything....
You are so right! The concept of not being a self-centered jerk is quite simple. You’d think more people would have it perfected.
One yucky comment is too many for you to be experiencing! Bleh. Too bad there isn't an AI colour-code/mood ring for comments that Substack generates so you can decide whether to read them at all. What would happen if you didn't reply? I imagine they're just not worth your time.
So true. Rude people harsh my mellow. It's an on going struggle.
It used to upset me a lot more. Now I find it mildy amusing. Some people must walk around really angry with the world and with far too much time on their hands.
What's the old PR adage (I think it's PR) - Any press is good press, because it gets your name out there. For me it's any comment is a good comment because it means someone's reading what I'm writing. I've written a few things on Medium that prompted some "negative" stuff but not too bad at all. I responded to almost all of them. That's not my peeve.
My peeve is silence. Medium provided me with an interesting test in March. I wrote an article and posted it through a Pub I work with and it was out there for about 72 hours before it got boosted. So, I got to compare my usual first 72 hours on Medium with the next 72 hours after people actually get to see it.
The first 72 hours 15-20 views with a few nice comments. The next 72 hours, over a 1000 views and some of the nicest comments I've gotten on Medium - 99% from people I had never heard of before. It was a massive boost to my ego and my analytical mind because it finally gave me insight into what my writing could produce if given the chance.
Yeah, silence is my peeve as a writer. As a normal human being hanging on a Saturday morning - silence is kind of nice.
I agree wholeheartedly.
But I also wonder if a lot of online rudeness is an outburst after "the last straw" on any given day. You know, not counting the people who are just habitual jerks, but sort of out-of-the-blue outbursts that seem head-scratchingly disproportionate to anything you've written. I called someone on it once; I said, "I sense that you've had a really rotten day. I don't know who's been mean to you, but I hope that taking it out on some random stranger on the internet has made you feel a bit better, maybe saved your loved ones from your angry words or kept the dog from getting kicked. I hope tomorrow's a better day." And I actually got a reply (which, on that site, necessitated dropping the anonymity of the first comment and revealing real identity). It was a high school student who had, indeed, had a rotten day. He apologized. And from then on was never rude or unkind to anyone on that site, to the best of my knowledge. Point made and well-received.
THAT SAID, I don't believe that the habitual jerks are only jerks because it's the internet. People are who they are. Maybe they put up a better front with people whose opinion of them matters more, in person, but that does not mean they aren't jerks at their core.
yup, rude comments are very high on my list. I also don't like people who obviously didn't read my article, yet feel entitled to post links and ask for follows. That behavior doesn't do much for my opinion of them or their writing.
As my late friend Joe used to say, "It doesn't take all kinds, but we've got 'em!"
If I'm feeling good, I don't bother to reply to them.
If I'm not, I rip them a new one for being rude.
If I'm feeling who-cares, I delete them (on FB anyway).
The thing that gets me worse is reading other people's posts and someone has highlighted Every. Single. Line.
I hate that!
Go on, high light one or two lines - that's what HIGH light means, right?
Emphasizing the top points of a post?
It does not mean ALL light!
(muttering to self, grabbing coffee...)
And why anyone would be rude to you is beyond me. I've never seen a single thing to be rude about.
Tell them to go eat dirty socks or something.
I’m actually surprised I don’t get more rude comments, given that I write about controversial subjects like US politics, climate, and global events. I have no problem blocking them when I do get them. I’ve got a pretty thick skin which helps.