So this decision has been brewing for quite a while in my mind. It really began to run around my head when Anon began leaving cryptic and not-so-cryptic nasty comments that my filters didn’t always catch. It continued to grow and an interaction a couple of weeks ago with someone who decided to put some snark down on me using a variety of methods including guilt, throwing older events in my face, and one particular comment specifically really made me think. That comment said something to the effect of “I would have emailed this to you but you said you don’t always get to your email and I thought others might feel the same but not want to speak up” or something like that. So in other words, that particular commentator wanted to stir up some shit and see if she could get people to back her up. Which really annoyed me.
Then there were the comments from today, some of which were filtered and you didn’t even have to see, and at least one that was not.
And it got me thinking. Why do I have Comments enabled anyway? My email address is on my About page so if you really do want to tell me something, you can. I originally envisioned the Comments section as a way to generate discussion not just with me but amongst yourselves and that never really seemed to happen. So why do it? Why keep it up there?
Also a couple of weeks ago, someone posted that since I wrote about it, I was inviting feedback, postive and negatve. OK, but see, I’m really not. I’m very glad to have the volume of readership that I do, truly. I am flattered that you find my words interesting and sometimes helpful. And well, if reading about the less happy times in my life make you feel superior or triumphant for some reason, well…there you go.
But honestly, I just don’t see the value add of keeping the Comment feature enabled. Compliments and encouragement are great and wonderful and appreciated. And some of the less charitable comments have also made me think long and hard, don’t get me wrong. But people who leave stuff just to see if they can rally the troops to come down on me? Lame. Others who leave the briefest of notes so they can get a link on my site? Silly. People who want to leave nastiness for everyone else to see? Nah. Not here. Not any longer.
From now on, if you want to tell me something, good or bad, you can send me an email. From time to time, I’ll post “best of feedback” if the volume is there (please remember that anything you send to me becomes my property and you have no copyright protection which means I can repost) and I find things that are interesting, thought-provoking, or respectfully disagreeing or critical.
Otherwise, you can start your own blog and bitch about me on there :)
