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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Citizenship

I've been a terrible citizen lately, and I've been called on it. I have been taking, and doing a lot of shouting, but doing very little conversing and interacting. The strength of a society lies in the coordination of its members; the coordination of interests, the accommodation of radically different interests; the identification of incompatible interests. And that coordination takes interaction, communication.

And I haven't been doing my share.

But, hell. Maybe it only seems like I haven't been doing my share lately because I was so over-participatory before. You could hardly go anywhere without seeing a little bit of graffiti that I'd left behind, declaring my favour or disfavour toward something somebody said in the society. Maybe I've cut back to normal levels for a member of society.

Or maybe I am just inconsiderate.

In any case I don't see being any better about it in the near future. I can't participate at the level that I used to, and I can't bring myself to tailor my participation to the needs of the individual members of the community.

I can and will only operate whimsically and opportunistically, not strategically.

In case I'm being too cryptic I'm talking about blogs, blogging, commenting, etc....I haven't even been as good about replying to comments on my own blog as I used to be, and I've been much, much worse about commenting on the blogs I have on my blogroll, and I've been much, much, much worse about commenting on blogs written by people who stop by here. I participate as time and fancy co-ordinate.

So. I'm a bad blog citizen right now. I don't know what else to tell you.

Sorry?

27 comments:

The Microblogologist said...

I totally know what you mean, that pesky real life stuff keeps interrupting me and making me fail in my blogging "responsibilities" too! I have to keep reminding myself that this is for fun and not to take it too seriously. Feel free to not stop by my blog or stop by my blog, whatever your fancy =)!

SciFi Dad said...

We all get busy from time to time. Shit happens.

You were not a "regular" commenter at my place immediately prior to this; your participation tailored off (as I expected it would) after an initial crazy run, so I would not have noticed the absence had it not been during a stretch where my wife had a kid and you said nothing. Regardless, it's over now (he's over a month old already - GAH!)

But, figure out your own situation and go from there.

Danielle said...

eh- we all go through it.

Don't sweat it. really.

If anyone has their panties in a bunch about it, then they are probably a big tool anyway...

:)

AnnetteK said...

Me too. I feel a little bit bad about it but I'm just too busy right now to put myself out there as much as I used to.

Amy Urquhart said...

Good grief...we all just do our best!

for a different kind of girl said...

Can I just copy and paste this over at my blog? Because seriously, I have this same thing going on in addition to having zip to write about. How sad is that?

"Not that sad, really, because seriously, you totally use too many words when you write," you might say. "In fact, I think a weary world rejoices when they see you didn't write much."

"Uh, thanks, I think, dude," I'd respond.

Then we'd maybe agree to disagree, and perhaps there'd be a semi-uncomfortable hug, and then you'd say, "See ya when I see ya," and I'd say, "Not if I see ya first!", so I totally get it. I would like to say the same thing on my blog, especially since you used the word 'whimsically.'

Oh, look at that. My word verification is 'defer'.

Mary Beth said...

The first step is admitting you have a problem, right?

Anonymous said...

Forgiven. For what, I'm not sure. I just felt that I should write that. I don't think anyone should have to apologize for not commenting. Like SciFi Dad wrote... shit happens.

Ali said...

wait...what?
you were CALLED on it?
WHAT?
lame.
people who have commenting expectations are ridiculous. comment. don't comment. there are no requirements.
:)

graham's mom said...

I have been meaning to comment here for months now. So perhaps it is appropriate that I comment on the entry in which you comment that you aren't really in a commenting mood? Or something? Anyway, I think we are all focused elsewhere right now...

Goldfish said...

Ebb and flow....

Anonymous said...

You were totally directing this post at me, weren't you? Admit it. You know you want to.

Heh.

Listen, when I bitched at you for being a bad citizen I was referring to the fact you frequently drop the 'u's out of your words, thereby ignoring your Canadian heritage.

Damn Yankee.

But if I knew you were going to be so girly about the whole thing, I'd never have mentioned it.

Wink.

Miss Britt said...

I just figured the HBC made you get all big headed famous. ;-)

Swirl Girl said...

word verification is "autch"

phoenitic pronunciation for 'ouch'? or mere happanstance?

you're still awesome in my book, even though you haven't commented about my own awesomeness, or lack thereof.

word.

Martin said...

Uuuuugh. Pet peeve.

You don't owe anyone any comments or visits.

Read what you like, comment where you like.

I need a lie down.

Melanie Sheridan said...

Guiltily delurking to leave a comment.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I don't even know what you're talking about. But you need to stop letting the terrorists win, it sounds like.

Aunt Becky said...

Happens to us all.

Jennifer said...

All is forgiven. You ARE allowed to have a life outside the computer ;) But hurry back when you can!!

OhTheJoys said...

It gets to be more than you can handle... and then what? Do you choose some people and exclude others? It's too hard, man. It's like a freakish experiment in anthropology.

[Hangs head in shame. Flings citizenship card in the fire. Wanders off...]

Anonymous said...

I'm awful about commenting and even worse about responding when other people are kind enough to leave comments on my blog. I used to try and respond to each one, but I gave up a long time ago because... well, NO TIME, PEOPLE!

Crash Test Mommy used to respond by email to every comment I left on her blog, and I always thought that was so classy.

I guess this means I have no class.

I DO still read a lot of blogs, but I just don't have the bandwidth to comment on all of them - yours included.Every now and then I find a few hours of free time and go on a commenting rampage. But sadly, my rampages are few and far between these days.

I'm leaving THIS comment, though... so that's something - right?

Kristen said...

I constantly vacillate between loving and hating blogs. My blogs and the blogs of others. Everyone has a blog. Heck, my MIL has a blog. And I'm a bad daughter-in-law for not reading it and when I do I usually fail to comment.

Mandy said...

I love that you spelt "favour" the right way.

Tinygami said...

To be honest I never have any expectation of visits to by blog or responses to posts. It's nice to know if someone is reading the comments but to be honest I don't always come back to see if they commented on a comment I left behind... I'd rather read their latest and greatest.

So I guess I'm saying, no problem :o)

Backpacking Dad said...

the microbiologist: I'm quitting real life.

scifi dad: shit happens. That should go on a t-shirt.

danielle: who's sweating? Oh. Me. :}

catnip: word.

assertagirl: no. not me. :}

FADKOG: skin it.

mary beth: I think I remember someone saying that once.

sammanthia: Ah. That feels better. :}

ali: Really? Because I keep getting notices from "National Bloggers Corporation" saying that I'm way behind in my commenting and they're going to send collections.

graham's mom: yeah. where is that? why is it so much more interesting?

goldfish: sounds like a Pearl Jam song.

redneck mommy: I NEVER drop the 'u' out of my wourds.

miss britt: I'm busy hanging out with all the supermodels :}

swirl girl: soon to be rectified.

xbox4nappyrash: You are my Yoda.

meladramatic mommy: Ack. I didn't want to make anyone ELSE feel guilty about their lurkishness :} Just lamenting my own.

abtpbt: I think I need to fight them over there so I don't fight them over here.

aunt becky: so say we all.

jennifer: will.

oh, the joys: I feel like going all emo.

bejewell: definitely something :}

kristen: I think I hate blogs right now.

mandy: THANK YOU. See? At least someone notices my Canadian touches.

the flirty girl: but here I am leaving this reply to your comment, just for you, and you aren't going to read it. Damn :}

Anonymous said...

Dude, it happens to us all. We get all 'lifey' and feel like we are letting every one down.

And then dicks or hawt biatches (if it was in fact Tanis) are all 'you are letting us DOWN' and you feel all guilty.

I suggest alcohol and drunk commenting. Then they shut the hell up.

Martin said...

Yoda eh? we'll he is taller than me, but I got better hair.