It sounds like the root problem is that the commenter didn't show you the respect of actually reading your post. My inclination would be simply not to answer. If a person doesn't read your material, and just puts up some knee-jerk response, a thoughtful discussion is unlikely. On the other, I don't think a single instance merits a mute. People have bad days, after all. Now, if the commenter wanted to become lil's personal nemesis, following you from post to post with obviously malicious intent -- I would actually encourage you to mute him, her, or it. If you feel "victimized" by anybody's random internet potshot (pun intended) the problem is, however, probably as much yours as theirs. I do understand -- I myself am all too sensitive to the sting of criticism -- but I know that expecting the whole world to play nice is ultimately paralyzingly. As human beings, we are stronger than that.
Hi em, thanks for your comment. I [EDITED] more or less, somewhat, perhaps tend to agree with you. In the example above, my response was not so much to the poster himself, since as you say,
Now, if the commenter wanted to become lil's personal nemesis, following you from post to post with obviously malicious intent
I'm lucky that I haven't had a cyber-stalker so far. a thoughtful discussion is unlikely.
My response was directed more to the community who might happen upon his comments. I deliberately wanted to model a kind of responsiveness that shows thoughtfulness of opinions opposite to my own.
Don't ever COMPLETELY agree with me -- that would worry me! :) Teaching by example isn't always effective but it does have the merit of not doing any damage. I don't know about you, but I tend to feel that if I don't defend my statements people will just believe the last thing that was said. I know, intellectually, that this isn't true -- but the impulse is pretty strong. Still, tone makes a great deal of difference. You and I would probably disagree about most things, but I'm not inclined to argue with you. That's the payoff of civility.
so amended.Teaching by example isn't always effective but it does have the merit of not doing any damage.
One's personal internet impact is probably minimal, but these little posts are small gestures. My goal is to sustain the illusion of a consistent persona with magical powers as described by eightbitsamurai in his epic story of Hubski. This persona seems to live safely in a library. While the other characters battle goblins and ride dragons, she . . . well, she lives in a library. Sigh.
I just discovered I do not exist in 8-bit's universe. Muted. I've never even spoken with him. If I said something that irritated him, he didn't bother to tell me. Hmm. I don't mute him, of course, so he pops up on threads on my posts. So it goes...
To be honest I don't remember doing that either, or the reason why I would do it, which probably means there wasn't one. I might have just been cruising your profile and done it on accident. That should be fixed now. Sorry 'bout that. I enjoyed your observations on Hubski article.
Thank 8-bit! I thought that maybe the god-like powers of authorship had gone to your head. Others can only mute and ignore me -- you have literary weapons at your disposal! :) If you do feel inclined to mute me in future -- tell me before it gets to that point. I care what you think.