I never enjoy writing about comments made on this blog, because a great many of them are of much value, and I know are appreciated by many readers. However, there are always those who abuse.
Yesterday I wrote ten blog posts, recorded three long videos and one short one, and approved over 160 comments on the blog, many of which were of value to me.
Maybe 60 more comments were deleted. Almost all of them were from people who had never commented before, and I judged them to be trolling. The blog appears to be susceptible to a considerable amount of that present. Of course, in its own way, that is a sign of its success.
And then one commentator, who has contributed a reasonable number of times but has also inundated my inbox lately with suggestions for blogs I might like to write, decided to be quite abusive. One of their comments apparently did not get through for moderation. I cannot explain why. They did, however, write three times to blame me, before it transpired that they do not even know how to write a comment on their iPhone's note system, and then copy and paste it into the blog comment submission system to avoid the risk of such things happening, and having a comment get lost.
I spent some time trying to explain to them how to do this before I was told by him that I owed him an apology for wasting his time as a consequence of my not being willing to change our blogging software to suit his convenience.
I can deal with the trolls. They are easy to spot, and easy to delete, and easy to block when it becomes apparent that they are repetitive.
But I really do not have time to waste with people who are supposedly on my side but who think they can repetitively tell me what I should do, how, and why, to suit their own personal agendas and who then become aggressive when, having used up my stocks of goodwill, I have to disagree with them.
There are very few people who have blogged, as I have, for over 19 years, or who have moderated 400,000 comments over that period, or who engaged with many of those who post, including offering notes of thanks to almost all new commentators who I think have tried to provide something of value, simply as a note of encouragement and thanks, but that is what I do and have done.
So, might I make a simple request? If you really think you can write a better blog than I can, might you start your own rather than telling me what to do? You have the right to do so. You don't have the right to take over this one.
The evidence suggests that this blog is meeting the needs of many people. Unless things change rapidly over the next few days, there will be record traffic this month of in excess of 900,000 views. I can, however, only manage that and handle all the comments if aggression from those who claim to be friends of what I am trying to achieve do not make excessive demands of me. I am human, and that most definitely wears me down.
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Keep doing exactly what you are good at Richard. I’ve personally posted when under the influence and you called me out! I felt so embarrassed the next day, I wanted the world to swallow me!
What you do is courageous and with no affiliation. That is a rare perspective these days.!
We will not always agree but I’m happy to comment and discuss issues . I believe that this is a safe place to do so. Many thanks.
My aim is to provide a safe space.
Of course I get it wrong sometimes. But I try. And by and large it seems to work.
As a side to my previous comment. I was married, mortgaged, doing a HNC in engineering management when offered the post of union rep for a shipping company.
Having accepted the union rep post, I was immediately called into the office and my manager said ” what the fuck do you think you are doing”? I explained that there are many perspectives in management and his words were ” well you will never be a fucking manager” .
We take flack from all sides! Honesty and integrity are beliefs in yourself and others that cannot fail!
Therefore I wasn’t surprised at the revelations with MC,Cluskey.
Corruption is endemic with the elevation of hierarchy.
It’s not for me and never has been.
Fools, cheats and thieves!
Richard – I have the greatest respect for the time and energy that you put into this blog alongside everything else that you do. It pains me to think of the valuable time that is then wasted dealing with the trolls and those who have no sense whatsoever of those efforts.
The patience of a saint is the phrase I think! The odd bout of grumpiness is wholly forgivable.
Thanks, Robin
It is unavoidable, I am afraid. I did little but work on this blog and related videos yesterday from 6am to 9pm. I watched some football, but dual screened. I do my best. I am aware it’s not always good enough. I am a massive critic of my own work. I would like to do better. I care about doing as well as possible. When I can, I correct things. And I appreciated many useful comments yesterday. But, if I am honest, I am not good at being told what to do. If I was, I would not and could not do this. I will still try to accommodate, but there comes a point when I have to say ‘enough’.
Oh, and the trolls are loving this post. But they are wasting their time.
What? Not even be told to Carry On Regardless!
This may be a bit of a simplistic comment but how many of those who troll/write abusive comments in the online world (be it Facebook or Twitter or YouTube some other social media platform) would say exactly the same thing to that other person face-to-face? Sadly, though, the online world does appear to reveal the true nature of some.
It’s impossible for everybody to agree on absolutely everything but it doesn’t mean someone needs to be rude or abusive.
Keep up the good work.
Craig
Thanks
And the evidence is, based on research I have read, that the trolls are as obnoxious in real life as they are on the web. They are desperate for attention and can only be abusive to get it.
Got it in one Craig. That has always been my mantra. Abuse has no place, whether face to face, or on the internet.
I am noticing the occasional Troll that appears to be professional, or paid at least. Getting paid trolls targeting your site is a sign of your success. What baffles me is that they can’t see they are wasting their time. No one here is likely to be swayed by what amounts to propaganda. Some of the trolls are just that though, trolls looking to stick it to the “other side”.
Richard,
Many congratulations on your hard work producing such thought provoking blogs, videos.
Hopefully your funding appeal is getting towards a decent sum.
I appreciate that you have a super fund of topics that you wish to cover.
But think about have a regular day off to relax and not do any “blogging”.
Why?
Tnat is not how my brain works.
Steve Keen and I discussed this on Monday. As we both agreed, our brains never permit us days off. They just don’t happen. And we’re OK with that and it would be more stressful to fight it.
That’s just how I am.
Are you a polymath professor murphy?
I have been a professor of sustainability, political economy and accounting.
I was a chartered accountant for 42 years.
I know a lot about the realities if running businesses.
And I have lived.
You tell me if that defines a polymath.
That was comforting,
I used to think it was only me. Obvs one disengages from time to time – but often thoughts come unbidden & then, of-we-go again.
Oh yes, always
Noted and understood.
Because your blog is NOT behind a paywall, many people forget (or do not want to realize) that they are NOT PGs (paying guest).
Anyone posting on this blog IS an IG or Invited Guest!
Manners please! Manners!!!!
Richard – I don’t comment often, but I read you every day and send a fair proportion of your posts to between one (my wife) and ten friends and relatives. You certainly fulfil my needs. I intend to do some serious work in an area prompted by you soon (when I have decided which one) and will certainly also provide some support to your funding appeal. We need more people like you!
Many thanks, Colin.
Appreciated.