From a commenter:
I would love to make a comment, but "anonymous" has found me out to be an idiot, so I won't further validate the opinion of "anonymous."
For new readers: we have an occasional commenter, usually writing as "anonymous", who can be rather direct with his/her comments. Once when pressed, he/she gave the name Josie.
Dear Josie,
I still welcome your comments. I have refrained from deleting any comments at all, ever, even those who are not comments on ideas or issues, but on people.
I can take criticism, or at least I'm trying to learn. And I let all comments remain, so people can see that I'm not editing in order to make myself look better. But it's not just me, I'm not the only one you're addressing, so I have others to consider.
How about a little more civility, huh? Personal attacks either on me or on other commenters are not all that productive, in my opinion. We're all friends here.
Respectfully yours, Eolake
14 comments:
Hi, thanks.
The exchange was kind of funny; it was as much tongue-in-cheek as anything else when I said I didn't want to confirm that I was an idiot. My wife often considers me an idiot. But this, too, shall pass, and I look forward to reading comments from all, anonymous and otherwise.
Hey, on another note, had you not written that response I would never have noticed, but you are from Lancashire, England.
I lived in Suffolk for three years some time ago; then a couple years in Yorkshire. I have a great friend, Scottish heritage, just on your side of the Scottish/English border.
Because of my time in Yorkshire, I began an aggressive reading program which I continue.
I have nothing but high regards for England and the United Kingdom. A most beautiful and a most civil country, and a most wonderful ally.
(I'm traveling for the next 48 hours so I may not post for awhile, but I haven't left you.)
"My wife often considers me an idiot. But this, too, shall pass.."
Now that is optimism.
Bron
I can say you've shown remarkable restraint. It's true you've never deleted comments. Some blogs not only do not allow anonymous comments, but must approve even those left by registered users. Needless to say those blogs have few comments. I guess the nasty anonymous comments are the price to pay for the free exchange of ideas you can only have without the kind of regulation I mentioned above.
However, as when I used to frequent newsgroups, giving the least acknowledgement to a Jose type only encourages.
I would like to point out that some of us Anonymous commenters are actually perfectly civilised chaps.
Very true, which just adds confusion to the pot.
And it's true that Eolake hasn't edited comments at all - otherwise a few comments from sharp, critical me would have long disappeared.
Since blogging is rather anonymous in its nature of sitting at a keyboard hundreds of miles away from others, it's easy to be more forward and more critical than if the exchange were to be in person or via phone.
As far as sharp, critical me - sometimes I 'turn up' the power to get a response even though I might 100% agree with what was stated. Kind of a reverse talk-show host.
Yes, no matter what - we're all friends here.
Okay, I fess up, I finally let someone push my buttons that I flamed them. Sorry if I offended Josie, I try to keep out of religion, but when it's appears in a direct attack on me I sometimes snap.
Bruce,
Did you ever have the good fortune to spend some time on the West Coast? It's industrious cities are offset by it's ruggedness.
Don't get me wrong, I like the East too, almost settling in Newcastle for some time, and enjoying every inch of coastline from John O'Groats to Dover.
Yorkshire has a heathery, moorland bleakness which befits the (melo)drama of Bronte, and there are few places which feel as magical as Lindisfarne, or museums as great as Beamish.
Alex
Unfortunately I did not get to the West Coast; I believe novelist Thomas Hardy was farther south, but he would be my draw to the west.
As it was, the moors, the emptiness, the wind of north Yorkshire, is very, very much like my home state of North Dakota, particularly the northwestern corner.
My blog has a separate page related to Yorkshire, although it is more personal in nature, and may not appeal to most.
Not wanting to hijack this thread really, but:-
Alan Bennett - Great Yorkshire playwright, wrote "The History Boys", "Talking Heads", "The Madness of King George III" to name but a few.
Yorkshire sitcoms (outside of Herriot) "In Loving Memory", "Last of the Summer Wine", "First of the Summer Wine".
Yorkshire Movies - "Blow Dry", "Calendar Girls", "Full Monty".
It sounds like your Yorkshire experience was rural moorland Yorks, rather than industrial.
I finally let someone push my buttons that I flamed them
When was that? I must have missed it.
Joe,
It was in the "No Sex Woman" thread.
Despite my having stated in simple terms "cheapening" only using the word "socially tarnished", one of Joanies key points, she still called me a Godless Heathen, and near inhuman. Sure, they weren't her words, but that was her meaning.
I take exception to a religion calling itself "The Religion", and presuming itself on all creation.
I take more exception when absolutes are used in place of generalizations.
I take exception to assumptions too. How interesting that NONE of your *friends* even quite understand or know.
I responded by lampooning her unconventional and excessive use of God and ellipsis in her impassioned response.
I have known enough people like that that I should know they are only playing within the social guidelines laid before them. They may be without sin, so let them cast a stone, but please let it be a just and accurate stone. I should know it is just their way, so I should just bide my time, turn the other cheek etc. But sometimes I snap.
Alex
It didn't seem to me your snapped.
Also, I was under the impression she was addressing me, not you.
She was addressing you, but the term "friends" implied all contributors to the thread were being attacked also.
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