Yesterday I received a comment from an unknown person to a post I wrote about a month ago. I was really hesitant whether or not to “approve” the comment for posting, because the writer seemed a bit inflammatory, the comment seemed like it was baiting me for feedback, to be defensive.
And while I wanted to delete the comment, or defend my writing, I chose to do neither. As a writer, I’m obviously a proponent of free speech. Just because I don’t agree with what someone says, doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to say it, even on my own blog.
Now, obviously I’m not going to allow abusive or profane remarks. This one was neither. It was someone who disagreed with, and perhaps misinterpreted, what I said. That’s okay, too.
What kind of writer would I be if I didn’t accept a little criticism now and then? My blog is just that: my postings of my feelings, my thoughts, my world. What kind of self-centered person would I be if I only kept it to myself? How does that fulfill my goal of being an accepted writer? And just as my blog is mine, others’ comments are theirs. Who am I to belittle their thoughts, their feelings?
On the other hand, leaving a comment for the sake of stirring things up is pretty… well, it’s ridiculous. So after re-reading what that person wrote, I deleted it after all.
It’s not that I don’t want others to have their say. It’s that my blog is not gonna be their playground for pushing and shoving. And that’s exactly what it felt like. This person was trying to instigate conflict.
And to that, I say, no thank you.
I can find a buzillion better uses for my time, my efforts, and my blog.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
