Forum: Author Hangout

Will it hurt me to leave a sarcastic reply to an idiotic story comment?

Redsliver 🚫

I've got the most amazing lack of reading comprehension comment on my newest story.

The smart part of me knows that people can have problems with a story but not the means to properly verbalize what's off to them. Take the bad as a reason to double check.

"What? His girl is fat - read worthless! And he said 'No' to trading her for his six dreamgirls? Horseshit!"

The story is the hero saying 'Yes' to that question. He gets his dreamgirls. And the conflict is in discovering that she wasn't worthless after all.

And, it wasn't like there was just one chapter up when he left the comment. Chapter 2, he gets the first dreamgirl and people are asking where the missing girl is.

Mentioning it publicly here is already a thing. I don't want to turn off potential negative commenters by seeing me as vindictive -- I want the criticism, even the not quite constructive kind.

But I'm confident that everything wrong with this commenter is in his own lack of competence. It feels like it should be amusing to counterstrike.

I'm sure just taking the minute to step away from the comment and write this was enough to keep me from picking at the waste of breath, but was restraint the right move?

If I took the time to craft something funny, and mean, that's more content to amuse the better part of my audience...

I'm guess I'm wondering if anyone thinks it's OK to openly mock an uncharitable illiterate nasty commenter?

Replies: mrherewriting irvmull Remus2 Lumpy awnlee jawking whisperclaw Darian Wolfe

mrherewriting 🚫

@Redsliver

You can do what you want, but what's engaging in a post-war with someone you'll never meet do for you?

Not worth the time or aggravation, unless arguing on the internet does it for you. I think some people come online just to argue, gets them off in some way.

Ignore it, you'll probably be better off for it.

irvmull 🚫

@Redsliver

This is what you can expect when everyone is "equal" and gets a participation trophy.
They've never had to face the fact that they may be way below average (a.k.a. a loser) at least part of the time.
Sometimes, telling an idiot that they are indeed an idiot will wake them up. Not often, but every little bit helps. Think of it as your civic duty.

Remus2 🚫

@Redsliver

Remember, you can never win when wrestling with pigs. The pigs enjoy the mud too much.

Just walk away.

Replies: Redsliver

Redsliver 🚫

@Remus2

Thanks, the walk away advice from everyone was great. Once I let it sit for a few hours, I was good. The trouble is I enjoy being a pig sometimes and like the mud too, but, after all, politeness is not sacrificing your time to assholes.

Lumpy 🚫

@Redsliver

As mrherewriting and Remus said, just walk away.

There is no upside to trying to convince them they're wrong.

Replies: StarFleet Carl

StarFleet Carl 🚫

@Lumpy

There is no upside to trying to convince them they're wrong.

It's usually too much effort to hunt them down and kill them. Which is what they really deserve.

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Redsliver

You've explained it to us. You might as well explain it to the person who wrote the comment too. It might even help others if they had the same miscomprehension. As I see it, there's no downside to being polite and helpful.

AJ

Replies: mrherewriting Remus2 Redsliver

mrherewriting 🚫
Updated:

@awnlee jawking

Until you help a man in an arm cast carry some books to his car and he ends up killing you, Ted Bundy style.

That's a bit of a downside. Just a bit. About an inch wide between your thumb and forefinger sized bit.

Remus2 🚫

@awnlee jawking

As I see it, there's no downside to being polite and helpful.

Apparently you haven't been paying attention to the social media harpies.
Sometimes being polite only encourages them to be bigger assholes.

Redsliver 🚫

@awnlee jawking

Despite the replies, I think I'm gonna take you up on your suggestion. I want people who need a second look to take it. "I'd love to have you read my work." Sometimes, I gotta say it out loud to believe it.

Replies: mrherewriting

mrherewriting 🚫

@Redsliver

When you put up this Topic, you were thinking: I just need one person to say "go for it" and I'm going to let loose on this fucker! (Lol).

Let us know if he responds.

Replies: Redsliver

Redsliver 🚫

@mrherewriting

All I needed was a few hours to cool down. I also had ice cream. Amazing what a little time and a blood sugar spike can do.

Replies: Marius-6

Marius-6 🚫

@Redsliver

All I needed was a few hours to cool down. I also had ice cream. Amazing what a little time and a blood sugar spike can do.

Ice cream can be a "miracle drug" for many emmotional issues. Baked goods too.

I am glad that you took the time to cool down.

Nearly all of the time it is best to take some time to consider before responding on the internet.

Sometimes, too often, perhaps, failure to respond merely "invites" further attacks. Fortunately, SOL is NOT one of those spaces on the internet. From what I have seen over several years, is if someone (or a few individuals) "pile-on" for no good reason, members of the SOL community will respond.

I think "venting" / posting in the Forum(s) and taking some time to cool down is most often the best course of action here.

I will admit to occasionally have a bout of "lack of reading comprehension" (although according to my ASVABs) and recent (well in the last 7-10 years) testing of my reading comprehension and other cognative skils as part of my treatment for multiple TBIs indicates I am still in the mid-90's (percentile, Not age) in terms of reading comprehension.

If it was actual miss-comprehension, perhaps you could respond in the comment section of your story (something to the effect of): "In the story the MC does get his dreamgirls. The conflict is in discovering that his original girlfriend wsn't worthless after all."

I will check out your story. Thanks for Posting your stories on SOL.

whisperclaw 🚫

@Redsliver

My feeling is that right now the commentor's lack of reading comprehension will be abundantly clear to the other readers, so right now their comment reflects on them. As soon as you respond, the whole conversation starts reflecting on you. It takes a very clever approach to not come off looking worse than if you'd said nothing at all. I figure if something is that egregiously wrong, there's no need for the author to respond because one of the other commentors will inevitably do it for you.

Darian Wolfe 🚫

@Redsliver

I once had a commentor say something that was illiterate and insulting. It was one of the very few times that someone here actually managed to get me in the quick.

I am very much a smart ass when I choose to be. I save up unique (to me) insults and turns of phrase. I had one I was saving for a special occasion and decided to use it.

I told the commentor what I thought of him and his comment then told him his mother had more pricks than a dartboard. It felt wonderful.

It was absolutely worthless in terms of positive consequences other than the good feeling it gave me.

However, It did have some potential negative consequences. Many of us have been onsite for years, and we tend to have long memories. Other people will see how you act and treat/judge you accordingly.

If you do it often enough, you may find it hard to get help from other authors when you're in a tight spot. Why? You're too prickly to deal with.

You are free to do as you please, but you are obligated to experience the consequences of your actions.

Net take away: The rare fuck you is ok. Having a habit of saying it regularly may alienate those you want to keep good relationships with.

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Forum: Author Hangout

Will it hurt me to leave a sarcastic reply to an idiotic story comment?

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