Blog Wars – The Fight For Good Verses Evil?
Is it the ultimate fight for your soul? Will it make you a better or worse person for reading their blogs? Will it change the way you view the world? Who the hell cares!
Lately I’ve been watching the events and goings-on between two very interesting blogs. I was going to say “bitching” and “infighting” but there’s really been none of that from the blogs themselves, though some of the readers have been involved in their own little scuffles. No, the exchanges between the two blogs are much more passive than that.
But first, a rundown of the opponents…..
The Complimenting Commenter is, more or less, the “good” guy in this bout. They are the one who’ll get most of the public support. The one who’ll be kicked around and down for most of the match, only to arise anew and let fly with a couple of roundhouse punches before piledriving and suplexing their opponent into submission. They are the “everyman”. The Hulk Hogan of the blogging world.
For a short while now The Complimenting Commenter has been trawling the net and going around to fellow bloggers and leaving, well, complimentary comments. Most bloggers will then go and check out where the heck The Complimenting Commenter is coming from and, in turn, leave their own complimentary comments. Some of them will even place a graphic somewhere on their blogs linking back to The Complimenting Commenter. Indeed this is what I did when The Commenter commented on my own blog a month or so ago. After all it’s always a good feeling to be complemented and if you can do so to others it passes on the goodwill.
Many people might be wondering though whether The Complimenting Commenter can be trusted or not? Are the compliments genuine or even justified in certain cases? Well the short answer is “Yes, I believe so”. I think that they are genuine compliments and they can be justified to a degree. Obviously they’re justified to The Complimenting Commenter but, as you know, everyone has their own opinion and once more they’re entitled to it. After all it’s, in The Complimenting Commenter’s own words “because no blog is without something to compliment”. Now while I personally have a dislike for sites that have simply horrid designs, terrible spelling and blast crappy music at me when I’m not expecting it, I can – if I take the time to look hard enough – maybe find something that is OK with the site. I really don’t have that time though so I tend to move on rather quickly. The Complimenting Commenter obviously finds that time and compliments accordingly.
By contrast, Blogg’d is the darkest of the dark. The jeers are deafening when they enter the arena. They’re full of all the evil tricks – the sand in the fist, the gouging of the eyes and the brass knuckles down the trunks kinda deal. And there’s ALWAYS a folding chair that’s not too far away to use on an unsuspecting opponent. In every way they are the anti-hero. The arch nemesis.
For around about the same time as The Complimenting Commenter has been complimenting, Brad from Blogg’d has been doing his “thang” by ripping down and trashing various blogs as he see fit. I’ve seen the most appalling things being said about some sites but, by the same token, I often find those comments hilarious. Indeed for me Blogg’d is on my daily “must see” list…..but then I have to add that I’m an asshole from way back! Brad is a current asshole and a rather good one to boot in my opinion. Blogg’d mainly concerns itself with sites that have crappy content, a scant regard for English (as in bad spelling and punctuation. It should be noted though that not everyone speaks or reads English as their first language, however), eyesore graphics (I would be included in this one actually – what the hell is up with my own banner?? I’d have to answer truthfully – lack of inspiration! I’ll get on to it when I know exactly what I want there), and any one of dozens of other gripes.
Of course many of the things he says are uncalled for – everybody has bad days after all. Things get particularly ugly when the “reviews” become personal attacks, as often happens. Then again it could be argued that people shouldn’t take things too personally – it’s just the internet and the opinion of one person after all. Nothing to get too uptight about. Besides, if people are going to put all of their personal stuff up on the internet for everyone to see then you’ve really done it to yourself, haven’t you? The truth is that there has always been assholes in the world. You try not to associate with them in real life so don’t even give them a second thought on the internet for crap sake! Life is too short for that crap! Just get up from the computer and walk away for a while. Watch TV, go to the movies or write a love letter to someone – anything at all to get your mind off it.
I have to add that one of the things I enjoy about Blogg’d is that sometimes it’s guilty of the same sins that it accuses other sites of – particularly bad spelling and typographical errors. In all fairness this is mainly to do with Blogg’d's comments section rather than the main posts but the posts are not immune. In my own experience though it pays not to get too bogged down in semantics as everybody makes mistakes. I mean I consciously make them sometimes. Technically speaking you should never start a sentence with “and” or “but” in English but WHAT THE HELL. IT’S MY DAMN BLOG AND I’LL DO AS I DAMN WELL PLEASE!!
So who’s right? Who will win the battle between good and evil? Does it matter? The truth is that there are many truths. Both sites have their own place. Good guys DO lose sometimes. Bad guys DO triumph occasionally. That’s what makes things interesting. And, to me anyway, interesting is definitely “in”.
I think that it’s great to compliment others for whatever reason – good, bad or indifferent – because it’s always nice to receive a compliment no matter what the circumstances. It just puts a smile to most people’s faces and that’s a good thing. By the same token though I think there’s a place for the Blogg’d style of criticism. Sure, it’s not for everybody and, in many ways, it’s goddamned rude and insensitive – but that’s what sometimes happens with life! Not everyone is nice and will say good things to you. That’s just how it is! Just remember that you can’t change what other people think or say about you but you CAN change how you choose to deal with it.
Exercise your rights!
Awesome post! And I will exersize my rights. If someone blasts me and expects me to let it roll of my back, they’re just a coward. If I’m going to be bold enough to criticize someone, I better be bold enough to allow them to respond in any manner they see fit so long as they’re not threatening my life or become violent in any way.
I composed an entry on this very subject quite a while back.
If you can dish it out, you are a very weak person if you can’t take it back. Simple as that.
As for me, if I run across a blog that annoys me, I just move on. If I don’t agree, I may post a very polite dissention. I love to argue and I love a good debate! But to flat out bully another person when they’ve done nothing to you is again, just plain cowardly.
But like you have mentioned, this is the world we live in and we ALL must expect a-holes to pop by every once in a while. I expect them. It’s life. You can’t do anything about it.
By the way, I actually LOVE your banner!
I’ve been guilty of getting a few chuckles from Brad (I’m a mean cuss) but I think he may have shot himself in the foot with this one. Can’t wait to see what he does for an encore, it’s like blogging smack down.
Hey, great post. I have been complimented by the Complimenting Commenter and Bless’d By Blogg’d. Guess which button is on my sight? I guess Brad’s compliments just seem to hold more weight because they are not given out freely. Of course, a lot of times his blessings come after the burn. But oh, it’s hurts so good.
Ticklebug – I agree with you there. Though as you say if it gets to be life threatening or violent then it’s clearly gone too far!
I think Brad dishes it out and can take it back from what I’ve read. To tell you the truth I don’t think he really takes himself too seriously but then I don’t know him at all. Maybe he does? He doesn’t appear as being too precious though. Yeah, it’s bullying to a degree, but it only works if you let it work.
As far as the banner is concerned I just put a piece of my book artwork there, a title and then thought “there’s nothing really Speckledy Bandy about it” and stuck a banded krait there apropos of the original story. Then I just pixelated the edges. It’s a hodge-podge I think but I’ll fix it up some other time when I can think of something more suitable. It’s OK that you like it though
Dorna! – I’m not sure if he’s shot himself in the foot or not? After all if his attitude is “who cares” then it won’t really bother him at all.
Crazy Like A Fox – Each to their own really? I’d be happy enough to put a “Bless’d” or a “Burn’d” button up because I enjoy the site regardless of what Brad might think or say of me. Likewise I like what The Complimenting Commenter does but for different reasons (obviously). It might seem like fence sitting to some, but I genuinely like both sites and that’s just how it is.
As for one holding more weight than the other it could be argued (quite well actually) that Brad does give some consideration to what he’s writing insofar as analyzing things in his own special style, whereas The Complimenting Commenter tends to hand out compliments willy-nilly. However there’s nothing wrong with that at all and I understand that The Complementing Commenter is starting to write their own reviews now. Either way I’m cool with both stances.
Cameron,
A very interesting and entertaining post. I’m actually glad that you enjoy both. The world is not so big that we can’t have a little ribbing. I’m glad that you noticed that it’s a passive thing. I took the post of his as a tongue in cheek situation and I hope he does the same. The one thing I did want to mention is that my compliments aren’t willy-nilly. I don’t leave a compliment on every blog I read. Sometimes I have to come back, or I’m not in the complimenting mood. The blogosphere is a huge place and all types of people blog. There will be some who completely love what I’m doing. Great. Some will not. That’s ok too. I’m glad that some enjoy all stances. Thanks for the write up and the entertaining post. You put the whole thing very well.
Hi again, Cameron. You know, I went back and had another look at the Blogg’d site and oh my….. yeah, I guess I san say, he’s really not THAT bad. He’s not really the bullying type as compared to what I’ve seen elsewhere. Who knows? He may even wind up on my blogroll lol.
I’d like to compliment you on what you had to say about blogging. It was very interesting. Well done! You Go Girl!
In a complimentary way,
the idiot
(I actually also addressed the ass kissing side of blogging today on my lame excuse for a blog)
The Complimenting Commenter – Alas, you are correct. I SHOULD have written “seemingly willy-nilly” as we’re not privy to the reasons to which you compliment. Obviously there’d be times when you wouldn’t feel like complimenting, as you’ve said – otherwise you’d probably be celebrating your 5000th compliment rather than your 1000th, as you’ve done recently. Sorry for the lack of clarification on my behalf and I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Ticklebug – Blogg’d's slamming of sites would shock and upset some people, for sure. I mean we’ve seen the evidence of it. I think in the end though it’s important for people to realize that it’s basically harmless and only the opinion of one person. I seriously doubt that Brad would be one to stalk, persecute or harm anyone in any real way. Not from what I’ve seen of his writing anyway. Sure, he might make people upset from time to time and that’s regrettable in itself, but really there’s a hell of a lot of worse people out there than Brad could ever hope to be. It’s a computer. That means you can turn it off and walk away.
The Village Idiot – Thanks for the compliment
Great post! For someone who didn’t know what to write about you came up with a good one. Feel free to put up a Bless’d by Blogg’d button if you like, I will try to get you on the Bless’d list after the weekend, I have a few changes coming…
I’ve been burn’d by brad and complimented by the complimenter.
So long as people come to my site, I don’t give a shit.
Thank you and good night!!!!
Just for the record…. I happen to like your banner.
Brad – Bless’d or Burn’d? Either way it would be an honor, thanks. Nice new refit of your website by the way. I really like it.
Deb – That’s a good attitude! As long as people come – that’s the main thing.
That banner’s now starting to surprise me
What a great post. You put the point extremely succinctly and I admire that. I certainly think that both are worthy opponents, particularly as they are both shown to be such class acts with their responses to each other. What I find interesting is the way that one learns about people who are blogg’d or complimented…by their reaction. Some react with humour and style and some……don’t….*grin*
BTW….I LIKE the banner…..
Phoenix
Phoenix – Well some people do tend to take themselves a bit too seriously sometimes. It’s understandable, as they do pour out the feelings for the world to see. That;s just the point though – the WORLD does see and sometimes people comment negatively.
Just as well that there’s an “off” button on most computers, hey?
Cameron says: “As long as people come – that’s the main thing” – that’s a major problem with ‘blogs’ – all anyone cares about is their ‘hit’ counters – not their content (oh god, let’s not even get into the idea of design). If you’re into the ’30-second’ blog explosion, what’s the point? Isn’t ‘blogging’ (or ‘vlogging’, as Brad may prefer – and I tend to agree) about self-expression? Or is it about “oh look, I just got another hit from Blog Explosion. Gee, people are reading my post about how I had a wet dream while I was surfing for credits and it all only took 30 seconds”.
Hmm, maybe Cameron’s right – as long as people cum?