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Something to ponder
Posted under Blogging by Recovering Straight GirlIt’s Friday. It’s raining. And I’m off to school. But before I go, I must leave something out there in the Blogging universe to ponder.
Bloggers. We all are part of a community. A culture. The Culture of Bloggers–I wrote a paper on it last term. Got an A.
We intertwine with less degrees than six. We share each other’s heart-break and good times, we network, we give each other leads for jobs or writing/blogging gigs or opportunities–we’re friends or friend-ly. Some of us share our city and cultures beyond just blogging. Some of us meet and have lunch or coffee or hang out (or at least would like that if time permitted.) Some of us visit when we are in each other’s cities.
We are a community.
It’s a powerful community.
But there is something important to remember. We are not just words on a screen, we are not just a post or a picture or an IM or and e-mail. On the other side of those words, on the other side of that monitor, linked by the bandwidth that separates us–are people. Human people with human feelings who have deep passions and pain, and empathy and joy. Human people who are doing their best in the world. Human people who can be harmed deeply by insensitive words or words said with the intent to cause pain. Human people who feel that pain and feel the black spot on their day from negativity being spewed about them or something they believe in.
No one deserves to be mis-treated. No one deserves to have hateful things said about them in any forum and no one deserves to be betrayed by their friends–internet friends or otherwise.
We all have a great gift, this community. And great power. Great power and great gifts come with a responsibility. People are gifts and we all have a responsibility to honor and cherish that gift of people and use our power for goodness,
not evil.
Be kind. Be considerate. Be polite. Be loyal. Hold yourself to the same standards (or higher) that you would hold anyone else. Must most of all–Be Good To Each Other. What a gift we all have of each other. Cherish that gift.
Bravo. Well said.
I second that.
Beautifully written!
The blog community is a wonderful thing. My blog peeps stood by me and helped me through the hardest moments of my life, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Of course my curious mind wants to know just what the heck made you feel the need to write this particular post on this particular day….however, my normal, every day, cynical self simply says “Brava!” to you for putting into words what I think and feel every single day…about the blog world and the real world…if only we would all put out what we’d like to get back, how much better the world would be.
Maybe if we were all a little bit nicer and more considerate, here on the interweb and IRL, life would be so much better.
Hmmm, interesting timing… I wonder…
Well said, btw.
Yes we are all a gift to each other. Sometimes I wonder if we really appreciate that to its full potential. I wonder as well how many human beings out here have a need to share. Which makes me think how lonely we must frequently feel.
Very, very well said. I would love to read your paper as I am constantly thinking about how we are all connected via the monitors, keyboards and cords that link us together. I have added to my life in untold ways through blogs, mine and others, and it’s become a part of what makes me ME. I love that we can touch, and be touched by, each others lives. Last year while I was going through losing my mom, all my blog readers were there to hold me up, help me through, dry my tears, hold my hand and assure me that everything would be ok. I don’t know what I would have done without that - I felt so incredibly alone IRL.
Long story short (because apparently I feel very chatty today); I love your post and I would be interested in reading your paper.
Lovely, as always. Thanks, RSG, for your support recently, and for sharing some of that here on your blog. I feel like I’ve seen the other side of the internet, that dark and ugly side, that I had heard about yet not experienced, and I know that my blogging reflects me, my life, how I treat people, and how I think. I hold that close, and I know now that not everyone feels the same way. But people like you do, so thank you.
always so thoughtful in your posts. what a great writer you are, RSG. I guess, that is why i keep coming over. take care of YOU.
Couldn’t have said it better. As always, thank you for saying that which needs said.
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