This is going to make me sound like a dopey job interviewee who answers "I work too hard" to the question "what is your biggest flaw?" but sometimes I think I am too empathetic for my own good. I am so readily able to see the other side of an argument that I can't bring myself to take a strong position of my own. As soon as I begin to form an opinion I am already thinking of all the ways it could be rebutted and countered. I am thinking of a person I know or a blog I read and how "so-and-so would say ... "
Kristen asked the other day about blogs that help us see the silver lining. Understanding more about the challenges that other families face every day--illness, infertility, infidelity, poverty, injustice--has been one of the most moving, amazing, unexpected benefits to me of spending time in Blogsylvania (thanks Jenny for that term). The flip side is that I'm sensitive, to a wishy-washy, mushy-middle fault, to the way others experience tough issues.
I sometimes wish my blog could be more opinionated and argumentative. I'm sure it would be more fun to read that way. But I'd be worried about hurting people's feelings, and--truth be told--about upsetting people I care about. It just wouldn't be me. So I'm trying to be okay with that.
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12 comments:
I can totally relate to what you're saying. I am not one to stir up conflict at all, and sometimes it's to a fault! But I think that's part of what makes Blogsylvania interesting...everyone has their one divere voice to add to the mix.
Diverse...yeah that's what I meant! ;)
I totally know what you're saying. I rarely veer into anything overtly political or personal that might hurt someone reading. I avoid confrontation.
But your blog is YOU, such an accurate reflection of you. I love it - and you - just the way you are.
Speaking as one who *is* I like you and your blog as is.
Why should you make it more of something someone else is?
I'm sure if you have a strong feeling or opinion you express it. In your own way.
Luckily we are all different. :)
I tend to steer clear of commenting if there's a big controversary on a blog...and I often don't read posts with strong political or religious slants. I just don't want that kind of "entertainment" in my life right now. Not that I don't have opinions, I just don't need to read others' opinions about that stuff.
I'm that way, too, and to a fault. Don't worry about your blog not being interesting, though -- it always is!
I run into the same issue with my own blogging...
I don't tend to be argumentative in other aspects of my life. Nor, do I harbor any strong polarized views. At least, I don't think I do... and that's okay :-)
I love your blog just the way that it is. It's so sweet and funny.
Yuppo. I sometimes delete the funniest phrases from my post because I'm worried that they will be taken the wrong way.
I love coming here and reading your thoughts - empathy especially.
I like your blog exactly the way it is.. :)
Totally me! I think the only things that I tend to not "think before I speak" would be in the rearing of my children or my faith. But if it came up on any of the subjects you listed....I don't really debate or comment because I am not as confident in my answers and despise confrontation. To me there has always been an ugliness to someone who actually thinks they can change the way i think by arguing, debating etc...
You could always have a Sybil blog. You know like "The Other Side of Mayberry" opinionated, argumentative and Where you tell it like it is.
so, because you're not totally incindiarily (sure, yes, it's a word) running around like you've been stapled to a pile of snakes while on a coke binge (which i equate to the probable motivator for those incindiary types), flapping your mouth opinionatedly, somehow you're -- ? less worthy?
no. not so much.
what you are, imo, is a really lovely person who is caring and kind enough to allow others some stage-time. you're probably a really good listener, too, and i think someone, maybe, no, DEFinitely Socrates, said that the listeners shall inherit the earth. or pie. maybe he said it about pie. a la mode.
the point is that you either land the earth or pie, or maybe both, because you rule, because you're nice and i like you and that is really the important thing, here, MM, what *I* think.
(oy. see? what i mean? about being a loudmouth? etc.)
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