If You Don't Like It, Don't Read It
To which I say, fuck that. Seriously. People say all the time that if you can't relate, don't understand, or don't like something, you shouldn't read it online. I do not understand this.
Here is just a smattering of the blogs I read:
Pat Stack - we have absolutely nothing in common, and I barely understand over half of what he writes about. I highly doubt he reads my blog.
She Walks - she's a married mother who likes to drink wine. I'm single without kids and don't drink alcohol.
Kingdom Twindom - this woman lives ... in New Mexico? I'm not sure. She's republican and very religious. We believe opposite things, basically. To be completely honest, I can only read her blog in small doses.
Jessie Sholl - again, pretty much nothing in common. She wrote a book, I read her book, now I read her blog. I'd read her food-shopping lists.
Noraebang - he is a guy born in Korea, adopted in America, who lives in a part of Florida where I once got horribly lost and cried. I am always excited when I understand even half of what he's written about, and have spent fascinating hours reading all sorts of articles about adoption. I was neither adopted, nor do I plan to adopt. Um, nor am I Korean.
Shelby Fero - she's a freaking teenager! Tweets about her prom and everything! I just read her because she's a funny kid. <---- understatement.
People say if you don't like it, stop reading. I say if you don't like it, challenge yourself to keep reading. Find a piece of that person you relate to, that you can understand. There's a blogger who posts what she'll cook for dinner each night. Most of her meals don't appeal to me, but there's always at least one that intrigues. Wide Lawns has more than double the formal education I do, but we like some of the same books. Should I have "stopped reading" because of a couple of blog posts about her cat, since I'm a dog person? No!
So I challenge you. I challenge you to read something even though you don't relate to the author at first glance. I challenge you to dig deeper. To expand your mind and learn about someone you don't think you'd have for a friend. Learn something you didn't know before. Learn to think about something in a way you never did before. Push yourself to see something from a different point of view.
Here is just a smattering of the blogs I read:
Pat Stack - we have absolutely nothing in common, and I barely understand over half of what he writes about. I highly doubt he reads my blog.
She Walks - she's a married mother who likes to drink wine. I'm single without kids and don't drink alcohol.
Kingdom Twindom - this woman lives ... in New Mexico? I'm not sure. She's republican and very religious. We believe opposite things, basically. To be completely honest, I can only read her blog in small doses.
Jessie Sholl - again, pretty much nothing in common. She wrote a book, I read her book, now I read her blog. I'd read her food-shopping lists.
Noraebang - he is a guy born in Korea, adopted in America, who lives in a part of Florida where I once got horribly lost and cried. I am always excited when I understand even half of what he's written about, and have spent fascinating hours reading all sorts of articles about adoption. I was neither adopted, nor do I plan to adopt. Um, nor am I Korean.
Shelby Fero - she's a freaking teenager! Tweets about her prom and everything! I just read her because she's a funny kid. <---- understatement.
People say if you don't like it, stop reading. I say if you don't like it, challenge yourself to keep reading. Find a piece of that person you relate to, that you can understand. There's a blogger who posts what she'll cook for dinner each night. Most of her meals don't appeal to me, but there's always at least one that intrigues. Wide Lawns has more than double the formal education I do, but we like some of the same books. Should I have "stopped reading" because of a couple of blog posts about her cat, since I'm a dog person? No!
So I challenge you. I challenge you to read something even though you don't relate to the author at first glance. I challenge you to dig deeper. To expand your mind and learn about someone you don't think you'd have for a friend. Learn something you didn't know before. Learn to think about something in a way you never did before. Push yourself to see something from a different point of view.
Labels: BlogFriends, People watching, Potential Depth
posted by Green at 3/28/2011 12:40:00 PM
7 Comments:
I completely agree. Many of the blogs I read are written by people with very different political views and religious beliefs, totally different lifestyles, different ages. It's a way to challenge myself to see people as people and not as labels.
I'm like that with a lot of blogs I read. Most of them are Mormon. I seethe when they talk politics, equal opportunity and homosexuality. But I love how tight knit they are. How they worship their children and spouses, and spend so much time with their families. Also, the cheerful disposition is one of those love/hate things. But addictive nonetheless.
I like it! Very well said.
OH MY GOD!! I had no idea that you were a dog person. I AM NEVER READING YOU AGAIN BECAUSE I ONLY LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXACTLY LIKE ME!!!! Just kidding! You're totally right about this and I applaud you for saying it, plus now I have some new blogs to check out! Yay!
I'm all for reading things that stretch you, but I've mostly heard that original statement in the context of trolls who like to leave horribly mean comments or say things like "this is such a waste of time," but then can't seem to stop reading. In that case, I would have to say, if you don't like it, don't read it. But in the context you are describing, I think that's one of the best things about blogs and the way we can access experiences and perspectives outside of our own.
well, I accidentally clicked the 'next blog' button, and this being the post that came up, I think I'll commit to reading on.
I read your blog! I check in every now and then.
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