some thoughts on shitstorms

["bighotvirgo" <BHV@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I love a good rant. I'm a ranter myself. I love the feeling of 
invective cascading out of my cerebral cortex and down through 
my keyboard and out into the ether. 

It's good for the soul, 

at least for MY soul and those of the folks who agree with ME. 

<rhetorical question >

Fuck the rest of 'em, right? 
Fuck em if they disagree, right?
fuck em if they don't read my warning and read the post anyway, 
cause hey I warned them, it was their choice to read it, right?

fuck 'em if they're so insecure (about their fic writing or their 
opinions) that reading someone else's heated opinion might 
keep them from writing or posting or sharing their own insights, 
right? 

</rhetorical question>
WRONG. IMO, at least in this context, the context where the 
home page/raison d'etre is simple: BuffywantsWillow.

that's what the front door says. It says if you're onboard the B/W 
ship, you're welcome, bring us your fic and your insight, the 
product of your creativity that you pulled out of somewhere and 
are brave/crazy enough to want to share with like minded folks.

Last time I checked it didnt' say anything about having to also be 
onboard with JW being a blevil and blomophobic or that S6 and 
7 were blexecrable or any other of the large pile of varying stong 
opinions about various aspect of the 'verse that are held by fans. 

--- danspector@w... wrote:
> Although I personally don't see anything wrong with OT 
>discussion

I doubt anyone here really has a problem with OT *discussion*

but I'd challenge that folks posting a series of heated highly 
subjective rants is a *discussion*

just speaking for myself, just my opinion, but there's nothing in 
any of these rants that's made me want to write a B/W fic or 
share my opinion about *much of anything* at this point. 

And further, there was a lot in several of these rants that got 
under my skin and distracted/rattled/otherwise psyched me out 
about the validity of the fics I'm trying to write at this time. (and 
yes, that's my problem, fuck me for reading the post, fuck me for 
not having a lead-plated ego at all times, fuck me for having an 
easily-derailed creative engine, right?) . 

It's not that questioning the validity of one's writing is bad-it's part 
of the process. there's a time and a place for it. and there's 
other times and places in the writing process where it is 
counterproductive and even damaging to the flow. 

Just speaking personally, it's one thing to be humbled/psyched 
out by the creativity of MadHamlet or RedWillow or Hunter Ash or 
Kirayoshi (and that list goes on and on) and go question the 
validity of your own stuff and then get up off your knees and keep 
going and follow their example and try make your own stuff 
better

It's quite another thing to be psyched out by getting caught in a 
shitstorm of subjectivity that serves no greater purpose other 
than to validate the opinions of the writer and all who believe 
likewise, especially when that happens within a space that has 
been created and extended as a "haven/outpost" for something 
else entirely. 

--- danspector@w... wrote: 
>Those who think that criticism of Seasons 6-7 is an
>attack on them for liking it, or who think that Joss is a genius
>and any criticism of him proves you're not a "real" BtVS fan, 
>>should probably not read this post

well props to dan-that's not a "vague disclaimer", but here's my 
challenge to dan, myself, and all other ranters:

instead of using the time it takes to write a disclaimer/warning 
for your OT rant, stop and ask yourself a few questions before 
you hit the Send key. Among those questions, I'd suggest the 
following:

1) is the purpose of this rant to:

a)foster spirited, entertaining, or otherwise beneficial discussion 
b)stir up shit/piss people off
c)simply to prove I'm right

2) is this rant going to help/entertain/challenge anyone other 
than myself?

3)what justification do I have for posting this in a zone set aside 
soley and simply for anyone who digs B/W, regardless of any 
other opinion they may hold about anythng else

4) IF there is little or no justification for posting this in said B/W 
zone and IF is likely that more than a few people who might 
stumble across it would be bothered/pissed off/otherwise 
negatively affected, should I:

a) post a disclaimer/warning that those people not read it, then 
send it anyway
b) let those people use that space for the reason it was intended 
and take my rant somewhere else where it's better suited.

just a suggestion....