Robert Cormack

6 years ago · 1 min. reading time · ~10 ·

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Just a short note: When creeps become critics.

Just a short note: When creeps become critics.

Don't rile me, boy!


Phil Friedman mentioned something in a post not long ago. I'm paraphrasing here (forgive me, Phil). He was saying that he got into trouble responding to comments where the remarks were, let's say, acerbic. He replied in kind and got all kinds of flak for it. Last week, I posted "Think More. Write Less. Follow Clint" on LinkedIn (I still have followers there). A barrister from London commented: "And so it goes. Ernest Hemingway won a Novel Prize for Literature whereas nobody's heard of you." I wrote back, essentially saying that Hemingway wrote at a time when there weren't that many writers (proportionate to population). By comparison, we have millions of writers today (combining all mediums). I also suggested he read Carlos Baker's biography of Hemingway and how long it took Papa to be "noticed." I ended saying "I think you'll find it interesting and maybe you'll be less of an asshole." A woman claiming to be a writer/editor jumped in with "You seem to have a very thin skin for a writer, Robert. I found your response calling that gentleman an "asshole" to be classless and unprofessional. If you can't show a modicum of professionalism, maybe you shouldn't post."

I'm curious to know what the rest of you think. I make a point of responding to comments. I try to be polite and constructive. If someone throws a punch, though, is it wrong to punch back?

"
#Phil Friedman #Follow Clint #Hemingway #LinkedIn #Phil
Comments

Milos Djukic

6 years ago #23

#32
Phil Friedman, I could agree more, but fractal trolls are usually admirers of the donkey's rear end. :-)

Phil Friedman

6 years ago #22

#29
I agree, @Praveen Raj Gullepalli, in order for the platform to evolve, we must all move past old skirmishes and scabbed-over wounds. And I personally believe we're moving forward, away from the donkey's rear end. :-)

Phil Friedman

6 years ago #21

#29
I agree, Praveen Raj Gullepalli, in order for the platform to evolve, we must all move past old skirmishes and scabbed-over wounds. And I personally believe we're moving forward, away from the doneky's rear end. :-)

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #20

Will do @Phil Friedman, as long as I don't come off sounding like the orifice at the hind end of a donkey.#28

Phil Friedman

6 years ago #19

Thanks, Robert, for the shout out -- I think. I have never had any aspirations to become the Poster Boy of Retribution Retorts, but as I am wont to say, "If the shoe fits, wear it." :-) I can only speak to what I do and have done. Which was for a while counter-punch at the same level as the original attack by whatever Troll or other mean-spirited commenters who chose to come onto my post with a remark. And yes, that often earned me criticisms for being so "mean" to the people who commented, never mind how nasty or offensive they were in the first place. Eventually, I developed a policy to not respond at all, but to completely ignore such comments. Indeed, I even went so far as to publicly announce that personal policy. But when I implemented that policy to a reasonable level of consistency, I was then criticized for seeking to "exclude" the bullies from the conversation -- never mind how obnoxious or arrogant or mean were their remarks. BTW, this is not a complaint, but rather a statement of fact, made because you asked. What has struck me is how ready are those who preach passivity in these matters to turn on the target of nasty or arrogant comments when that target has the "temerity" to reply in kind. And I've dubbed the phenomenon "aggressive passivity". https://www.bebee.com/producer/@friedman-phil/the-rising-tide-of-aggressive-passivity Thanks for raising the issue. And BTW, I'd suggest next time referring to the guy as "the orifice in the hind end of a donkey." Cheers!

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #18

#22
Thanks, @Praven Raj Gallepilli, I've been shooting blanks for years.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #17

#23
Thanks, . I'm not quite sure what precepts they'll understand, but I'll give it a try.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #16

As I mentioned to Fatima, Todd Jones, it's good advice. I'll follow it from now on. Thanks for your interest in "Horse." If you get a chance (and still like the book at the end) please post a review. It works wonders for us writers. So many people have had their reviews rejected because they wrote "Cormack brings stiffies to the forefront of our vernacular." Seems Amazon's sensitivity readers don't like the word (or its implications in terms of vernacular).#24

Mohammed Abdul Jawad

6 years ago #15

When critics go nasty, they ought to be silenced with pungent punch or treat them patiently with precepts.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #14

#17
Yes, . Eventually, we have to go to the dogs.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #13

Good thoughts (and advice), @Chris Guest. Thanks.#18

🐝 Fatima G. Williams

6 years ago #12

Maybe she had a bad hair day Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman You gave me a good laugh ! I'd let the dog bark eventually it gets tired :)

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #11

#13
Now I know, @John Rylance. Thanks.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #10

There's that, for sure, Joyce \ud83d\udc1d Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee, thanks.#11

John Rylance

6 years ago #9

#11
we've all got one some of us use it more productively than others. In the U. K. They are arseholes, assholes are for donkeys.

John Rylance

6 years ago #8

@Robert in answer to your last question in the piece if the punch connects sue, if it misses laugh.

Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee

6 years ago #7

Sometimes assholes are just assholes.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #6

#5
There's a better description Brian McKenzie, I think of that next time. Thanks.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #5

#3
And we're back to asses again, @Jim Murray, thanks.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #4

#2
Quite true, Donna Wood, thanks.

Robert Cormack

6 years ago #3

Must think Russian, Don \ud83d\udc1d Kerr, thanks.#1

Jim Murray

6 years ago #2

Ahhh man. You can't swing a dead cat on social media without hitting some self-righteous-pickle-up-the-ass dweep. Phil and I have both run into tons of them. The size of the shit I give about these people and their political correctness is hardly visible to the naked eye. Just keep on truckin'. You build a following here by being yourself. You know that as well as anyone. As we used to say back in the day "If you don't like my ad, get your ass out of my target group."

don kerr

6 years ago #1

Robert Cormack It is ALWAYS my first inclination to drop the hammer. Never been much for that turn the other cheek stuff if mine has just been pummelled. It has though been my recent experience that while I gain transitory pleasure from responding in kind it works even better when I attempt to suffocate the other in kindness or laughter. This worked very well with a genuine a-hole who used to infest these pages with his unalterable bullshit. Learned this all from the Canada/Soviet hockey series in 1972. The Soviets would grin and laugh at the Canucks after committing the most egregious fouls. Esposito, Clarke, Parise would absolutely lose their rags and end up in the penalty box. This approach works extremely well with asshole drivers too.

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