Hm.

[serai]

Hm. Hm. Hm.

Well, well. Seems some people have been rather high-handed lately about the inexperience of others. Sweet goddess, people, is it really so difficult to just point out a mistake and ask that it not occur again? Do you have to jump straight to the ugly insults and character assassination?

Man, this really makes me think twice about a couple of emails I was going to send out. Maybe I'm not quite as sorry about the conflicts I've had in the past as I thought I was. As more time goes by in my involvement with the internet, I grow increasingly puzzled and frustrated by how impossible it is to know how the hell to take people. One day they're nice, the next day they're tearing some poor newbie a new asshole because they can't be bothered to find out what's really going on.

But you know what? I started out acting on first impressions in this fandom, and that got me into hot water. Since then, I've tried hard to clamp down on that instinct, to say, "Oh, it must just be a bad day for that person." But I'm starting to think I was right in my initial judgements. Certainly this last bit of nastiness isn't doing anything to change my mind - if anything, it's getting me to rethink my constant struggle to turn the other cheek, whether on my own behalf or on others'. No, I'm not very good at it, but now I'm starting to think it's a wasted effort anyway, well done or not.

Comments

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Oh, totally. And I'm always amazed by how quickly people can forget their own days as newbies. I think a lot of it has to do with how long one has been in fandom. Those who've been at it for years and years tend to forget what it was like when they were blundering around, not knowing what they were doing. Status is probably part of it too; I've never understood how some people can swallow their own PR so completely, and behave as if they have a right to piss on others for innocent mistakes. It's one thing if a newbie is being deliberately mean; quite another when she just isn't aware of the rules, or even that there are rules. Hmph.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

You are so fierce in defense of others. Bless you, sweetheart.

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon. Maybe I shouldn't jump to the plate like this so often, but damn if I'm gonna sit here and not say anything when people are being so mean.