Recently John Scalzi wrote Comments Are a Lot of Work. Among the reasons why comments can become work for a blogger, he explained:
3. Lots of commenters are a drag. We’re not even talking about the out and out trolls and spammers. There’s also the single-issue tubthumpers, the condescending rhetoricians, the “devil’s advocates,” the concern trolls, the unintentional derailers, the grievously offended, the eager self-promoters, the cluelessly “helpish,” the ignorant who think they’re not, and so on and so forth. Mind you, you are not any one of them – of course not! — but I’m sure you’ve seen them in the comment threads, and they have to be managed if the comment threads are to have any value at all. Which brings us back to “managing comments is a lot of work.” It’s enough work, in fact, that:
4. Sometimes the amount of work required to manage a comment thread has an impact on what gets written.
John’s entire post is worth a read. I mention it here because it’s one of those days when I’ve been dealing with an unhappy commenter. Which means that “what gets written” is my response to said comment.
WTF? Way to go Meg. I think this commenter picked the wrong day/topic/person to threaten legalities with.
Nobody puts our baby in a corner.
It was bound to happen. There is a nut job for every celebrity I guess. Whoever this mental midget is, he had best keep his distance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a member of that whack job bunch in Kansas.
Holy Moly! I’m impressed with how measured your response was, Meg.
3. Lots of commenters are a drag. We’re not even talking about the out and out trolls and spammers. There’s also the single-issue tubthumpers, the condescending rhetoricians, the “devil’s advocates,” the concern trolls, the unintentional derailers, the grievously offended, the eager self-promoters, the cluelessly “helpish,” the ignorant who think they’re not, and so on and so forth.
Hey now, I resemble them remarks!
So who’s left, you know, besides the occasional single (okay, possibly married, whether real or imagined) condescending tubthumper with issues?
And goofballs, he neglected to mention us goofballs…it ain’t as easy as it looks ya know;-) !
(oh right, nailed ‘em with them there so on’s & so forth’s…never mind)
Well done with the unhappy commenter(s). Perhaps threatening an ex-lawyer with spurious legal action is not the avenue most likely to bring about the desired result (whatever that may be).
Now about those misplaced apostrophes and the ongoing issue of puppies (thump, thump, thump–that’s actually a happy tail whacking a tub)…
I just read the Booger Files. Wow. Has anyone read “Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius,” by Borges? Somehow that story explains everything that happened here. But it’s not as funny.
Holy crap! I’m reading Liar’s right now and your “eb” and “truthteller” are screaming NMP!
I’m sorry you have to deal with crap like this, Meg… and yes, you dealt with it very nicely.
Ya see, Meg? We regulars can be a handful sometimes, but we’re a loveable bunch, right?
Meg, I’m really sorry you have to deal with that kind of stuff. The threat to track you down was particularly unpleasant.
Yes, I also admire your logical, calm response, Meg. Some people are nuckin’ futs.
My blog has a much more limited readership than lying for a living, but I still get spamming idiots. I admire how you handled this, Meg.
I also like that two of my favorite Intertubes destinations are your blog and Scalzi’s.
I have a comment-confession to make….
I sometimes tidy up the grammar and punctuation of comments. Sometimes, I take out bits I don’t like. I know that’s a bit naughty, really, since it’s nothing to do with me… but I don’t like spelling or grammar errors in my little ether-empire.
I write a blog about English people in France and sometimes, I get quite racist comments on that, which I edit prolifically. I just can’t help myself!
Very impressed by your reasoned response to that aggressive commenter, Meg. Notes duly taken – not that I’m likely to receive such threats, but your method’s admirable: chapeau!
?!) he means …
Thank you for the link. That phrase ‘the condescending rhetoricians’ is the best among a high quality bunch by John Scalzi. I know just what (who
Bon courage for the forthcoming Authonomy course & season’s greetings.
Merci, Minnie. And season’s greetings to you as well.