measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Review sites. My final word Is Mercury going into another unscheduled Retrograde? Or am I just having one of those weeks? Well, aside from dyrty's problems yesterday with a journal review that she was not asked for, and my strong need to defend her, my, and others' rights to NOT have reviews done of their personal journals if they are unwelcome, I'm thankful that Dyrty has a sense of humor about the whole thing. I dropped her an email about it yesterday once I'd gotten home from work to apologize for any perceived bandwagon ranting I might have done. I've also blocked the email addresses of the reviewers. The problem was that three different people were flooding my email box as a response to my original comment to them that they really should ask people or at least notify them about these reviews, and that libel laws could come into play if they pissed off the wrong person. They claimed they wouldn't based on the law, but I have a feeling they've never worked for publishing before, particularly as a freelance writer. The possibility of getting sued is out there. They claim free speech-- but yes, the US is also a litigious society. It's just a reality. In any case, after having three different people emailing me, only one of whom had the courage to actually sign emails, and all three of them saying different things and one trying to both reprimand me for standing up to someone who was doing an act I thought was deplorable, I blocked their emails and deleted the ones I'd received. I also removed myself from Clix, since apparently signing up for that site is the permission they perceive as granted for them to do a review. They can take that as a sign of whatever they want. I really don't care. I find their actions completely deplorable, but at the same time, I realize that karma will take care of them one way or the other. Eventually they are going to hurt someone deeply with a review, as all of these review sites do. And then karma will come back and smack them in the ass. *shrug* They ask me if I protest just because I wouldn't want a negative review, and because Dyrty received a review classifying her site as Ugly. No, actually it's just about getting reviewed at all on a personal journal. My journal is my own. I write online because it's a medium that is easily accessible to me, and easier for me to commit to than handwriting... I type 70 wpm. My fingers can keep up with my brain... somewhat. Is my design great? Nah. It's pretty basic. A running bordered background with matching header, bar, and buttons. I use the Tiger because I love cats, they're white, which somewhat reflects my Pagan name of SilverCat, and because my Chinese sign *is* the Tiger. I'm well aware it's not everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine with me. I like them, and that's what is important. If someone has a comment on my site for whatever reason, I'd rather they contact me directly about it-- leave a message in my guestbook or email me privately, if they prefer, rather than making a public review of it. I would like the opportunity to respond, possibly to ask questions, possibly to explain. I don't like the concept of review sites, because I see them as trying to make an opinion about someone's expression of themselves, ignoring the human being behind the creation. If my site was a professional one, I probably would feel much different. Professional work MUST be submitted for criticism in order for a writer, artist, etc. to improve. Feedback is necessary in that case. My journal is much different than that. Yes, it's on the internet. For some, as to the reviewers in question, it's "published," although I personally beg to differ on that. But as many people who read my journal from day to day know, I get brutally honest in here. I have some journal entries that even when I look back, I can't believe I released from myself. Since these review sites judge content, I find it deplorable that my writing for and by myself could be judged by some reviewer who doesn't know me, really doesn't give two shits about me, and is just reviewing because they think they're entitled to do so. I've watched a lot of "entitlement" on the internet, starting with fanfiction groups in 1994. People who got together to write stories about their favorite shows. They were for fun, everyone knew it. Some were poorly written. Others bordered on (or actually were) published masterpieces. And then people decided to start judging the works that were put on Usenet and websites, and became nasty to those who really didn't have any innate writing talent, but had the courage to try to write, to share, and to be part of a community of fans. The "reviewers" would do their reviews, kissing some asses of well-known writers, and humiliating others. Rules began being set for how to properly write fanfic. Freedom of expression was not tolerated. And those who desperately wanted to try to write would say they wanted to, but were too terrified to do so. That's where fanfiction is right now on the Internet. And yes, I blame the reviewers for that bullshit. I saw an entire creative expression essentially silenced by this crap. I'm not inclined to see another one, which has a much more personal twist to it, suffer the same fate. Already people say that these reviewers, particularly those who won't bother asking permission do to a review first, make them more nervous about experimenting and trying things new. I have an agenda? Damn straight I do. I celebrate writing. In fact, I relish it. I encourage everyone to try it, and not to worry about how good it is or how clear it is. Writing is communication-- one that can be read and saved and understood by unknown people hundreds of years from now. Writing is a look into the human heart. I'm fascinated by it, and I don't see any reason to discourage writing in any form, particularly by reviewing. There's enough judgement being passed in this world about how everyone lives his or her life. Is it really necessary with a journal about someone's life? Honestly... can these journal reviewers find something kinder to do with their time? Don't we have enough division in this world? Fuck it. I need to go run payroll. *shakes head*
11:02 a.m. - 12 July 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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