Comments II

Previously, I’d said I didn’t want comments enabled here at MightierThan. I was wrong. Multiple reasons for that, but the most important is that any soapbox hopes to have an audience, and that audience might not want to listen unless they know they can throw rotten vegetables if they have to. Also if something happens here that is interesting enough for people to visit, then at least some of those people probably want to hear what others have to say about it, especially since the only thing I’m an expert at is combining my own words and ideas (I hope). So here’s the deal: Comments will be enabled for most posts but not all. In addition to that I’d love to get emails if there is something you don’t want to comment on publicly. And finally, behavior that gets past disagreement towards hate or blatant provocation gets deleted. I promise.

So thanks for clicking, reading, linking, and hopefully: returning. (and commenting)

Also: While we are on the subject of changes, you’ll notice over on the right a new sidebar called “The Mightiest” – this is where the most popular posts here at MT will now be highlighted…

 

Comments

I don’t have comments turned on here at MightierThan – I have always kind of hated them on other blogs, not because I think readers can’t have interesting thoughts on interesting posts, they can and usually do, but because since its inception the Internet has provided too many people the unnecessary opportunity to be someone online they could never get away with being in person, usually someone much more rude and disagreeable, sometimes even hateful, racist, or worse. I think interaction is important, and I think tolerance of random trolls should be encouraged, but I still can’t bring myself to allow them on some corner of the net I have tried to carve out on my own. (7/11 update: read here for my complete 180)

However on YouTube, and more specifically on the Iran videos I have posted, the comment culture is fascinating to watch, both inspiring and infuriating. I have tried to curate with care, deleting obviously hateful posts, or ones so ignorant no one should have to waste their time reading them – but the community does a pretty good job policing itself with the excellent comment rating system that YouTube employs. I wish more sites would copy it.

Mostly I’m amazed how many people think videos of the Iran ordeal are the best place to bring up how much they dislike Obama, and it occurs to me that people’s distrust and perhaps hatred of him is so searing that any soapbox will do if it’s a chance to let out their frustration. It’s like they’re convinced they’re watching a magic show that’s effect is so offensive they must stand on their chair and shout about hidden rabbits. But it’s not a magic show, and there is no rabbit – so any sensible audience member who’s paying attention thinks they are crazy. This just enrages them further.

While in my heart I wish Obama and America could swoop in and fix all of Iran’s problems, that is an irrational wish. Obama has done very well setting the tone for America’s reaction, for as we learned in Iraq – you can’t invent someone else’s democracy – they have to earn it for themselves or else they will never be able to employ it successfully.