Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, November 17, 2010
Life / Teh Internets The Loneliness of the Online Commenter
Posted by Eli Sanders on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 6:00 AM
Maybe you've seen this already—Roger Ebert published it on Nov. 5, which is years ago in internet time—but if you haven't seen it yet, you must.
It begins:
Lonely people have a natural affinity for the internet.
Which cannot be denied. It also cannot be sneered at quite so easily after Ebert's done examining. (And re-examining.)
Via Sullivan.
1
The interesting question for us regular slog commenters is this: is reading and posting comments here good for us because it makes us feel less alone or is it bad for us because it distracts us from the important business of getting a life?
3
Oh dear..I AM kinda a loner. Well, I have travel companions who bitch most of the time but still.
Time to give Bessie an oil change.Tallyho!!
Time to give Bessie an oil change.Tallyho!!
4
@1, it's just a time killer for me at work when I am bored. I don't comment or visit blogs from my home computer.
5
It's not just about loneliness. It's about disenfranchisement. You've got Christianists electing Republicans that can't get around to murdering all gay people or outlawing abortion, so they yell like crazy people online.
Progressives go through all that trouble to elect Obama and he ends up enacting Mit Romney's health care plan, and generally being center right.
Everybody's got a reason to feel like nothing they do matters. So the internet helps us blow off steam.
For me, I've got a horrible job that requires me to be in a place for 9 hours at a time just in case something happens. I cannot go anywhere or do anything other than be here. It's lonely and boring. The internet keeps me from going insane with boredom.
Ebert is right of course. And I don't get the statute of limitations on discussing interesting things on the internet. But if it weren't for the internet, I would be reading a book right now.
Progressives go through all that trouble to elect Obama and he ends up enacting Mit Romney's health care plan, and generally being center right.
Everybody's got a reason to feel like nothing they do matters. So the internet helps us blow off steam.
For me, I've got a horrible job that requires me to be in a place for 9 hours at a time just in case something happens. I cannot go anywhere or do anything other than be here. It's lonely and boring. The internet keeps me from going insane with boredom.
Ebert is right of course. And I don't get the statute of limitations on discussing interesting things on the internet. But if it weren't for the internet, I would be reading a book right now.
6
Like you #5, I don't get the statute of internet discussion limitations. But then, I still read Dickens and Hardy for pleasure.
Two ideas I'm surprised Ebert didn't touch on: the first being that his is a film blog and we film-goers as a group are possibly more likely to gravitate to that glowing screen. We are all alone in the dark anyway---what a treat to be able to talk back to it. The second is that for some us (that would be me) the internet allows us a place to be authentic. In my professional roles and my role as a mother of teens I could NEVER say some of the things I say here, or behave in quite the way I behave here. I don't mean I take it as a license to be obnoxious, although some people clearly take it that way. For one, I'd like to believe that I behave ethically here. No, for me it's a chance to step outside one identity, one that is somewhat constricting, and reclaim other parts of myself.
Two ideas I'm surprised Ebert didn't touch on: the first being that his is a film blog and we film-goers as a group are possibly more likely to gravitate to that glowing screen. We are all alone in the dark anyway---what a treat to be able to talk back to it. The second is that for some us (that would be me) the internet allows us a place to be authentic. In my professional roles and my role as a mother of teens I could NEVER say some of the things I say here, or behave in quite the way I behave here. I don't mean I take it as a license to be obnoxious, although some people clearly take it that way. For one, I'd like to believe that I behave ethically here. No, for me it's a chance to step outside one identity, one that is somewhat constricting, and reclaim other parts of myself.
9
He should have posted this video. I guess it's more about existential loneliness, but still:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe9kKf7SH…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe9kKf7SH…
10
@7 There's a lot of shit out there to do, there must be something about this particular shit that makes you come here.
@6 I wonder what your kids would turn out like if their Mom talked like Slog. They'd be ahead of the curve in the sexual ethics department, probably fairly thick skinned, and nearly incapable of fitting into polite society.
@6 I wonder what your kids would turn out like if their Mom talked like Slog. They'd be ahead of the curve in the sexual ethics department, probably fairly thick skinned, and nearly incapable of fitting into polite society.
11
how 'bout all you people claiming that this is just 'shit to do while at work'...how 'bout you do what you are getting paid to do...work?
America has become a nation of cheaters, playing on the internet when they are taking money to be working.
America has become a nation of cheaters, playing on the internet when they are taking money to be working.
12
Yeah, I just do this because I want to...I could totally stop at any time.
Really, though?
It's an effective procrastination tool when avoiding things like vacuuming or laundry.
It makes me think. If you are not spending each and every day pushing back the barriers of knowledge in your job or while doing housework, you can at least check in here and find a lively discussion that will have multiple viewpoints.
It gives me something to think about *while* I'm doing the boring jobs, like vacuuming, such as now pondering what Fish Wrench Asteroid's job IS...firefighter? missile silo operator? Security Guard? You may be bored, Fish Wrench, but now I'm not, and for that I thank you ;)
Really, though?
It's an effective procrastination tool when avoiding things like vacuuming or laundry.
It makes me think. If you are not spending each and every day pushing back the barriers of knowledge in your job or while doing housework, you can at least check in here and find a lively discussion that will have multiple viewpoints.
It gives me something to think about *while* I'm doing the boring jobs, like vacuuming, such as now pondering what Fish Wrench Asteroid's job IS...firefighter? missile silo operator? Security Guard? You may be bored, Fish Wrench, but now I'm not, and for that I thank you ;)
13
Thanks for posting this, Eli. I sure like the capper to the "re-examining" he did:
P.S. He says they're doing a new Muppet movie!
Were any lives changed? Not much, I'm sure. Fundamental shifts in life take time. Did people feel better after posting? I think maybe so. For everyone who posted, hundreds of others read. Maybe they identified with another person's experience. Yes, the internet is anonymous. Sometimes that can be a good thing. Sometimes it is good to bear witness to your life. Maybe this was one of those times.
P.S. He says they're doing a new Muppet movie!
14
@10 you are so right, there is plenty to do OUT THERE. but i'm at work and this is mindless amusing crap, i'm getting paid to fuck off. takes about 10hrs to accomplish what i'm required to do in 40. usa! usa! usa!
15
Well, since their mine, you've just described their natural bent, Fish Wrench Asteroid! So, I've got to apply some sort of corrective, and showing them that their own mother can fit in with polite society is part of the remedy.
17
@11 Sure, I could run around in circles, work up a sweat, and then act like a martyr. I'd rather get all my work done perfectly and then reward my own awesomeness by doing something interesting.
The orbital mind control lasers I'm responsible for maintaining have a perfect citizen control record. And Satamonicatom, you can look forward to waking up having made an impulse purchase of a 14 foot tall Paul Bunyon chainsaw art statue for implying that I'm a cheat. I don't even alt-tab when my boss comes by.
Oh, and it took me a while to respond because some stuff happened.
The orbital mind control lasers I'm responsible for maintaining have a perfect citizen control record. And Satamonicatom, you can look forward to waking up having made an impulse purchase of a 14 foot tall Paul Bunyon chainsaw art statue for implying that I'm a cheat. I don't even alt-tab when my boss comes by.
Oh, and it took me a while to respond because some stuff happened.
18
However, going to every movie by yourself and writing an essay (alone) on your word processor is like being the Belle of the Ball.
19
Ebert's a great writer. Poetic, imo.
I do wonder how many people actually read SLOG and SLOG comments without ever (or very rarely) commenting themselves. Are there 100 non-commenting readers for every commenter? Maybe commenters comment because they feel like this is one of the only chances they get to have an audience for stuff they would otherwise only talk to themselves about? Am I self-projecting here? Perhaps a little. I don't feel lonely at all though.
I read slog and comment both at work and home. It's a distraction from tedium. My job involves a lot of repetition and data code reading. Too much of that without a break makes me start feeling batty. Little distractions bring me back. Besides, funny comments are fun to read (although the comments from The Onion's AVclub.com are hard to beat in the silly humor department).
I do wonder how many people actually read SLOG and SLOG comments without ever (or very rarely) commenting themselves. Are there 100 non-commenting readers for every commenter? Maybe commenters comment because they feel like this is one of the only chances they get to have an audience for stuff they would otherwise only talk to themselves about? Am I self-projecting here? Perhaps a little. I don't feel lonely at all though.
I read slog and comment both at work and home. It's a distraction from tedium. My job involves a lot of repetition and data code reading. Too much of that without a break makes me start feeling batty. Little distractions bring me back. Besides, funny comments are fun to read (although the comments from The Onion's AVclub.com are hard to beat in the silly humor department).
22
@11,
Physician heal thyself.
Before the Internet, people found plenty of ways to fuck around at work. Blogs have replaced the water cooler.
And Americans are still the most productive workers in the world.
Physician heal thyself.
Before the Internet, people found plenty of ways to fuck around at work. Blogs have replaced the water cooler.
And Americans are still the most productive workers in the world.
23
"Don't you have anything better to do?" Ebert asks.
No, of course not. If Ebert weren't such an old coot he'd be acutely aware that there is no higher calling in life than commenting on blogs.
No, of course not. If Ebert weren't such an old coot he'd be acutely aware that there is no higher calling in life than commenting on blogs.
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