On Blogging and Drive-By Comments
I've been blogging for over two years and--in those two years--I've seen both the benefits and drawbacks of blogging.
In my opinion the biggest drawback and benefit of blogging are one and the same: comments.
I love positive interaction with the readers of my blog. I love when I get comments (both positive and negative) and can't wait to post them on my blog. I want people to respond to me and interact with each other. This is what makes blogging fun for me. I find the exchange of ideas to be stimulating and encouraging on so many levels, but the worst part of blogging is the random anonymous negative comment or email.
I get a lot of emails each day and not all of them are positive, which is fine and a part of the ministry to which I've been called. And, although I don't enjoy--or thrive on--criticism, I do my best to respond to every critical email from a known source.
The most disturbing result of blogging--and one for which I was not prepared--has been what I call "drive-by comments." On a regular basis I will get an anonymous email or comment that is not just critical (which I have no problem with), but personal--attacking my character on a more personal and direct level. These drive-by comments are almost always unfair, uninformed, mean, and are always made by an anonymous critic who appears out of nowhere and disappears into the anonymous darkness of the world-wide web. I'm pretty sure that these anonymous "shooters" view themselves as heroes and their confrontational and critical words as testimony to their courage, but I think just the opposite is true. I think that "drive-by" negative comments made by an anonymous person are cowardly.
I delete all anonymous hate-mail from my inbox, but--I hate to admit it, lest I encourage the very thing that does so much harm--I have found it much more difficult to delete these hateful comments from my mind.
I'm reading an interesting book called, The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey. I was eager to read this book because I'm doing a workshop on blogging as a tool for ministry at the North American Christian Convention in Kansas City this summer.
Almost every chapter in this book includes 5 questions with a well-known blogger.
At the end of chapter 2 the author asks Mark Driscoll (Lead Pastor of the Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington) why his blog doesn't include comments. Here's his answer:
In my opinion the biggest drawback and benefit of blogging are one and the same: comments.
I love positive interaction with the readers of my blog. I love when I get comments (both positive and negative) and can't wait to post them on my blog. I want people to respond to me and interact with each other. This is what makes blogging fun for me. I find the exchange of ideas to be stimulating and encouraging on so many levels, but the worst part of blogging is the random anonymous negative comment or email.
I get a lot of emails each day and not all of them are positive, which is fine and a part of the ministry to which I've been called. And, although I don't enjoy--or thrive on--criticism, I do my best to respond to every critical email from a known source.
The most disturbing result of blogging--and one for which I was not prepared--has been what I call "drive-by comments." On a regular basis I will get an anonymous email or comment that is not just critical (which I have no problem with), but personal--attacking my character on a more personal and direct level. These drive-by comments are almost always unfair, uninformed, mean, and are always made by an anonymous critic who appears out of nowhere and disappears into the anonymous darkness of the world-wide web. I'm pretty sure that these anonymous "shooters" view themselves as heroes and their confrontational and critical words as testimony to their courage, but I think just the opposite is true. I think that "drive-by" negative comments made by an anonymous person are cowardly.
I delete all anonymous hate-mail from my inbox, but--I hate to admit it, lest I encourage the very thing that does so much harm--I have found it much more difficult to delete these hateful comments from my mind.
I'm reading an interesting book called, The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey. I was eager to read this book because I'm doing a workshop on blogging as a tool for ministry at the North American Christian Convention in Kansas City this summer.
Almost every chapter in this book includes 5 questions with a well-known blogger.
At the end of chapter 2 the author asks Mark Driscoll (Lead Pastor of the Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington) why his blog doesn't include comments. Here's his answer:
The cyber world, when combined with the postmodern myth of equality and a disrespect for authority, leads to lots of trouble on blog comment boards. The last thing I want is to spend hours every day with some wing nut in the middle of nowhere who has decided to be a rock in my shoe. My blog is the beginning of a very large missional theology cooperative online at TheResurgence.com, and when the site is completed there will be a place for people to comment after they register their true identity, thereby forcing them to not hide like cowards to throw rocks anonymously.
I think the benefits of comments well outweigh the negatives, so I will continue to allow and encourage comments from both known and unknown sources on all of my blogs and I'll continue to hope that the random "drive-by" anonymous comments will become more the exception than the norm, because--as I said--one of the things I love about blogging is the opportunity to interact with people . . . not with shadows driving-by in the darkness.
posted by Arron Chambers @ 8:51 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
Words are so powerful, aren't they? To build up and/or to tear down. "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks."
Whatever dude.:)
Seriously, I think that beginning bloggers allow anonymous comments because they're just happy SOMEONE is reading their blog. Once the blog gets bigger, they usually disallow anonymous comments...like this one.:
You're going to laugh at me, but I think those negative comments on your blog are encouraging... ;)
Satan attacks those he feels are a threat to his work. God has gifted you with an amazing ability to reach people through your speaking and writing, and Satan knows it. So what better way to ATTEMPT to discourage the work you're doing for Christ, than to use hurting people as a way to cut to the core of your feelings?
If you're being attacked by Satan, I'm thinking it means he doesn't like what you're up to... Keep up the good work! You're awesome!
Brother Aron
Remember that they hated Him before they hated you...and the Web equivalent of total darkness is that vitriolic anonymity that you call the 'drive-by'...sadly it'll always be there I think...So put aside those deeds of darkness and put on your armor of light.
Good post. The increasing globalization and interconnectivity of our world means anyone can say anything to/about anyone at any time. That brings quite a responsibility, on both sides, to manage input and output... i.e., on the one hand, to "filter" out the junk in our "open source" world and, on the other, to blog, comment, publish and email responsibly. This isn't anything new qualitatively, but it is quantitatively... i.e., it's a matter of degree. Everything with regard to our availability and connectivity is amp'ed up. And sometimes I think people are defensively managing input with almost militant passion but are less aware of their output.
Also, in that vein, it's sad, but there just aren't enough encouragers out there, even in the church. It's way too easy to be a drive-by, drive-thru Christian in our churches. Anonymous critical commentary is cowardly and, as long as I'm a minister, I will try to create a culture among church leadership where such immaturity is largely dismissed. If the "spam" is anonymous, forget/delete it! Easier said than done, of course. :o) But, why should we allow nameless and faceless comments (i.e., inactive stone-throwers in our congregation) wield power?! We should create church cultures where leadership doesn't let drive-by commentary wield inordinate power.
"We should create church cultures where leadership doesn't let drive-by commentary wield inordinate power."
Scott--this comment is right on! We both know that criticism is a part of life--and ministry--and it must be gleaned from, learned from, and accepted or rejected based on the merits of the criticism and the critic (which is what negates the impact of anonymous criticism).
When my wife criticizes me, it means a lot. She knows me and she has earned the right to say whatever she feels she needs to say to me. Her criticism--made in love--ultimately heals.
When another preacher, an Elder, or an identified fellow Christian criticizes me, it also means a lot, especially if we know each other, but their criticism must be considered in light of who they are, their expertise regarding the issue, the tone of their comments, the truth in their comments, and my constant need for discipleship. God has consistantly used criticism from people like this to "sharpen me" for which I'm grateful.
Arron,
This is a late comment, but I want you to know how much I appreciate your blog in general and this post in particular. I just went through a rough week where I received a lot of second and third hand criticism. Sometimes, I try to ignore it. Sometimes, I listen to it. Sometimes, I fight it. I'm never sure which response is correct. Just being reminded I'm not the only one is a big help. Thanks, brother.
"YOUR MOTHER WAS A HAMSTER AND YOUR FATHER REEKS OF ELDERBERRIES!!"
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