I have inherited a belief in community, the promise that a gathering of the spirit can both create and change culture. In the desert, change is nurtured even in stone by wind, by water, through time.
I believe that bloggers are creating the 21st Century community by our regular use of the Internet as our gathering place to express, through our written words, our hopes, dreams, fears, and beliefs.
In the Youngstown blogosphere, local writers—with a heart for what was and what can be—are railing against those who would tear down what remains and leave us with nothing. These writers encourage and praise and admonish and seek to bring out the best in the community leaders and those who would be community leaders. The writers seek, and are striving for, renaissance.
Ms. Williams, who writes about and lives in the American Southwest, notes that change takes time. I believe that the dedication of the Mahoning Valley activists will bring the area back, not to its former glory, but to a greater glory that will nurture generations to come. I'm nearing 60 years of age; I don't necessarily believe it will happen in my lifetime. But I believe with all my heart that it will happen.
With that statement as preface, my question for you today is this: why do you read blogs? And what should be your response to what you're reading?
I become disturbed when I read blogs, especially the community blogs in the Vindicator, where readers feel compelled to express their opinions about what was written, and to attack each other's words. (Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm the most non-confrontational person in the universe.) I don't mind a healthy exchange of ideas, including disagreement, but it upsets me greatly when people put on their helmets and pick up their verbal swords and call each other names.
The wonderful thing about reading a blog is your ability to close the browser page. If you don't like what you're reading, don't read it. Close your browser. Go do something else. Start your own blog to express your opinions! But don't attack, don't be ugly. What is the point of writing the author and making snarky comments and digs about her writing?
Does treating a writer in an antisocial manner make you feel better? If so, there's something wrong with you. Go volunteer at a homeless shelter. You'll see how good your life really is. Go tutor a child (or an adult) who is having difficulty reading. Be grateful your first grade teacher taught you to read. Go take out your anger by planting a tree or repairing a damaged building or painting a wall.
I have told my children countless times that I will consider my life to have been a success if someone stands up at my memorial service and says, simply, "She was kind."
Life is too short to fill it with ugly words and deeds.
4 comments:
Beautifully put.
You are kind, and generous. I think you should get to hear it now, not just have it stated about you in the "future."
Yeah, the Vindy threads are brutal. I think it's the annonymity. Last month, I received a very nasty annonymous comment about another person about whom I'd on my Yoments blog. I deleted the comment and posted my own which read something like "you're a coward and a creep, and I deleted your comment." There was no way I was allowing hate-filled toxicity on my blog. Differing opinions are one thing, verbal bludgeoning is quite another.
Bah! "about whom I'd written" I meant. Remember our conversation the other day about self editing? Ha ha.
Jan -
Lovely post - and I agree about the nastiness in newspaper blogs/comments. We all know there are huge issues to be solved, we all know how difficult the task, we all know that fault lies all round us. Since we already know these things let us simply roll up our sleeves and get to work.
PS By the way - pooh pooh pooh - they will say you were kind and much much more.
Post a Comment