Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Mean Girls: Bloggy Edition

I'm going to hop up on my soapbox here, so I thought I would launch this post with one of my favorite scenes from Mean Girls:


Why do girls think it is okay to tear each other down?  I'm not saying that it is right for high school girls to do this to each other, but it's understandable.  But in blogland?  We're all adults here, or at least I was under the impression that we were.

I haven't been a victim (yet), but some of the sweetest bloggy girls I know and follow have been.  Girls that have done nothing except share a part of their lives with the world and received upsetting, horrible comments on their blogs, in their email and via Twitter.  It is not okay to tear someone down in any form, least of all the internet where bullies hide behind a veil of anonymity.  It is not okay to make someone feel worse about their life so you can feel better about yours.   

If you're reading this and you're someone that has felt the need (and maybe personal satisfaction?) in tearing someone else down via the internet, step back and think about it for a moment.  Does it make you feel better to act like such a bully?  All it does is hurt the person you are attacking.  Think about taking all of that negative energy and turn it into something good.  Or just sit there for a moment, take a deep breath, and close your browser.  If you don't like what you are reading, don't read it.  If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it at all.  Treat others as you would like to be treated.

To anyone who has fallen victim to such attacks, I know you have probably heard this from lots of people, but try let it roll of your back and remind yourself that their words have not so much to do with you, but with themselves and their own unhappiness.  We all have so much positive to bring to this world of blogging - unique insights, views, life experiences and opinions.  I'd hate for the negative of a few to ruin the positive of many.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen sister!! I don't think it's appropriate to sit behind a computer keyboard and bash someone else, whether it's intentional or just badly phrased. I believe in thinking about how your comments will come off to another person, and how you would feel if you happened to be reading them from someone else and got the same snarky attitude. I applaud you for putting this out there!

Holly said...

This is the second post I have read on this topic today, and the second time I will say: I completely agree!

Anonymous said...

A thousand times YES!! I try to stay clear of blog drama but have been the brunt of some bullying in the past. We all need to stand up and say NO MORE.

Anonymous said...

I completely agree! Amazingly written post!

Jumping Jack said...

I agree! Why do people think they have the "right" to leave rude/mean/hurtful comments on others' blogs? It really is ridiculous that people can be so ugly.

Kelly said...

What a great post, Tiffany. Way to stick your neck out with a really great message. The "mean girl" stuff is alllll around in blogland. Back in January I took a few days off just because I needed to be removed from it all. Girls who I thought were my "friends" all of a sudden just BLATENTLY ignored me... what are we, 13 years old again? I know it wasn't much, but kamman-- we're adults! Act like it. Anyway, thanks for the great post!! :-)

 
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