The Lemures Files
  Guest Article: May 20th, 1999

The In-Flamous Editorial

By: Robin

These past few months' editorials and the like have been cropping up all over the place like weeds on the SMNet (as it has been dubbed). I'm joining the fray simply to be hypocritical and point out a fact that not everyone has noticed, or if they have, they've just not said anything about it because they simply won't be backed up on it. Most editorials are taking an extreme negative tune to them, and it's a nasty thing to read. Now, I'm fond of editorials, and most of them are very well written, and some are even to the extent, humorous. But more than needed, they consistently point fingers, and snark at another person/group endlessly.

Now, where faces cannot be seen, words are more powerful than actions. And as this editorial fade is catching fire, bruised egos and hurt feelings will emerge. Now, I'm not saying that some of them aren't well deserved, but please... lighten up! You can only carp about something so much until the crowd goes elsewhere.

I'm going to sound hypocritical, but I'm trying to see both sides of the argument. We've all finally found a medium that allows us to justify our right to vent our angers. And it's wonderful to be able to write whatever the hey hell we want down, and spew it out to the rest of the net, sometimes purposely offending, sometimes not.

And then, to the people who feel like the medium is being used against them *cough*SOS*hack*Dub-fans*wheeze*... well, it's not so chirpy. And it won't be long before there will be more editorials like mine, screaming the wrongs of editorials themselves! And that, will be truly taking the cake as the biggest moronic happenings in SMNet history.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I love reading editorials. It gives me bigger insight to who's going to blows with who, and why everyone is so uptight, yadda yadda. And I suppose, if I wanted to, I *could* take extreme offence to some things that are said, and I suppose I *could* snigger at the misfortune of someone else who came under fire.

But, take caution of what you say! One of the variations of this saying goes "You will get more with honey than you will with vinegar." It's important not to spread more anger and unease with editorials about the anger and unease spreading!

Anyway, I have put together a few tips that could be taken into consideration when both reading, and writing editorials.

For reading one:

  1. Read with an open mind. If you get offended, wait a while, and then write a *calm* letter to the author if you really need to.

  2. Respect the author's opinion. This is a... partially free world, and they can say whatever they want.

  3. Don't automatically assume that the editorial is directed at you. Most likely it isn't unless it blatantly states "This means you, (insert your name here)!!!" But most people don't do that because it's rude.

  4. If you don't like what's said, don't go spreading nasty rumors that the author is a complete nincompoop with the brains of sheep!
For writing one:
  1. Okay, something got you riled up, right? So write a really angry editorial, and use swearwords if you really need too. Some of the best first drafts of any angry letter have consisted of only "F*** off and die!"

  2. After your first draft, wait a few days, and *then* go back and write a calm and rational one. Want to take bets which version of the editorial will be most respected?

  3. Be nice to your readers. Don't call them morons, or idiots, or anything else you weren't supposed to say in grade 1. Note, grade 1! You don't like to be called that, so why should anyone else have to take it either?

  4. Get someone to proof read it, and not only for spelling and grammar. Ask someone who isn't biased at all (someone IRL for example), to read it and give you an outsider opinion on whether they think you'll offend the masses, or only a select group. Ask for constructive criticism, and review your editorial.

  5. Don't be petty! That's... well, immature. And it's only promoting what we all want to stop, right?
Whew! That's a lot of work, no? Well, if you just want to skip all of it, just write any old thing. This is only my opinion. But don't come whining in another editorial about how flamers don't respect you.

Being offensive is downright mean, and evil. I read recently that surfers don't give a hootenanny about the author of the page. That offended me to no end. It's our page, right? We can put what we want.

Oh... and I'd just like to say... HI MOM!


Comments on this article can be sent to: Robin.


Comments made on this page are opinions of the author. They are not necessarily shared by Tripod and the Amazoness Quartet.


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