Putting aside the fact (an embarrassing fact, but a FACT nonetheless) that I truly believe, deep in my soul, that the world would be a much better place if people would just do what I say...
Putting all of that aside...
...I ask you this one simple question: How tough is it, anyway?
And why is it that every time I feel the need to ask that question, I think of Glenn Close?
Glenn Close? WTF?
In the movie
101 Dalmatians, she was Cruella, and she had this
thing that she did, where she demanded something horrible of some sweet innocent, and, when they raised the tiniest protest, she looked them straight in the eye and asked, quite innocently, "Is that difficult?"
And that is me. I can never understand why the simplest thing has to be so hard for some people.
So it is decided: I
am Cruella. And...I think I'm OK with that. Now all I need is the fabulous clothes and the super-weird dye job. Of course, by the time Disney became what it was when the live-action version of
101 Dalmatians was made, I believe the old girl had quit smoking. I'll have to check on that.
Its not that I ask a lot of people. I don't. I don't need the cruel death and ultimate scalping of a hundred and one lovable puppies to make me happy. All I require is that people not be outstanding pricks to one another.
You'd think it would be easy...
Somehow, it isn't.
And because it isn't, we now, sadly, have f*cking "Comment Moderation" on this blog--something I NEVER wanted to do, and never
had to do, before this week. I
never, EVER wanted to sit in front of my email and decide if something someone had to say was worth saying, or to be judge and jury on whether or not someone was being an asshole, even though I have pretty strong opinions about what constitutes "Asshole" status. I like a free and immediate flow of ideas, and welcome additional thoughts about whatever subject we happen to be discussing, because that way, the grown up and civilized conversation could continue. I enjoy having conversations, and, don't think there is anything wrong with that.
I worked in the media for many years, and you can probably guess that I am not a big fan of any kind of censorship. I live by one simple truth in these matters, and that is this:
Everything has an "Off" switch.EVERYTHING has an "Off" switch. If you don't like the content of a web page, or even the whole fucking internet, you can merely avoid that page, or, just don't go on the internet at all. Blog authors don't give a shit if you don't like them--not really. The intent of having a (personal) web page is to connect with other people who think about things in the same way that you do, and have a little friendly community of like minded individuals.
That's really all it is.
Your TV, your radio, your CD player, your iPod, your computer, your cell phone--all of the things that you use to access the media, all have "Off" switches, back buttons, different channels, etc. That way, if something is crappy, you can just shut if off or go someplace else. When we make these decisions, about what we watch, read or listen to, we speak volumes. If nobody watches, reads or listens to it, eventually, it goes away--that's just the way it works in the world. No audience equals no revenue, or, no return, and you can't give indefinitely without getting something back. I absolutely and completely trust this system of checks and balances--it is the system by which the media operates, period.
People not working in the media may know it as "Karma". I don't necessarily want to get into the deep thinking this morning--lets just say that you get what you give, and leave it at that...
This week, I had to activate what I consider to be the equivalent of my comments "Off" switch, because some of the comments were not in line with what we were trying to accomplish--it wasn't friendly conversation, just a bunch of people telling me what a hideous bitch I am, and while their observations about what a hideous bitch I am may have been true, they lacked humor...and we're all about the laughs here, whenever possible. While I've never shied away from labeling myself a hideous bitch, I simply prefer find the humor in it. I mean, the great thing about
being a joke is that you get to laugh at yourself
all the time. As
Carlos Mencia says, "If you're not laughing, seriously, just kill yourself..."
Anyway, now, I'm the decider...(aaah,
Lil' Bush...second funniest show on television.).
What a pain in the ass. I don't want to be the decider for other people--I want them to just use their fucking "Off" switch or change the channel if they don't like it. I'm not your mother, OK? I'm not force-feeding you brussel sprouts and making you wear geek shoes, here--but even if I was, you're a grown up, and can walk away at any time.
I know that the assholes in question will rather quickly get tired of the fact that they can't be assholes all free and easy on this stupid page, so, in short order, they'll stop visiting and we can get back to life as normal here. Maybe, if we're lucky, they'll do as Carlos prescribes. In the mean time, thanks for your patience with the stupid "Comment Moderation" crap...keep saying anything you want. As long as you're not afraid of opposing views, we aren't, either.