threeplusfire | LJ Idol, Week 8: Sit Down & Shut Up

Would you walk into someone else's home and begin complaining that the home was too personal, too much about that person and demand they cover up things you didn't like to see? Would you demand they shorten their name because it takes too long to say, or takes up too much room on your phone's caller ID? Would you threaten someone with bodily harm because you didn't agree with their opinion on a book? Would you leave anonymous notes with the threats and insults on someone's door because you didn't like the way that person spoke or their vocabulary?

What is the worst thing you've ever called someone to their face?

Have you ever complained that someone's Livejournal posts were to emo, too whiny, too much information? Have you ever demanded someone use the LJ-cut tag because you didn't want to have to read the entry/see the pictures/be bothered to scroll past whatever it was? Have you ever mocked someone for using "big words" on the Internet? Have you ever left anonymous comments on a journal that were derogatory? Have you ever been involved in one of those fandom flame wars that escalates into vicious name calling?

What is the worst thing you've ever called someone on the Internet?

Ranting has a fine, storied tradition on Livejournal. Because this place straddles the boundaries of the personal and public, it is a unique space for people to get on their soap boxes, their horns and their high horses. What better place could there possibly be for a rant than Livejournal?

On any given day, it would be easy to find a dozen Livejournal entries that start off with apologies for being emotional, for being personal. But we are our Livejournals, and they are made of our thoughts and emotions and experiences. Why should we apologize for being ourselves, for being messy, incomplete, emotional, educated, verbose, actual people? If there is any part of our lives where we have a space guaranteed to be reserved for our feelings, our fears, desires, grief, rage and hope - surely Livejournal is that place.

It is time we stop pretending there is a huge separation between our online and offline lives. What exists in this electronic space is much a part of our daily world as our morning coffee, the friends we meet for lunch, our book club, the movies we watch, our dinner, our bedtime stories. Livejournal is where we talk about our lives, for heaven's sake. Back in the 20th century, I remember when online journals were more of a curiosity and required some coding skills. Maybe you had a page in Geocities and could use that WYSIWYG editor to slap something together. But outside of a few places like Diaryland, online journals were limited and not interactive.

I remember coming to Livejournal in 2000 because of the features like the friendslist and comments, not to mention I didn't have to do much html work or find my own webhosting. On Livejournal I could write, and at the same time I could reach out in that silent space to find other people. Monologues could become dialogues and conversations. Over the past eight years I've watched this transform from a one way medium to a vibrant, active part of daily life. My Livejournal isn't just space taken up on a screen and server out in the dark sea of ones and zeroes. It is my living room and library. It is where I come to muse about the day, to talk to my friends, where I throw parties and invite strangers to come get to know me and talk about things happening everywhere.

I have certainly written many rants here during the past eight years. I've ranted about bad drivers, people who don't take care of their pets, the smoking ban, politics, super models who looked like praying mantises and screaming children in restaurants. I've read rants that inspired me, rants about the injustices of the world and things that need change. At the same time, I've read rants that were poorly concealed excuses to place blame and encourage hatred. I've seen any number of rants turn into impassioned debate, and twice as many turn into flame wars. A well written and passionate rant can educate, spark discussion and inspire change. Sometimes they are even funny. But an ignorant screed is just the spewing of vitriol and formless hate at the nearest, most convenient target.

Rant away, Livejournal. I always want to know what you are thinking about. I won't demand you use an LJ cut tag, or like all the same books I do. So tell, and tell me in passionate detail why you care, why you are angry, why it matters. Feel free to talk about things that are personal, things that are hard or messy or complicated. Beware, if you just write things based in ignorance or hate because I'm going to call you out on that and I'm going to argue with you. I won't just be calling you names though. I'm going to try to pry some facts and reasons out of you, and try to give you some of mine. I just want you to do the same for me. It wouldn't be very exciting if we agreed about everything anyway.

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From:

lilmissmagic71.livejournal.com

This is EXTREMELY well put together... You did a great job! It kept me in and interested and made me think...

From:

I didn't sign up for this timeline

LJ Idol, Week 8: Sit Down & Shut Up - Ranting LJ Style

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