Thursday, August 24, 2006

Soap Opera

I belong to a certain forum on the internet. Lately, every time I log onto this forum it seems that several of the top posts are all this teeth gnashing, emotional hair pulling drama. Now that might make sense if it was a political forum maybe, or one about religion or some really volatile topic. I mean, I could see putting on my "emotional keplar" if I belonged to a mine field area of the web. But in this case, the ticking bombs are not topics but a sub-set of the forum population. Most of the folks on there are truly wonderful caring people. I even like almost all of the ticking-bomb people. My frustration is that this is a forum about bath products!

I seem lately to tilt my head like a puzzled dog at least once a week to the passionate vitriol that occurs over there. I log on for a virtual soak and to learn more about my favorite hedonistic indulgence. Instead, I get drama and see people I have come to care for fighting on different sides of an issue. The original controversy spills over into other topics and so deciding to just not read the dramatic threads is not a fool proof plan. Curiosity gets the better of me and so I pop in for a quick scan to see just what is going on. (Sort of like glancing over when you pass a car accident.) What starts as a difference of opinion turns into personal attacks and opposing camps. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground where there can be a respectful disagreement that occurs with polite and civilized discourse for the most part.

I just shake my head and move on and do NOT add my two cents there. The first reason I don't post is so as not to "bump" the thread back to the top. It is my way of helping the tow truck get there quicker. The second reason I don't post is that I feel a "why bother" sort of apathy. No matter how well I said what I was feeling, no matter how intelligent my opinion or eloquent my words, it would still be drowned out by all the virtual shouting. Someone really wise needs to start studying this phenomenom and figure out how to change the energy. I mean, trite as it may seem, if we can't have peace on a bubble forum, what hope do we have in the Middle East?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

agreed. it's ridiculous.

but in other news, I saw your picture in the new Lush Times, complete with gigantor bubble bath :D

Annie-go-lightly said...

Jackie! Can I link to your blog from here? Do you mind? I was just over at Lush and read something that had me come over here and add to my original post. So now it is 3 paragraphs instead of one!

Grinning about that photo - I got a copy the other day and it was a hoot seeing my self, even if it isin't the most flattering of photos.

;-)

Anonymous said...

Is the picture on the website too? My LushTimes isn't being forwarded apparently to my new address!

BTW, I love the mind that titled this post "Soap Opera."

And...in other news...I've discovered a store called "Splash." Not sure if it's a copycat of Lush (it sure seems that way), but it has lower prices and uses no perfumes. I bought you a late birthday present! Will try and get it mailed this week!