I was asked here why it is that I tolerate so many off-topic comments on this blog. Why not delete them, or at least admonish people to stay on-topic?
As far as I’m concerned, the comments section here is for everyone. I mostly let go of the result, except for the most overt and abusive trolls (usually that’s redundant). People will go off-topic; that’s what people do. I spend many hours writing what I imagine to be some carefully crafted post, with tons of nuance and masses of critical thinking, and then people talk about something tangential or even unrelated.
Sometimes, of course, the comments are wonderful, better than the piece. Sometimes not. My portion is something I fling out into the world without knowing what will happen later; I just try to do my part as best I can. The research and the learning that go into writing the post interest me in and of themselves. In the process of writing I often crystallize and organize my thoughts, or even truly learn what I actually think about the topic in the first place. At any rate, once people start commenting, it’s out of my control, except for weeding out the really offensive ones.
Weeding, hmmm—now that I think of it, I’ll say that the garden’s that way, too (life, too, most probably). Everything we do we can’t control, and sometimes things crop up that you don’t expect—some of them good, some of them not so good. And everything we do we ultimately have to leave.
And yet we do it anyway, and for what? For love, for beauty, for knowledge, for fun, for curiosity, for our descendants, for ourselves, for whomever might happen by to appreciate what we’ve done (or to criticize it).
Which reminds me—here’s my garden, about a week ago. And it’s okay if you go off-topic:
Previously a lifelong Democrat, born in New York and living in New England, surrounded by liberals on all sides, I've found myself slowly but surely
July 1st, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Beautiful, neo! What type of flowers are they exactly? My guess is French Lavender and some type of Iris? We have a garden in memory of our son, it gives me a lot of peace to work in it. It’s at it’s very best right now.
floridasuzie
July 1st, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Gorgeous colors — and thanks for the post on freedom of expression. The dialectical process devolves and evolves in tangents. If we keep saying 2 + 2 = 4, = 4, = 4, we really don’t get anywhere at all. Sorry you had to waste time explaining what should be obvious.
July 1st, 2007 at 1:56 pm
I like cake.
Just sayin’
July 1st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Neo:
“I spend many hours writing what I imagine to be some carefully crafted post, with tons of nuance and masses of critical thinking, and then people talk about something tangential or even unrelated.
“
Shame on them, whomever they may be.
Trimegistus, chocolate layer cake?
July 1st, 2007 at 4:24 pm
I’m more of an ice cream girl, myself. ^_^
July 1st, 2007 at 6:31 pm
“In the process of writing I……learn what I actually think about the topic in the first place”.
Mourois- The difficult part of an argument is not to defend one’s opinion, but to know it.
Lord Acton- Learn as much by writing as by reading.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Also any time Neo puts into moderation, is less time for her hobbies and her writing of posts.
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:10 am
Oh, yeah. Irises. I think what I regret most about living in an apartment now is that I have no control over the landscaping. Not that I was ever that great at landscaping, but I used to have some really nice iris beds.
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:42 am
The threads are like any conversation, they broaden, they drift, sometimes they just take sharp turns to nowhere… It’s still usually an interesting ride, started by an interesting idea courtesy of Neo.
As a rule, I try not to be the one driving off the marked path, but once we’re afield, I’ll go along for the ride.
It’s amazing how hardy bulbs can be. We had some that we were sure wouldn’t make it this season, with drought and all, yet there they were, poking up out of the dry soil. Late, but there nonetheless.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:32 am
It is very easy to think about an issue and believe that one’s thoughts are cogent. It is not until one actually writes them down, says them or defends them that real understanding and learning take place.
I was in a store and as sometimes happen I talk to myself. Sometimes saying an idea out loud gives an idea a whole new meaning. I had a woman who stated rather scornfully that, “You talk to yourself?” I replied that, “Sometimes it is the only intelligent conversation I can find.”
I think for most people we truly do not have a definitive idea of what we think until we say or write about it. We work with general guidelines.
Allowing people the space to speak freely, if they maintain some decorum, is what free speech is all about.
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Dennis:
“I had a woman who stated rather scornfully that, “You talk to yourself?” I replied that, “Sometimes it is the only intelligent conversation I can find.”
Arrogant. I like it!
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Oh I am so very envious! Here in west TN we finally got rain yesterday after 9 1/2 weeks of not a drop here at my casa. As a result, my newly planted bulbs and bare roots of March either never sprouted at all, or did so and quickly wilted. I know, I know…many areas have a more destructive drought going, or like Texas e.g. are being flooded out…..but your beautiful garden shots bring to mind what I “hoped” for, but will not have this year.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:24 pm
And Dennis….agree with you. Until I “write it out” I can not be sure just what I think about a topic. (And have been guilty of the talking to myself situation as well since I live alone….but I do try to keep it in my head when out of the house!
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:59 am
hey
first time reader here — just wanted to say that your layout is to die for!
July 3rd, 2007 at 9:29 am
Now a days with ubiquitous cellphones and ear implants, all anyone needs as a justification to talk to themselves is a flashing Blueberry or whatever stuck in their ear.
Those annoyed with folks talking to themselves before this tech age, have trouble personally criticizing the cellphone users because they are actually talking to a person and it would make the critic feel foolish. Whereas before it was easy to criticize those talking to themselves, because those talking to themselves did not have an easy social justification for it.
Technology changes society over time.