just a reminder to be cool in comments
I feel like I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time over the last few days policing comments. I don’t like having to do that. I don’t like having to ask people to stay on topic. I don’t like having to delete comments (which I’ve done) that clearly are not spam but clearly ARE people being assholes trying to rile up me or my readers.
It’s really simple. I don’t mind swearing. I don’t mind provocation. I don’t mind people who disagree with me (as long as you explain yourself and don’t just tell me I’m retarded). What I do mind are comments that are not truly related to whatever I’ve posted. If the gist of my posting is “Hey, X is cool/X sucks/what the fuck is up with X?” and your comment is “But YZ is dumb,” that’s not on topic.
It’s really not that hard.
My hope with comments is to start a conversation related to each posting. If you wander in like the nerd raised by wolves and try to turn the direction of the conversation around to whatever you think is cool, I will smack you down... and I may delete your comment entirely, and without warning. My tolerance for off-topic comments is rapidly being worn out.
If you want to talk about whatever it is you think is cool, start your own site. If you want to join the conversation here, grab a drink, pull up a chair, and have at it.
comments
posted by t6 (Tue Jul 22 08, 8:20PM)
In this post you discuss deleting off topic comments, but you completely fail to address agrarian land reform of the middle ages. Is suspect it is because you are liberal and also a feminist....and because you like Doctor Who. In all the time I've been reading this site, you have not once really discussed it.
And also, you are biast.
posted by MaryAnn (Tue Jul 22 08, 9:58PM)
I'm probably retarded, too.
posted by Clayj (Tue Jul 22 08, 10:11PM)
[debating whether to risk posting that quote from Idiocracy here... you know, "Mac Guy" Justin Long's one contribution to the movie]
posted by Jurgan (Wed Jul 23 08, 3:10AM)
Yeah, I guess I see where you're coming from. Threadjacking, and what not. Sorry about that.
posted by Newbs (Wed Jul 23 08, 5:53AM)
Aw, but listen: YZ is dumb, and people gotta know.
Then again, maybe I just don't understand hip hop.
posted by Anne-Kari (Wed Jul 23 08, 9:21AM)
Looking over my own posting history I'm wondering if I'm guilty of some transgressions - not trolling type stuff, but my tangents on ad hominem, my wandering asides about the Dave's Not Here in NM, etc - you know what I mean, MAJ - anyway I assume you'll smack me in the keyboard if I start to skip too far off topic. If I have, to date, I do apologize.
I'll be more careful about sticking to the topic, ma'am, I swear (insert emoticon that indicates hand on heart and solemn nodding).
posted by JoshDM (Wed Jul 23 08, 11:14AM)
The Order was a terrible movie.
Just putting that out there.
posted by Tonio Kruger (Wed Jul 23 08, 1:20PM)
And also, you are biast.
--t6
Well, that's obviously because she's a frigid Lesbian golddigger who carves swastikas on the skulls of newborn baby kittens while urinating upon the American flag and making little Baby Jesus cry.
Either that or else she's a hottie above the shoulders with an odd resemblance to Donna Noble.
Personally, I prefer to agree with the second statement, but then that's because I'm cool. ;-)
posted by MaryAnn (Wed Jul 23 08, 4:47PM)
I believe YZisDumb.com is available. Have at it.
Seriously, though: Tangents and asides are fine, and if a comments thread happens to wander a bit afield, that's fine. That's what happens with conversations, and I'll step in if things get too far afield.
I'm talking more here about those commenters who jump in with a single snide statement that is a clear attempt to either derail a conversation or to get everything thinking how clever he is. It's okay to be clever, obviously -- I like clever people. Just don't be an ass about it.
I really do think the party-conversation analogy is a good one. You wouldn't wander over to a conversation three people were having and interrupt it by dropping in something unrelated and then walking away. But you might join in with a comment on their comments, or related to the general topic in a way that is not entirely disconnected to the conversation.