Many of the comments posted on my social media posts, including video on YouTube, are pure drivel. No basis in any rational thought, not a particle of common sense or rational, responsible thinking.
I ignore them. I simply do not respond. I believe this is the best way to deal with them for I cannot see anything to be gained by engaging or giving them a bit of oxygen and creditbility they simply do not deserve.
But, God, it’s hard sometimes. Sometimes I just want to cut loose and empty both barrels, metaphorically of course, and tell the person what I really think about their comments, their warped, irresponsible, thoughtless worldview.
How barking mad, nonsensical, wrong-headed, absurd, plain dumb they are. But I don’t, normally. I bite my tongue and simply scroll onto the next one.
One day, perhaps, for a bit of fun I might take the time and respond with vigour and thought. It will be pure self-indulgence, of course. I won’t expect to change the commenter’s mind or worldview. But maybe I will persuade some other reader.
And have some fun in the doing. But today I haven’t time. Today I will just ignore them, as I usually do, and return to work.
And congratulate myself about the good sense in this strategy.
Still…
P.S. In looking for an image to put in this post, having written it, I came across this article by Fintan O’Toole. It is worth a read and it echoes the sentiments I have outlined above. Here’s an extract:
Learning how to ignore stuff is vital. By stuff I don’t mean the misogynistic or racist threats, the verbal violence that should always be reported to the police. I mean the constant low clamour of everyday disparagement.
It is good leadership for the head of a government department to encourage staff, as Watt put it, to “keep away from a lot of the noise”. Engagement is good. Exposure is not, especially when it is one-sided. The named individual who tries to reason with anonymous demons always loses. That way madness lies.
Don’t pay too much attention. Don’t rise to the bait. Don’t take it personally. Don’t get sucked into the vortex. Rise above.
Fintan O’Toole, the Irish Times