Rant on being called “Sad” and Told to “Wallow”

I guess being told one is “sad” and to “wallow” – in one’s sadness – isn’t very nice. But I guess I had it coming: the critical inputs, I mean. I am a regular poster of my short stories, poems, and essays in Caferati; and to this book review of the Maximum City, one of the members said these fine words to me in a personal message. The way these message boards operate, it’s open season. Anyone can sign up for free and call you an “a*hole” with impunity.

But the way it came, when it did, was what shocked. That too from someone who I didn’t know even existed. What must have been the provocation? Is it just the fact that I wrote a critical review of a book? What happened to fair comment and intelligent discussion; is it no longer valid today? Is it enough to name the reviewer as “sad” and told to “wallow?” Just because I criticized a book he liked (and I didn’t) doesn’t give him the right to call me “sad.” Arrrrgggggh.

The last thing I wanted to do was get too much angry and take it into overdrive, which would have resulted in a flaming war on the board, with he and I getting enough supporters to thrust our bayonets into each other and take it to a bloody end. The bloody end in this case would mean: quite a lot of well-meaning people would quit the board. I have seen and participated in such bloodletting on the board before, so I refrained. I didn’t want it to happen again, so I called up the moderator and asked him to delete a certain post that had offended and hurt me. Luckily for me, the moderator saw my point of view and did as requested. End of affair. Phew!

Jabberwock has this post about someone responding to a post on Kiran Nagarkar on his blog:

“hey mister kiran com on now grow up, you also know if cows are not used for eating than they will increase and after words u will only complait to the municipaly and government that the cows are blocking the roads, are man, do u know that what ur ancestors use to eat? the blood which u have in ur body is it of true vegiterian? just grow up and think and dont waist ur life dear, i think u also know the truth but u hide for ur profit wont u? this all tress, food earth, sun, animals are for humans dear,”

Read the above? Can you believe it? Internet forums and blogs are where the present generation of Yuppies and Techies are fighting out their wars. “Hey mister com now grow up,” is all I can say like the poster of the message above, though minus the awful spelling. He, he!
flaming wars | Maximum City