A while back, I wrote a fun, somewhat comical, somewhat serious, piece entitled, "Armchair Quarterbacks in the Blogosphere." It was written in response to an encounter I had with someone who had commented rather maliciously to an article I published on my 'other' blog, SOUNDBITEBLOG.
If done well, conversational blogging should foster good, impassioned debate, and the healthy exchange of ideas/opinions.
Unfortunately, all too many times, people use blogs as a battleground in which to assert their egos and to showcase their obviously superior intelligence. Or, if nothing else, to dazzle us with an expanded vocabulary.
The greater blogosphere has become a breeding ground for verbal thugs and self-proclaimed, self-pontificating experts who publicly eviscerate anyone whose opinion differs from their own.
And whenever challenged, they vehemently deny any wrongdoing. They innocently claim that their character assault against you wasn't intended to be 'personal.' That's just their 'style' of writing.
"Please, Mr. Blogenstein, don't hide behind the false premise of simply expressing your viewpoints, or claiming your 1st Amendment rights. Let's face it, your comments aren't designed and expressed to stimulate thought and encourage meaningful debate. You're just simply much smarter than everyone else, as you're condescending comments clearly prove."
Many years ago, in a previous life, I worked with a guy who genuinely believed he was the world's smartest man. He also felt that it was his penance in life to deal with everyone else's stupidity (His exact words!) Can you imagine going on a sales road-trip and being stuck in a car for hours on end with someone like this?
Adam Waldman of RE/MAX Long Island expressed a similar disdain in his recent article, "The Power to Delete." How sad that we are relegated to monitoring our blogs like yard-duty teachers, making sure that the playground bully isn't harassing our visitors!
Personally, the only effective tool that I've found to combat such Blog Monsters is to hit the 'IGNORE' button. Typically, any attempt to engage these kind of individuals in reasonable civil discussion is like expecting Brittany Spears to become a responsible adult.
If only we could summon up the mob of torch-bearing villagers and set fire to the Blog Monster's castle.
Oh well. He'll just come back like a low-budget sequel and terrorize the townspeople once again!
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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com
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