The Five Strands of A Sedentary Empress

A Response to Mood's Entry.

"my leading entry" 

I have to say I'm relieved she went there.

I'm a confrontational person by nature, which may not come off in my journal. The reason for this is that I actually have time to think before I speak when writing, but reality is a whole other animal. Face to face, depending on how well I know a person, I can be almost overpowering (so I'm told). I have the ability to turn it on and off without giving it any thought but I do not write this with the intention of trying to be intimidating because I don't think any of these admissions make me exceptional in any way. It is what it is. But here, while writing, I try to be at least courteous to others. Because I read them, the intimate details of their lives, am a voyeur of their hardships and happiness, I feel I owe it to them to be a little bit sensitive to what they're feeling. I don't go on the attack and I don't purposely insult anyone because I truly don't see the point.

So, yeah, it bothers me when people complain, bitch, moan and whine about this contest. The fact that no one has been rocked by any leading entries (according to all reports) tells me that it's pretty much a universal issue, the so-called 'bad writing' or 'uninspiring entries'. In layman's terms, the complainers aren't doing much better, right?

Mood writes that she has 'a really hard time separating FtL disses from personal attacks' that she hates 'when they act like assholes'. Well, obviously. How many times have I read in the last three rounds that there are no journals 'worth reading'. You see, I'd never write that, no matter how much I disliked someone's journal because it's not honesty. It's blatant meanness. Some people actually try, you know? They make a concerted effort to get into it, stress over their leading entry and to read disparaging comments about something they cared enough to involve themselves is kind of cruel, I think. Especially when written by people who are in no danger of winning a Pulitzer themselves in their lifetime. I mean, who among us has the chops to criticize? Sure, the stronger writing out there is evident right away, but why would anyone deliberately set out to stir the pot by making someone who is already feeling insecure about participating feel even worse? Even if your opinion shouldn't matter, even if you say it shouldn't, it will to anyone who is participating because writing is as personal as walking around naked.

I agree as well that it's annoying when people join and then vanish. Why? Right now I have the time to respond regularly but I wouldn't commit myself if I felt that my personal time would be too scarce to contribute. Obviously, there are always extenuating circumstances, and maybe some people get scared off when others criticize them, but sometimes it appears as though the participant has just decided it's not worth their time and they disappear without an explanation. Knowing the little about Mood that I do, I feel fairly certain that she'd never behave that way.

I don't know if it's a weird need for rebellion, or a thirst for conflict, or as she wrote 'assholishness' that compels some to break out the trash talk, but while it's sometimes entertaining (okay, sometimes I laugh), quite often there is nothing to back it up. Debate is good, when done with finesse and maturity. What some might find uninspiring may be inspiring to another. Whichever writers you enjoy may put others to sleep. I'm a little confused as to why interaction has to be rooted in criticism and general disdain. While some people honestly don't care about any other person's words but their own (and there are many who fit into this category), that's their problem, and frankly, it's a limiting one.

It's totally fine not to think everyone's work is up to your standards, because some actually is a little bland or unimaginative, but at the end of the day, everyone is making an effort and I see no reason to bring them down for it. It's just a contest. It's just gift points.

End o'rant.

I appreciate you, Mood, but I refuse to suck your anything.