Dealing with Rude Blog Comments
Blogs Draw More Flames Than Moths
What to do with these crazy comments? Well, you have lots of choices.
Delete Them
This always feels good, because you have rendered the comment into digital oblivion. Depending on your blogging software, you may be able to block that poster from ever commenting on your blog in the future. The chances are very high that whoever posted the offending comment will never come back to your blog to check and see your reply. They just leave their comment bombs and run for cover, giggling.
Ignore Them
If the critical comment was written in all capital letters or in all lowercase without punctuation, without spelling, without any sort of grammar then leave it up for the comedic affect. Don't even bother replying to the comment. Just leave it up. This will make your post look a lot more creditable because someone who disagreed with you has just proven to be barely literate.
The other great advantage to ignoring the comment is that inevitably someone else will point out just how stupid/prejudiced/whatever the offending comment was. Someone's done your work for you. Go have a cookie.
Insult Them
This is also a fun option, but only in response to blatantly insulting comments. For example, if you did a post mentioning that Morgan horses could come in the color buckskin and someone replies "Morgans don't come in buckskin," don't insult them. But if the poster said "Only ignorant sluts think that Morgans come in buckskin," then go for it. They deserve it. In fact, you are almost morally obligated to defend all of the buckskin Morgan horses out there because they cannot blog for themselves.
Reply to Them
Indulge me as I take a moment to describe a real life example. On my personal blog about two years ago, I posted about animal rights (which I'm for). I received a comment stating that "animal rights movement was doomed". There wasn't anything more to it. So I replied, "Why do you think that the animal rights movement is doomed?" I've never received a reply.
Replying to comments with a question for the poster to elucidate lures the commenter out of the digital undergrowth and sets up right up in your crosshairs. The poster will usually prove that he/she/it hasn't the slightest idea of what's up. You could reply to that with links to reputable websites, news reports, statistics or video clips that prove your point.
Published by Rena Sherwood - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Rena Sherwood is a freelance writer and Peter Gabriel fan who has lived both in America and England. She has studied animals most of her life through a synthesis of direct observation and insatiable reading.... View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentAnonymous comments on the Internet bring out the worst in people. They're truly cowards that wouldn't have the guts to say those things to someone face to face. It's a way for them to attack people from behind the safety of their computer screen. I love making them look like the ignorant fools they truly are. Most never bother to read past the title - if they can read past a second grade level. Some should stick to pictures. Excellent advice.
It's amazing what the computer does to some folks. They get larger-than-life (and ruder!) if they feel they can anonymously post comments. I try not to engage the rude people, I turn and write the other way :) Cheers, Rena