The Rant Rant.

EDIT: In light of recent stupidity, I have added "You dislike the same thing I dislike but for the wrong reason" to the list.

This post is about hatemail, but ranging to slightlymiffedmail. I don't get much, in fact for every nasty comment, I get about 500 nice ones, which is a surprisingly good balance, and why comment moderation isn't enabled. (EDIT: It wasn't. Due to an external site with high traffic linking to a controversial post, I'm getting an influx of trolls so it's enabled until they get bored.)

I do wonder, though, if the people who leave the truly nasty comments are aware that, in doing so, they leave their IP address behind. For instance, the last nasty comment came from a woman in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. If you leave something nasty behind on my blog, your comment will be removed, and your IP address will be logged. Repeat offenders will be reported to their ISP and in some cases the authorities. These types of comments no longer hurt my feelings, because I know that they aren't true - the person making them is just angry over something I've said. I rarely read them, just skim, and if the basis of their argument is that I'm a fat/ugly/bitch (but it's always "your a bitch" because haters don't understand the your/you're conundrum), then I log the IP, delete the comment from the blog, and archive the e-mail report.

That's not to say that all negative comments are abusive; they aren't. Many people reasonably wonder why I spend my time writing ranty posts or reviewing companies I don't like.

The following is a general response which covers all these scenarios, so that I may simply refer naysayers to it in future.

Frequently Complained About Questions

• Why do you get upset about/rant about this? Why not just ignore it? Why are you wasting your time/energy/life?

Ranting is cathartic. It makes me feel better. When I see something or experience something upsetting, I get upset, I rant about it here, and then I feel better and I move on. I rarely rant about the same thing more than once, and I rarely continue to dwell on it afterwards. The process makes me feel better, and then I go off and do something else.

• What gives you the right to talk about [insert thing] that way? How would you feel if someone said that about you?

People often say nasty things about me on the internet. It's the internet. As long as they do it on their space and not mine, I don't care. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. This is my blog, it's my platform, not yours. If I'm upset by someone's actions, I don't go and spread my anger on their website or through e-mailing them, I rant here in my space. I get it off my chest, and they're free to ignore it entirely if they like. They'd have to look for it, and then sit and read it all the way through before they were offended by it. I'm not shoving it in anyone's face, on their website or inbox. Lipsticks & Lightsabers doesn't advertise. I choose not to read negative things people say about me on their sites - you can do the same.

• You talk about [insert thing] this way, how can you complain when someone leaves a comment you don't like?

When I get comments insulting me (not my argument), threatening me, and generally being abusive on my blog, I'll take action against that. You want to trash me on your own blog? Fine. I will choose to ignore it, just as you are free to ignore mine. I never post rants on someone else's website, or via e-mail etc. I don't force my opinions on anyone, if they go looking for them and then don't like them, tough shit. Complain about it on your own space, not mine.

If a comment is civil and simply disagrees with the post content then it'll stay. I like debate, you're welcome to disagree, and I'm happy to talk about it. These comments are most welcome, abuse isn't.

• Obviously you have no life.

This is a really annoying comment. Not because it's offensive, but just because it's stupid. My initial response is always "Nope, none at all. I'm dead. Yet somehow, still typing! Maybe I'm a zombie." Even when you don't take it literally, it's still really stupid. You come to my blog, read the thing that pissed you off, sign in, then leave a comment about how much it pissed you off and how obviously I have no life. Hypocritical, much? I wrote about it once and got over it, mate. I'll wait for you to catch up.

• You swear on your blog/are negative, I really don't see the need for it.

You're not the one writing it, are you? I do feel the need, and it's my blog. If you don't want to read it, don't. We'll both be happier that way.

• You dislike something I like, and that makes me angry!

Why? I don't care that you like it. It's not like I came into your house and smashed it. I'm probably not going to like the same things are you, since I'm not you. We disagree, get over it, it happens. If you can't get over it, rant about it on your own blog, it might make you feel better. Just don't rant about it on mine.

• You dislike something I dislike, but for a different reason! That makes me angry, too!

Yeah. Idon'tknow why this is an issue, but apparently it is. Seriously? The end result is the same. You're not the authority on the correct way to get there.

• You deleted my comment referring to my own personal battle unrelated to the post subject.

This doesn't always happen, but it does sometimes. If your comment is relevant, i.e. I'm talking about issues with a certain company and you also had issues with that company, or identical issues with another company, that's fine. If you try to use my blog as your soap box or platform to launch your own campaign of drama, however, that will not be welcome. Once again: this is my space. You talk about that kind of thing on your own space. If you think I'll be interested in it, but it's not at all relevant to the post, e-mail me a link to look at.

• I love your blog but I hate your angrier posts!

All of my angry ranty posts are tagged with the rant tag. If you see a walloftext post, scroll to the bottom and check the tags. If it says "rant" or "informative rants", then skip it.

• Why are some of your reviews so negative?

I'll never apologise for a negative review, unless I change my mind about the company or I misunderstood something. That happens a lot. My favourite make-up company to date is one I originally didn't like at all and reviewed very negatively. I'm open to change, and value companies with good customer service and an ability to adapt to criticism.
Not everything I write is glowing and positive. When I review something positively, a lot of readers go out and purchase things based on my recommendation. They spend their own money because I said I liked something. In order for me to be OK with that, I have to be pretty certain that I don't praise everything I see. My reviews are always my honest opinion, and I think I'd be a massive jerk if they weren't and someone wasted their money because I gave a company a good write-up when it didn't deserve one.

• You wrote a post about X but you didn't write a post about Y! You're biased/partofaconspiracytocensormeandprotectcompanyY!

Two reasons for this. Either I don't plan to because I:
a) do not care,
b) did not share your experience,
c) disagree with you, or
d) cannot be bothered.

Or, I haven't written about it yet.

• You were paid by company Y to negatively review company X!

This is a real thing that's been said. A real thing that I've been accused of. After the Lime Crime issue, people accused me of being paid by Shrinkle's apparently wealthy boyfriend to insult Lime Crime because Shrinkle would soon be launching Sugarpill. I... Just... WhatthisisIdon'teven. If you think that kind of thing is likely, then there really is no helping you.

• You deleted my comment! You're censoring me!

My soap box, not yours. I rarely delete comments, but I will if they're abusive, advertising or just trying to hijack comment threads to voice your own drama.

• I hate you. Your a fat/ugly/bitch.

Yeah, and I know where you live. Thanks for stopping by!