February 27, 2002

• A Life.

  
  

  Get one.

  
  

  Get a life.

  
  

  For fucks sakes.

  
  

  Why are online communities so prickly? So quick to perceive offence?

  
  

  Listen; are you over the age of consent? Have you lived any sort of life at all?

  
  

  Can you not just read and move on? Must it all be a drama? Must we agonize over every little fucking word in case some person in lower Buttfuck Idaho gets pissed off at the way we used the word ‘pancakes’? Has everyone lost any ability to take a step back? Can we all just take responsibility for what we say and how we in turn, interpret someone else’s words without having to scrutinize every last nuance?

  
  

  That’s the beauty of an online community.

  
  

  You don’t like what’s been written – ignore it. Or post a hearty and hale ‘you are full of shit’. Then off you go, bye-bye, back to your real life. You can do that. You can tell someone to fuck right off and there’s nothing anyone can do. Your fellow board denizens are hardly gonna show up on your doorstep slapping a baseball bat in their hand are they? Huh? They are not likely to phone you at 3am and whisper horrid things into your half-asleep brain. They are not likely to order you 18 pizzas at 3am on a Tuesday morning, or silly string your car or take an ad out in the local swingers paper using your phone number.

  
  

  What’s the worst that can happen? A nasty email to which you promptly reply ‘and fuck you too’. Then block the address. Ooooh, how scary.

  
  

  A nasty post on a public board. To which you respond, ‘and fuck you too’ and then ignore that person forevermore. Ooooh, how terrifying.

  
  

  A lifetime subscription to the Osmonds fanclub newsletter. To which you respond um… er… ‘please remove me from your list’ ( I think). Oooh, makes me want to poop my didies.

  
  

  Listen.

  
  

  People.

  
  

  Write what you feel. If it pisses someone off, say ‘oops so sorry’ if you think it’s justified and then leave it at that. You can do that you know – the Web politzei aren’t hanging over your shoulder making sure you are remorseful enough. Or weeping big fat salty tears of contrition at the monitor screen.

  
  

  And all the spectators and hangers on and cheerleaders – just butt the fuck out. No one asked or cared what you think. If you had an opinion, you’d have posted your own thread. Instead you are fanning the flames because you are obviously bored stupid with wherever you normally hang out on the ‘net. Go and bang off to wallpapering or clown college sites.

  
  

  PUHLEESE. Nothing to see here, people. Move along quick smart now.

  
  

  Is there not enough drama in your real lives?

  
  

  Explain please, just what is the point?

  
  

  I for one, have enough drama in my life without being caught up in yours.

  
  

   

  
  

  And those of you who know what I am talking about - nothing in this post is even remotely directed at you. Honest.

  • 4:26 am
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