Dangerous Words
Every now and again I produce a blog that is completely misunderstood because of an innocent word or phrase appearing somewhere in the blog. I’m talking about a word or phrase so irrelevant that if the sentence containing that word was omitted, it would not have changed the spirit of the blog and yet, the inclusion of it changes the entire flow of comments. Somehow some people latches onto that word or phrase and respond to it in stead of the blog as a whole. This happens mostly when the ‘trigger’ appears in the first or last paragraph.In this way even a tongue in the cheek blog becomes a serious affair. I’m led to believe that some people only scan the blog for a ‘forbidden’ word or phase to react on, often negatively and sometimes completely out of context with the spirit of the blog. All you need is the first few comments to be off track and you never get your topic back. I will include a few examples in the comments section.
These triggers may change from time to time depending on world affairs and other blogs at the time but some always remain controversial. Some of the more popular triggers in the past included corporal punishment, PMS, poaching, death penalty, scammers, rape, sex, hunting, meat production, and any form of woman/child/animal abuse. While these are all excellent blog topics they tend to derail my blogs if mentioned en passant. This phenomenon also appears to be regional because I noticed that Americans can get quite excited if the word ‘Trump’ appears in a blog.
I have intentionally included a lot of triggers here to give everybody something to latch on to. You have my blessings to comment on anything and maybe suggest more controversial triggers so I can avoid them in future. Oh dear! I should have listed then in the first or last paragraph
It seems that I come from a notorious family of writers. My father writes checks that no bank will honor, my mother wrote memoirs that nobody looked at, my brother wrote novels that nobody published, my other brother wrote songs that nobody ever sang, my sister writes poems that nobody recites and I write blogs that nobody reads.
Comments (52)
Had a good weekend?
MiMi's legs are aching badly and I wish Arty is here with MiMi...........
Massaging MiMi's legs
There are certain advantages to having no brains. You cannot damage what you don't have. Some people claiming brain damage are just bragging with something they never had.
Phew! What a relief!
Catfoot, I'm sorry if I never stay on topic on any of your blogs.....
I stray off the topic all the time. I'm talking about people latching onto a word or a phrase and then use it out of the context of the blog, often criticizing me for things I never said.
It is a method of drawing people in, and riling them up.
Broadsheets tend not to do this. They choose their words carefully so that the essence of the story is not lost.
I suspect you like the drama...lol...
My heart is pumping custard. But you should not say things like that, I'm vain enough to believe it.
Have you been ill? You were absent from my blog for a week and when you returned your style of commenting had changed. I really thought it was somebody else commenting on your behalf the the other day.
That is where the most problems arise. with the blogs that is heavily commented. The first few comments sets the trend . I think some people only read the first few comments and then join the chorus. mind you I'm guilty of it sometimes too but I give them all a cursory glace.
Then I must change my format from tabloid to broadsheet.
This time I moved the trigger words to the middle of the blog and nobody responded on them yet. Not eeven the dynamite word that arouse the - what does Miclee call them - the Murkins.
I don't know what to read in it.
Yes, I enjoy the interaction that comments bring and I don't mind people straying off the topic. I do it myself. What I do mind is when people latch onto a word or phrase and use it to quote me out of context and crytisize me for things I did not say.
You just seem different. I've watched you on other blogs too. All of a sudden your comments almost make sense.
While I can't say I don't like the change, I miss the old pat as well.
Indeed mate, you are slipping up. I'll have to keep you on your toes.
Sure thing. My blogs are free flow and I stray off the topic more than anybody else. I don't mind them talking about other stuff, It all makes the blog interesting. But they don't have to put words in my mouth by taking one or two of words that I used out of context and then to criticize me for things I did not say or imply.
Now take your comment for an instance, you took a word. said something about it, elaborated on one or two other things and it is all fine. Nothing taken out of context and there is no problem. So why do some people want to be different?
Only kidding my friend
I will agree with you and speaking for myself sometimes I see something that stands out to me and that is where my thoughts go. I have noticed in some of your blog's you have mentioned that some of us in comments have gotten off the topic, and sorry for that but your blog's always stay interesting.
We all stray from the topic at time. That is what makes the blog interesting. You know me, I have never complained about mu blog being hijacked. Hey, I hijack my own blogs too.
What has he done this time?
Just kidding
Of course I love the drama. I think we all do. And I enjoy a little argument here and there. I don't mind off the topic comments at all. but I don't like it when things are taken out of context and I don't like it when people imply that I said something I did not say.
It seems that I played my last trump to early.
I think you´ll like my next short blog ;)
Have a nice day real virtual
If we don't enjoy it then why do it?
By the way, your subtle hint that you are gainfully employed does not make you more attractive to me. You still remind me too much of my ex-wife.
I'm not waiting. I play the lotto very patiently. If I live long enough I can win.
Don't worry, I still have a lot of respect for my ex-wife. I just don't want her around all the time.
You keep on telling me about my seven lives but unlike adventure games, my remaining lives does not show on the screen. I have had quite a few narrow escapes and at least some of them could have claimed lives. I'm not told when a life was lost so for all we know I may be on my last one.
I don't mind when they ride on my tricycle. It is when they ring the bell that I get upset.
Don't mind Bea, she is just up to mischief again.
so it seems
Did you study law? that is what lawyers do.
'Get a gun', you say? that is how they brainwash us. they told is it means 'Place of Gold'.
I made an ironic comment on another blog and will probably end up being banned from CS as a result because irony does not live here.