Friday, January 27, 2006

OK, it's soap box time again. . . . . . . . . . . You have been warned (again)

So, I was over at my friend's Stacy's blog and I read her most recent post in which she is talking about someone's comments on one of her posts and how they called her a "bad yarn shop customer" because she wrote about a bad experience she had at a yarn shop. That got me to thinking . . . . . (I'm channeling Carrie again - tee hee)

So, what are proper rules of etiquette in the world of blogging? Is it OK, to comment on someone's personal blog and tell them that they are wrong or "bad" or just be plain rude to them because you don't agree with a posting? Isn't a personal blog just that, personal ?

We put ourselves out here in the great unknown world in search of companionship and friendship with others who share in our interests, beliefs, goals, etc. but does that mean that we are also allowing people to then put down our thoughts and ideas? Does using the public forum of the internet mean that we are a public posting and therefore lose the personal side of a personal blog??? Just what ARE the rules?

Am I insane to think that a personal blog is in actuality a personal blog? Am I being completely naive?

I personally look at blogging as an invitation to others to enter your personal space (for lack of better terminology) and therefore should constitute use of what I like to call "guest manners". I would never comment on a blog in a way that would be disrespectful to the blogger, just like I would never speak or act disrespectfully when invited to someone's home. Now, I do know that in some posts the writer is inviting and actually asks for others' opinions and thoughts and is therefore opening the door for, oh let's just say, less than kind comments. However, I have also read plenty of posts in which the blogger feels wronged and even feels like not blogging anymore because of the negativity they are getting in the comments to their posts. Don't like what you are reading? I say, then either do not comment or do not read that blog anymore.

So, here's the question I pose (and YES this is one of those instances where I am asking for your opinions and realize that they may not be inline with my own):

What is the overall feeling with regard to blogging and commenting on blogs? Is a personal blog, personal or is it a venue just as public as a public forum?
What do you all think?

6 comments:

Mary Ann said...

I am relatively new to blogging, so I don't know about the entire blogging community, just knitting blogs. I think blogs are personal and it would be rude to make negative comments. If I don't agree with something, I just make no comment at all. Of course, since I only read knitting blogs, and knitters are really nice people, I haven't seen anything I would consider rude.

StarKnits said...

i agree with you it's personal space and we should all be on our best "guest" behavior! i alway try to if i find something that i'm not liking i link on by. if i like it i comment!
anyays that's my 2 cents

Sharon said...

I think that it depends on the content as to whether or not it is inviting negative or positive comments. If I were to post a controversial subject then I would expect critical comments, however if I was simply having a whine about a bad experience at a LYS I wouldn't necessarily expect negative comments but I guess when we have a blog we are 'fair game' for peoples views on what is our lives. Lives that if we want to keep private we wouldn't blog in the first place.

amylovie said...

I'm of the mindset that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Amy
p.s. I'll write you back re: non-lys customers soon. I'm chin deep in in-laws right now!! :)

Cathi said...

I have to agree with what most everyone else said (about if you don't have anything nice to say...), although I do think that if you post ideas, you can't expect for everyone to agree with them all the time (I'm using the general you, not the specific). My 100th comment was a rude one, someone saying what I made was hideous, and I just deleted it.

I suppose I am a bit cynical, though, in that I expect people to be rude, as it seems like most of the people I run into in real life are rude, so why would it be different on the internet?

SAM said...

I guess I am very sheltered, naive or both but I had no idea anyone would post a negative or hurtful comment. I totally agree with your definition of blogging and that it is personal and we are putting ourselves out there, but that should not open the door to bad behavior.