A Comment on Ill-Mannered Commentary

2 years ago

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Woman Up Editor

I'm glad that Melinda brought up movie manners in the mid-summer South Carolina menage a trios saga we are all viewing at our breakfast tables and monitors as if we had a tub of popcorn and a box of Milk Duds on our laps. Despite, alas, a shortage of political instinct, judgment and ethical character, players in this melodrama all seem to have exceptionally good manners. There is something to be said, at least, for grace under pressure.

We learn etiquette from our relatives and communities, and it appears Mark, Jenny and Maria all came from well-mannered families.

While we're on the topic of manners, I'd like to mention the behavior of some of the readers who comment on this WomanUp site. At the risk of being too meta- and self-referential, I really wonder how certain fans were brought up.

Most visitors are prompted to comment (we content providers like to hope), because what we've written has provoked thought. Often, the commentariat are informed, add perspective and even update what we've posted with new information. Sometimes, they are there to debate our viewpoints or strike up discussion with like-minded strangers. Some simply use the discussion as a bulletin board for their own Web sites. These are all fine uses of a public forum. What I don't understand is: Who raised the handful of people who are downright rude? Like moviegoers, Internet denizens could learn some tips on conduct.

Pejorative, derogatory -- ok, mean and nasty -- remarks are directed at the writers with no consideration that we are each somebody's daughter and, big-girl panties or not, could get our feelings hurt. (Not me, mind you, I have the hide of Rosalind Russell -- The Women version, the Auntie Mame version and as Mama Rose in Gypsy – and if some astute observer wants to mention that he thinks I'm "TOOOOOOOOOOOO UGLY TO EVEN BE A BROTHEL GIRL," that's fine. Enjoy your free speech.) So, in the interest of civility to my amazing sister contributors and fellow readers, could I ask that we all keep the decorum bar at least as high as the morally challenged (soon to be ex?) governor currently self-destructing on Sullivan's Island.

Thank you.

Filed Under: Woman Up

Tagged: internet etiquette, InternetEtiquette, movies, the sanford affair, TheSanfordAffair

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