tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893049933998770288.post8045378929310506908..comments2023-02-23T02:51:13.983-06:00Comments on The Midlife Musings <br>of a Postmenopausal Matron: Crime Pays, Rats Play, and Nobody CaresEileen Siskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15631401745025387065noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893049933998770288.post-54875255049148860872012-03-17T08:15:42.362-05:002012-03-17T08:15:42.362-05:00That is good to know. Yes, you are probably right....That is good to know. Yes, you are probably right. I am one of those that steers clear of volatile discussions on Facebook, especially anything that is politically charged because commenting on politics only serves to divide and alienate "friends." It's too bad that we self-censor in these situations. I know among my true friends that I can speak my mind and not be judged for having an opinion. Thanks for the great comment!Eileen Siskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15631401745025387065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893049933998770288.post-63732149832428908292012-03-16T02:55:13.185-05:002012-03-16T02:55:13.185-05:00You're in luck. I'm here to tell you that...You're in luck. I'm here to tell you that the outrage exists - just maybe not on Facebook. I don't know the full psychological explanation for why this is, but many (most?) FB friends won't comment at all on anything that has the danger of inviting debate and discussion. Not only that - most won't even bother to "like" something, even if they fervently do. Like it that is.<br /><br />I subscribe to The Daily - which is an iPad-enabled news publication. Like many news outlets, the digital paper has a political bias. Fortunately for me, I disagree with them and so this offers an easy outlet for my need to debate subjects - not with the intent of intentionally creating conflict, but to challenge blind knee-jerk assumptions so as to shed light. Often I find that I learn along the way - and on the rare occasion, I change my mind on a particular issue.<br /><br />The neat thing about this paper is that it has a vibrant, active and entirely engaged bunch of subscribers who comment back and forth. Since none of us know each other (and most use a pseudonym) there is probably more freedom to say what they think. The debates get heated sometimes and the odd jerk will come in there and resort to ad hominem attacks. These ill-mannered trolls are easily identified and dismissed. <br /><br />Quite frankly - I love the comment sections (which, by the way have nested comments so that you can easily target your replies)! You'll never see that kind of dynamic in paper newspapers. One can write a letter to the editor (as I have done and I imagine you have as well), and it *might* see the light of day. There is no way you're going to have the ability to participate in the give-and-take dynamic of one on one debate though, which is sad.<br /><br />Eileen, I have to ask: how is it for you in real life? Do you have a group of friends with different political views who don't mind debating each other? I don't, but used to - and we had so much fun. The fact that we all had an underlying respect for each other, as well as the knowledge that none of our debating was personal, made those debates fun and often illuminating.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com