who you are versus what your blog is
mascarah: Shouldn’t we all be entitled to say what we wish within our own space without being personally attacked for who we are and what we choose to share?
jessicagoldharalson:The words I write — the words any of us write — have consequences.
Just as some will have fawning admiration for what we write, others will feel indifferent to or despise it. Just as you are entitled to write your opinion, others are entitled to respond. Acting as if they shouldn’t denigrates and devalues their opinions.
Adults accept those consequences, and understand they aren’t “entitled” to anything […] If you want your own space without any criticism, critique, or public response, start a personal diary — you know, a pen-and-paper diary. A blog is far too public to wish for that kind of space.
Nevermind the adults. The internet love-in continues unabated as the giggling hordes of teenagers and twenty-somethings scrambles to turn their social networks into cozy sanctuaries. Sheltered from the harsh realities of the real world, these online spaces have become a sterile environment where everyone is endlessly entertained by a non-threatening vision of both themselves and the world. Where else can we be free to reinforce our predjudices?
It saddens me to think that some wayward souls might actually be hell-bent on shattering this tranquil calm, since I have long been of the opinion that nobody should be forced to grow up against their will. Children must be allowed to continue being children, and I can think of no better medium for this than the Never-Never Land of their own delightful blogs.
(All of this said, I obviously have absolutely no patience for unwarranted personal attacks or bigotry of any kind. But at the same time, people are becoming increasingly sensitive and too often they confuse a valid criticism of their ideas as a personal attack. There is a lot of stupidity and immaturity on the internet, and I have never been shy about calling it out.)
