One of my frivolous entertainments during my morning coffee has to be reading a certain newspaper's online comment boards. When I read a few days ago that Popular Science magazine has eliminated the comments section on its website, my reaction was "good for you... I hope more online magazines and papers follow your example".
I like seeing and reading readers' educated and thoughtful analyses after some articles, but unfortunately, too many are comments posted through adrenaline: Anger, hostility, and hate. Mixed with outright ignorance, that combination makes for a potent mix... and laughs.
But...
As I've suggested in previous postings, like this (here), I hope the Toronto Sun continues to allow comments on their online version of their 'paper'.
Besides...
Look at this; something I 'clipped' from a certain article's comments section. This may sum things up perfectly. An incredibly hostile reaction by a Sunny to a straightforward observation by another reader...
"Margaret Laurence has a body of work, that does challenge literature students. she is woman, she is Canadian and his colleagues do teach her writings"
--- he does not teach CaN LIT nor does he have to!!! YOU do not impose your views on everyone!! Not everyone wants to read CanLIT! Get it??
A disproportionate response? I'd say so. I take great pleasure, as childish as it may be, from reading idiotic comments like that.
The Washington Post...
YouTube makes over its comments; Popular Science just shuts them off
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/youtube-makes-over-its-comments-popular-science-just-shuts-them-off/2013/09/25/e70cadbe-25db-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines
3 comments:
I have to say reading what people consider the "hemriods of the internet" (comment sections) are a guilty pleasure of mine. I've gotten into a few youtube flamewars myself.
I've never commented on a newspaper board, but I often think of something what I think is a witty response when I read a lot of 'right-wing' comments.
We're dealing with close-minded and unread people, for the most part, who make comments like the one I pasted into this posting. The anger and hate is something they should be looking in to, if you get my drift.
I share your pleasures; grand entertainment, including great laughs.
(I know this is a late post,I just found this today)
Honestly,I think it's a good idea for all comment boards to be shut down. For one,it has taken away our ability to go away from reading an article and form our own opinions on a subject. I'm all for free speech,but I do feel there's a line between free speech and telling someone to kill yourself over a disagreement of opinion.
Secondly,since when has the Internet been our only voice?There are actually people not sitting in front of a computer. Do face-to-face conversations not happen anymore?I have all kinds of discussions with people over different topics,most notably American politics.
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