Another day, another blogfight
Why do I do this?
I posted a "chin up" comment to Opinionista's latest lawfirm lament, and a random commenter saw fit to attack me. And of course I let him/her get to me, and attacked back. Why do I let these people draw me in and ruin my mood?
Here's the thread of the "argument:"
"I've had that happen too. It's total human error- you can think you researched the entire spectrum of cases and there's the one elusive one that you somehow missed. Which is the problem with litigation research- there's ALWAYS an unturned stone. That's why I'm corporate. Anyway, point being that it's a totally understandable error, one that Ogre dude has surely made himself. Don't sweat it too much. You're spot-on with the partners playing on our insecurities left over from childhood- even at my relatively mild bigfirm, I see that happening all the time. We just have to try to stay sane and remember that we are adults and in charge of our destinies." Noisette 12.07.05 - 6:12 pm
"Noisette: Your comment above and the context given in your own blog leave many unanswered questions, let alone "unturned stones." First, you allege a "vast readership" for your blog. Yet barely a handful of commenters even post. Next, you note that you understand that a "noisette," your blog moniker, is a type of rose. You "understand" that it is a type of rose, but don't know for sure. If you live in Los Angeles, don't you live near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena? In other words, couldn't you find out what kind of rose you are? Or are you implicating Shakespeare's retort the unimportance or seeming unimportance of names, i.e. "A rose by any other name..." Or Maybe Gertrude Stein's "A rose is a rose is a rose." Who is your literary partner in crime, Noisette? Last but not least, in your post on capital punishment, you remark that you looked at protesters outside your office window one day. Yet you claim to be a corporate lawyer. In NYC or Chicago, Noisette, you couldn't even draft an officer's certificate or amend boilerplate DE law organizational papers for an LLC or the like without someone coming in to make sure you were actually doing that rather than gawking at a protest. What is going on?"
Smith 12.07.05 - 7:46 pm
Hello? So of course I responded:
"Umm... Smith? Calm down. The "vast readership," the "type of rose"- were meant ironically. Familiar with irony? (Familiar with the phrase "irony is wasted on the stupid"?) (also, just for clarity, there is a type of rose called "noisette.") I work in downtown Los Angeles at one of the 25 best lawfirms in the country. I'm not going to tell you which one. I overlook a main thoroughfare and the other day there was a protest against the execution of "Tookie," the founder of the gang called the Crips. We knew it was his protest because we received a firm-wide email warning us that the street in front of our building would be closed. Finally, what the hell is your problem? And if you have so many complaints about my blog, why not tell me ON my blog, rather than gunking up O's comment box (and O, I know I'm guilty of that too, but assignations like Smith's must be responded to)." Noisette 12.07.05 - 11:01 pm
And I got this response for my pains:
"Noisette: Irony may be wasted on the stupid, but discretion, on your part, is not the better part of valor. If the letter to the editor about capital punishment that you sport on your blog gets published, you will be outter than the parking lot, much less left field or the bleachers over at Dodger Stadium. By the way, while you are standing up for Tookie, have you ever done any charity work across the freeway in Chavez Ravine or down the 110 in South Central? Have you now? Do tell. I won't argue with you any longer or shorter here. That said, who would want to argue with you on your blog? Who reads it?" Smith 12.08.05 - 2:29 am
Well, I couldn't let that lie...
"Smith, for all your fancy phrasing, you sound a bit idiotic. My whole POINT is that no one reads my blog, on which I don't post enough or thematically enough to merit a large readership. My husband and a few friends read it. And so I poke fun at myself. My letter to the editor probably will not get published, but all the better if it does, because I don't make much of an effort to maintain my anonymity. I just don't particularly care to have you know who I am. That said, a few facts: I graduated from a top 10 law school, I'm at a top 10 law firm, I do quite a bit of pro bono and devote my spare time to political causes I believe in. I'm happily married and have 2 spectacular cats. I'm pretty unassailable. I don't know why I let people like you get under my skin.Sorry, O." Noisette 12.08.05 - 11:42 am
I'm of course as much to blame as he/she is for getting drawn in. It happens when work is slow.
But just for the record- I WASN'T sticking up for Tookie. Learn to read, fucktard.
posted by Noisette @ 11:31 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
not to rain on your parade but reading your blog, esp the Sat entry that says "vast readership"..uhm, you were sarcastic when you wrote that, right??
Vast readership..yeah. come on. Lots of readers there where you have absolutely zero comments on your earlier posts...
Oh my GOD. Please tell me YOU'RE being sarcastic, anonymous.
"Vast readership..." do you think anyone would actually SAY that if they DID have a lot of readers? Who would say that?
C'mon, dude. Look at my blogstat thing. Do you accuse me of an inability to COUNT?
Jesus fucking christ. I've had enough of the idiots.
The idiots of the world have crertain emotional aspirations (eg. to have a famous blog) and they can't figure out that anybody else would think and feel differently. Methinks they need a course in epistemology with a strong psychological component to it.
Yeah, I feel for you in that I would be hard pressed not to respond to these attacks. (Interesting that he seems to have done a lot of work enroute to thumbing his nose at you...)
This all is SO not worth a moment of your time, IMO.
(And, just academically, would my multiple personalities count for more than one slot in your vast readership? Might make up for some people's only counting for 1/2.)
Dearest Wunelle and Unsane- you are single (or double?) handedly my "vast readership." (and my husband, and St. Dickeybird, etc etc)- but yes- the time and energy required to maintain a "sticky" blog stretch beyond my meager abilities.
Generally, this blog satisfies two needs in my life:
1) when I read about another injustice served upon America and the world by Bush & Co, this blog provides me with a nice, productive forum to talk about it and "get it out there," even if only to a few people, and
2) my larger goal is to get down in some form some of the crazy shit that happened to me when I lived in France and Africa, because it's been a while and I am starting to forget the details. That's harder and more emotionally taxing, though- so generally I stick to the political stuff.
Why did I just spew all of that? Dunno. I just drank a Mtn. Dew Code Red and am feeling a little wacky.
ok, granted, I am going on little sleep and unable to think clearly about anything other than the papers I am desperately trying to write, but I feel like I'm missing something here. What exactly was it about your original comment to O's blog to which Smith felt oh-so-compelled to respond? Forgive my ignorance. As someone that's been flamed a few times, I'm well aware of the ways in which to insprire other's ire, but your comment seems completely innocuous. I suppose a partner could maybe take offense? (although I think that's a stretch since anyone who works in a law firm knows that's part of the game).
It sounds like Smith has way too much time on his/her hands. S/he should make good use of it and look into getting a sense of humor and irony.
And why do I get the feeling that Smith googled quotes and came up with "discretion is the better part of valor"? It seems completely out of context.
And, of course, we can't ignore the ultimate irony that Smith's ridiculous comments have inspired comments from your vast readership ;-)
Don't blame yourself for being drawn in. I wouldn't be able to let raving idiocy have the last word either.
Whatever the merits of Smith's argument, i'd hope this could highlight your own tendencies and insecurities. I read many of these blogs and consistently you leave unnecessary, pretentious comments correcting spelling and terms which in the end many times YOU are incorrect about. Question is why do you feel the need to do this? Just as why does Smith feel the need to do this to you?
Interestingly there was a discussion on Heather's blog regarding people that do this
http://heatherbarmore.blogspot.com/2005/11/it-feels-good.html
the overwhelming analysis was that they are not happy with themselves and need to point out (perceived) flaws in others to make themselves feel better about themselves. It truly doesn't do the community a service. I don't expect you to agree, perhaps you will think before flaming the next site...
I'm guessing you are Stephanie's boyfriend Phil. I'm glad you're defending her. I leave comments on Stephanie's blog (and Heather's occasionally, but I think that's it re: unnecessary comments) because sometimes HER pretention gets to be a little overwhelming (one is constantly reminded that she went to Columbia but then she admits that she cliff-noted her way through college?) and also because I just get so damn sick of the hero worship that occurs constantly on her blog that I feel the need to mitigate it. Pretentious on my part? Most certainly. I never claimed not to be a snob. But re: me being unhappy- thanks- that's a subject I'll bring up at my next meeting with my therapist. Generally, I lead quite a nice, successful life. My acerbic comments on Stephanie's website stem from my general annoyance at her unique blend of mediocrity and lack of humor, though, and not from any particular unhappiness on my part.
PS- and I was indeed incorrect about Dr. Phil. I think I admitted my mistake. What else was I not correct about? (I'm the first to take myself down a peg when I deserve it.)
It has come to my attention that you are accusing me of "coming after you"? What are you talking about? How old are you? How self important do you think you are?
Go on with your life in full knowledge that i neither think ill of you nor with kind regards. I do not know you. Have no opinion of you. Want nothing to do with you. The comment I made was not a defense of anyone but a statement of your patterns.
As you stated-
I'm sure Smith's acerbic comments on your website stem from his general annoyance at your unique blend of mediocrity and lack of insight, though, and not from any particular unhappiness on his part.
Move on to your next delusion please.
Oh, Phil. I could respond negatively, but I think you've made your own bed here. The brilliance of your comments, and your ceaseless defense of your decent-but-by-no-means-great writer girlfriend, are touching but kind of creepy, dontcha think?
And of course you're coming after me. In the same way I come after your girlfriend when I think her platitudes cross that fine line into drivel. What are you doing here, if not? You can't tell me that my expositories on the evils of the Bush administration really interest you. Why did you leave that comment if you have no opinion of me? You have an opinion, and it's negative. It's ok, Phil. Criticism is ok.
N-
Yes I do know that particular person.... He has changed a lot since I knew him. He used to be a really cool man. Now he is Stephanie Klein's lap dog. It's sad. His life is spent defending and protecting her. I hope one day it will occur to him that a woman who needs that much defending, chronically, is in reality just a horrible, manipulative person whose goal in life is to be loved unconiditionally. Even if she needs to commit emotional blackmail to do it.
Feel free to email me at rodilla_doc on yahoo...
Namaste.
~HDJ'
Oh my GOD there are a lot of idiots out there.
Take a deep breath, Noisette. And DON'T WORRY.
PS. I read your blog too. :)
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