Grr

Look, we're grownups here. We each use these journals in different ways. My primary purpose for this journal is supposed to be talking about writing -- to keep me honest, as I'm supposed to keep track, not just of the writing, but of the marketing that's much harder to do and much harder to bring myself to do. Secondary purposes are: diarizing, rhapsodizing, working out what I think about things that are important to me, linking, and reading: I have a whole raft of RSS feeds from sites outside lj on my "friends" page (Iwish they'd call it a reading list or something).

My purposes do not including indulging in junior high school mob behavior. "Let's all do this" is occasionally interesting, but it's gotten ridiculous. People seem to think that demanding participation in a group posting thing is a substantive political act in itself. But: "If you believe in gay rights, put exactly these words in your journal, with exactly this subject header. If you don't believe in gay rights, just ignore this, thanks." Say what? "Write exactly this, or you're a homophobe?"

A jounral is not a street chant. It's not the place for everyone to say the same thing in the same words. It's dumb to demand it, and does nothing whatever to advance a movement or raise consciousness. The one where folks were asked to write a post on the topic of racism within a week or so, that was possibly helpful, and definitely interesting, and I was happy to participate.

But if you want me to show my support for something, don't ask me to repeat somebody else's exact words, unless we're marching down a main street ten abreast with signs and all, and give me a good, rhythmic slogan: then I'll help you rattle the windows.

gloat. impulse buy.

The Cambride Guide to English Usage.

Enough said?