My second posting at Gothamist, and I’ve got my first slightly nasty comment. “Twiddle” obviously is a big fan of sarcasm and not a big fan of me. Apparently, I seemed condescending when I called KGB “lesser-known” and I was obviously a total shallow snob when I said, “where to read and be seen”.
It’s alarming, how quickly I wanted to reply! To defend myself! Witty banter, ahoy! Point out that KGB is lesser-known compared to the National Book Awards, and how you’re telling me that Dave Eggers doesn’t want to “be seen”? Pfah!
I didn’t, and I’m complaining about it here because this is my space alone, because I guess Gothamist is a bigger, more anonymous stage where people feel less hesitation about being rude or nit-picky to the people providing them with information. I was certainly expecting some snide remarks about my first posting, a review. I didn’t think a simple roundup could offend anyone. And even though I think it was rude and unfair for the guy to unproductively snark at me about my choice of words, I guess that’s his right. They say if people are being rude and abusive about your writing, it means you’ve hit a nerve, but what nerve could I possibly have hit with an events roundup? I guess I’m not the only thin-skinned one?
Twerp.
negative feedback
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I like the word twerp a lot.
Good choice of word there.
people who leave unproductively snarky comments are generally only trying to show off. In place of whatever he wrote, substitute “Me! Me! Me!” and you’ll get a better read on him. I’m lucky that I’ve gotten really few of these but I remember every single one.
I read your article (well written, as your writing always is) and his comment and I am about 98% certain that he suffers from little-man syndrome or something equally debilatating where he can only snark while carefully hidden by the Internet. Asshole.
Well just remember that you have a support group here who all love you and have read your writing WAY longer then the twerp. We think you are great! When you need a little affirmation of your wonderfulness just let us know and I am sure we will be there for you.
From a long time lurker.
HA. you guys are great. Thanks for the boost.
This is the downside of the internet. There are teeny little dweebs out there parsing your sentences, intent upon having their delicate sensibilities offended so that they can smite you with the Sarcastic Comment of Death.
The column is very well-written. Good luck with it.
I have received one piece of hate mail at my site. I draw cats. There’s a lot of pink involved, and butterflies, and like ribbons, and like, for god’s sake who on earth would send me hate mail? But someone did. They were only in fourth grade. But still.
I took a screen shot of the email, drew a frame around it and hung it in my online gallery. Then, when I got tired of it I took it down. At least it was good for something!
yeah, my first post was immediately hit up with a nasty comment from a rival city-blogging writer (there’s a major rivalry in LA that has caused things to get u-g-l-y in these parts). sometimes that anonymity lends itself to hecklers who would never have the balls to say a pinch of what they throw in the comments to your face. even after almost a year of writing for LAist i still get all riled up when i have poo-pooers comment, mostly because their comments are so ridiculous. i rarely respond, because most of the time their petty remarks don’t warrant my time. some people invent nerves just to claim theirs have been hit. at least you’re being read by folks regularly! yay you!
It was a good article. I’m sure the guy just wishes he could be writing for the gothamist. For that one snarky comment there are about three billion others who liked your article. keep it up.