Like a beltsander to the balls…
17 October 2007This is why I love Violent Acres.
She’s one of those rare folks, who has no problem calling bullshit on people. And, she sticks to her guns. People fear her, because she has her shit together, and she has no problem firing the first shot. And, she has zero issues firing volleys at mommy-bloggers and wanna-be hipsters alike.
The big problem with the “blogosphere” (the name notwithstanding) is that it’s littered with the walking corpses of the overly pretentious. People who feel and think they are hip, cool and “on the pulse”, when they are nothing of the sort. The mouth/keyboard moves, but nothing really substantial ever springs forth. Some other examples of this are: Rob Malda (slashdot) Hep (LJDrama), or Mark Frauenfelder (Boing Boing). I am sure I could come up with more. As could anyone. The main issue is, the best bloggers, at least in my opinion, are the ones who really have no aspirations beyond just trying to get what they are trying to say down. The ones that understand it does not matter who reads, and how often (although it’s nice to be read), but that you write for yourself.
It’s funny that Tucker Max has been mentioned. He was funny and original what…2 years ago? I spent a fair amount of time reading his stories and whatnot, back in the day. And, back then, it was funny. But, it seems like, so many writers out there of his ilk, he rested on the strength of the original stuff, and just stopped. He never evolved, as a writer, or as a humorist. Like so many, he stopped evolving, when he started believing his own hype. Someone once said, “Don’t believe everything you think“…Tucker could learn from that.
And so could Ryan Holiday.
Ryan Holiday, if you go through his blog, is another of these over-hyped hipsters. Someone who thinks the virtue of being Ryan Holiday means what he has to say is somehow important. His ranting and raving at V pretty much bears this out, along with his poor form attack of her by spilling her real name and breaking her anonymity.
Breaking her anonymity was pretty much a surrender. Akin to a dictionary flame. He did it in the absence of an argument to make. Some people stay anonymous for various reasons. Some do it to troll, some do it to be a general pain in the ass. Some do it to flame others. But some do it so the message does not get polluted by the name. Outing an anonymous writer because you simply disagree with them is very poor form. Very poor form indeed. Busting trolls, flamers, and jackasses are one thing. Outing someone you don’t like just because you can, is the highest form of cowardice you can attain. You don’t get a medal, you get “schmoe” stamped on your head and a kick in the ass down a flight of steps.
V can be a vindictive, petty and hardcore bitch. No doubt about it. I’ve seen her hit the mark, and be 100% completely fucking off base. She infuriates me at times. But, she also draws me in closer at times. But, like all people who do worthwhile writing, she really cares not one jot or tittle about all the little pundits. The best writers write for themselves, not caring one way or the other what others think. They have something to say, and they don’t talk for the sake of it. To hear themselves talk. They talk for the purpose of expression.
It should be amusing to see V’s reaction to this latest volley of cannon fire. I can hardly wait…
Update: V has posted her response here. It’s quick and to the point. What’s most amusing is how she easily defeats folks who supposedly “out” her. The digg thread on this is also highly amusing for a number of reasons. It points out two things, mainly: 1) It’s a blog drama/fight, why is it on the front page? and 2) Ryan is failing his argument by using this to drive traffic to his site. In the end, it’s funny to watch people break their arm trying to pat themselves on the back. On a personal note, who V is, is truly irrelevant. To be honest, if you cannot take someone, anonymously or otherwise expressing their opinion of you on the internet, be it good or bad…you need to box up your computer and take it back to Best Buy. You are too stupid, and entirely too thin skinned to own it.
Current Mood:
Enthralled
