In a way I'm blessed to have attracted readers who are 1) intelligent, 2) respectful, 3) love film and 4) know that debate is about arguing points of view and not attacking characters. In fact, in the history of this blog, I've only had my character attacked once.
On the other hand there was Suite101, an online editorial site that I used to write for before I got fed up of needing to edit my reviews into the third person, essentially stripping the life and personality from them and started this blog where I could do whatever I pleased.
On the other hand there was Suite101, an online editorial site that I used to write for before I got fed up of needing to edit my reviews into the third person, essentially stripping the life and personality from them and started this blog where I could do whatever I pleased.
Even though I haven't posted anything on Suite for about a year I still average about 100 views a week and get the odd comment now and then. The thing about it is though is that, most of the commentors don't just disagree, but wage full on attacks of me. I find it all rather amusing really, especially when said commentors are anonymous. I actually look forward to receiving said comments because, not only does it show just how shallow people are but if I have held a position so controversial that it has awakened in you the desire to attack someone you have never met and know nothing of, well, I must be doing something right.
I just recently received one of these comments. In the final days of Suite101 I had planned to start a series about the most overrated films of all time. It didn't work because Suite doesn't allow you to write a series because you can't put #X in the title. So instead I would need to put the film's title as the heading and The Most Overrated Films of all Time in the subtitle, which didn't get published anyway so there was no point in continuing to do it past the three that I did write. The first was on Bertolucci's 5 hour political flop 1900. Read it here if you desire and be sure to check out the comments too.
The point, if I have one, is to ask why some people who claim themselves to be of inherent sophistication, feel the need to, instead of offer a counter viewpoint in order to engage debate, just decide to call names (the writer is an idiot) and make personal judgements (he's never been out of the burbs, yo) as if that somehow makes their stance more correct or valid. Let's face it, when Sam Juliano went off on me all he ended up achieving was making himself look like a fool.
In closing, I feel sorry for these people because, in essence, in their assurance that their opinion is right, the every bit of their being is better than anyone who disagrees, their life more meaningful, their contribution to the universe more grand, they have ceased growing and evolving. Why be stalled by a belief that I'm better than X when I could be striving to become as good as Y instead? Oh well, I can't stay I want them to change because then I would need to find something new to make me smile.
