Tuesday, January 24, 2012

On My Soap Box

Caveat: If you are easily offended or don't enjoy reading another person's rants - you might want to skip this post. Consider yourself warned. I acknowledge that I fully expect to see the number of people following my blog decrease today.....


Not quite sure where to start this post - so I'm just going to jump right into it.

I have noticed quite a few controversial comments from bloggers over the past few weeks. Not only on my own blog, but on the blogs of those who I follow. So I did a little digging. I blog stalked, if you will. I followed a trail of comments left by one blogger and noticed that not only did she leave judgmental comments on my blog, but also on that of others. Which got me to thinking - are some women just out to prove that every other woman in the world is wrong?

Which leads me to my point. If you don't like what you're reading - feel free to stop reading.

Blogging is a matter of personal expression. It's a forum where people express their opinions. Some comical - some serious - some aggressive - some emotional - but all content of a person's blog is either a retelling of their story or a matter of opinion. So if you don't agree with a person's opinion and you are highly offended by it, exercise your right to stop listening to them.

I will be the first to admit that I have read a blog post that flat out infuriated me. You know what I did? I stopped following that blogger. I didn't leave a comment chastizing the author and setting her straight. I didn't feel the need to roll off a list of reasons why she was politically incorrect or try to convince her to change her mind. I simply stopped reading what she had to say.

I understand that my blog is not for everyone. I understand that my sarcastic humor can easily be misinterpreted. I understand that I may keep things a little too real at times. But - that's me. You will always know where you stand with me - good or bad.

So if something that I say offends you, I completely understand if you decide never to return to my blog. That is your right and I would *never* want to force my opinions onto someone and cause them discomfort or frustration.

But please, don't feel the need to leave me (or any other blogger for that matter) a comment insinuating that I am inconsiderate, politically incorrect, or disrespectful to the greater population. I am well aware of what it means to be misjudged or misunderstood. I am a blonde haired, blue-eyed Southern Baptist pastor's daughter/sorority girl/Southerner. I am well aware of what it means to be misjudged or misunderstood.

Sometimes it just amazes me how some women can be very childish and bully-like in the social media ring. If you don't have to guts to say something to someone's actual face - then don't hide behind a computer screen and blast it on the internet.

Okay - I'm off my soap box. But seriously - spread a little love people - or at least keep your mouth shut if you can't. Please & Thanks!

29 comments:

Jessica said...

I love this post!! There's no reason why people need to be rude or catty, like you said: if they don't like what they're reading, STOP READING!

Miss Chelsea said...

Preach it sista

~Katie said...

This is such a great post, I've always wondered the same thing. A blogger I had been following last year had a couple posts that I completely disagreed with, and instead of leaving a "nasty" comment like some people do, I simply stopped following. It's her blog and her opinion, and no one was forcing me to read it. Love this post!

~Katie said...

This is such a great post, I've always wondered the same thing. A blogger I had been following last year had a couple posts that I completely disagreed with, and instead of leaving a "nasty" comment like some people do, I simply stopped following. It's her blog and her opinion, and no one was forcing me to read it. Love this post!

Neely said...

I wonder if you are talking about a post I read yesterday.....

Whitney @ EHFAR said...

Now, I'm curious to who it is lol. Whatever happened to if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all. I agree if bloggers are going to disagree, they don't have to leave a comment. Blogging is an outlet, and should be a supportive community. We are all adults. I think it is sad to see others tearing others down, simply because of whatever reason. We all may not agree with everyone, that's life. Bloggers that leave mean comments, I guess haven't realized that.

Rebekah said...

I've seen/heard a lot of this going on in the blog world and I'm always amazed at how some of the women act. There's no reason to be rude about it!

Katie said...

lol I agree. People need to be more positive! I'm REALLY curious who this was......do tell.

Jesica said...

Love your post! I wrote something very similar last week about an anonymous bitchy comment I got, I can't figure out what some people are thinking!

Christina said...

I've never understood that. Just stop reading. Problem solved. No need to bring someone down for no reason.

Unknown said...

I completely agree - it seems to me that some people really ARE out there thinking they need to go around bringing others down; i believe it is those people who really need to be built up. It is so sad - I agree with all the comments and your post = just stop reading.

PinkLouLou said...

AMEN sista. Amen. Thanks for writing it!

Crystal said...

with you on this one girl! i definitely don't understand why some people are so mean.

agalandherdog said...

Great post! My sister and I were talking about this earlier this week when her "friends" bit her head off over an opinion she posted on facebook.

Kelly said...

Great post, Amber!! It just AMAZES me that people go OUT of their way to leave nasty or rude comments. That just does NOT make sense?? If you don't like it-- don't read it! How hard is that to understand?

Newlyweds on a Budget said...

Amen! People feel the need to hide behind a keyboard and leave nasty comments that they would never have the gall to say in real life.

Sarah said...

I completely agree!! This weekend, I had an anonymous commenter leave some very NASTY and rude comments on my blog. Like you said, I was expressing my opinion and how I felt about something. But this person attacked me for feeling the way I feel. Seriously, if you don't like what you're reading why even bother to leave a comment?! I'll never understand people.

Kathryn said...

Totally agree! I posted about the same thing because I read two blogs where the bloggers asked people not to leave mean comments about something specific. I just couldn't believe it. I love that the blogging community is so supportive. I want to keep it that way.

ajs {of MN} said...

so true! i just delete bad/boring blogs from my google reader and forget about them. easy as that. ;)

Nicole said...

well put! I actually received a rude comment over the weekend about a recipe I posted that they didn't think they'd like so they knocked it. Whatever, I brushed it off, but this was nicely put!

Alycia Grayce (Crowley Party) said...

Loving this psot! It is so sad that people feel the need to hate on other people. If you don't like something, leave it alone... there is no need to be a bad person! Geeze! Thanks for spreading this message!

Sonya said...

Amen sister! You are right on the mark!

Anonymous said...

Amen, sista!! I JUST made a post about something like this on FB...if you don't like someone or something, just ignore it and put your energy into something more useful!!

Heather said...

I totally agree! I'll never understand people that think that their beliefs and way of life are the only "right" ones. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

a great post and something that needed to be said....Loved this post....

Anonymous said...

I agree. I unfollow people on the blog and twitter like it's my job. If I'm annoyed or can't tolerate your blog, it's not my job to talk smack because you're entitled to your opinion. It's my job to quit following you, because not everyone can be besties. I wish people understood that instead of being mean.

Leah said...

I love this post. I am a new blogger and I started blogging because I wanted to be able to be myself and not get criticized for it. I've so far found the blogging community to be welcoming and supportive, its sad to hear people have to be so catty. You're right, if you don't like what you read, move on.

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