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So today I did something I rarely do anymore--feed a troll.
In particular, this was a troll who'd been following the #nerdland hashtag on Twitter (that's the one for Melissa Harris-Perry's weekend show on MSNBC) and basically complaining how we in the Democrat Party* are always whining about poor jobs and looking for handouts, as well as saying how awesome capitalism was and how Socialism = free handouts. I mentioned various personal truths such as not being able to find a decent job in or near my hometown, and having to take a job I didn't like because, well, that's all there was. In addition to that I mentioned that guaranteed, if you're stuck at a job you hate, you're gonna end up doing shitty work because you have no pride in it. To which he of course responded:
No, I want [you] to work at whatever level job you are qualified for and be thankful for your job. Is that too much to ask?
Aside from my overwhelming urge to invoke Godwin's Law (in particular, "Arbeit Macht Frei"), I decided that was too easy and let that one pass. I instead said that's actually not enough to ask. In so many words, I stated that work without pride in it is wasted time for all involved, and it's a hell of a lot rarer to find a job you're completely proud of nowadays. He of course suggested starting one's own business if it was that bad. Never mind how the hell someone with no finances or knowledge to do so in the first place will know how to do that.
Well. Aside from the back and forth and never the twain shall meet (and besides, I was too busy enjoying a movie), we basically ended our verbal sparring on a funny note, at least for me. He pointed out that I should be looking for a new job and do something with my life instead of whining on the internet all day.
To which I responded:
On the contrary, I'm happily married, I write, and am paying it forward to others. So stop the projection there, dude.
Well! That seemed to piss him off enough that he yelled at me for wasting his time and cluttering up his Twitter feed, and I haven't heard a lick from him since. But I have to say that payoff was probably the most fun I've had feeding a troll in quite some time. :D
On a side note, part of this came about because of something I'd mentioned on the #nerdland tag this morning about creative jobs. It's always bothered me that jobs that are creative--writing, artistry, performance, and so on--always tend to bear the stigma of being superfluous and nonprofitable, and thus not a serious career choice. I've always wondered just how many people are out there who could possibly be writers, artists or musicians in the making, if they'd only been given the opening and the ability to do so. This dates back to when I was in high school, when they'd gotten rid of the stage club (or whatever it was called), who would put on seasonal plays for the area because they didn't have the funds and no teacher wanted to be part of it unless they'd be paid for it...and yet god forbid they get rid of football...!! Sure, living in a small town, we most likely had better running backs than thespians and I don't blame them for sticking with offering sports for that majority of kids, but still--what about those of us who are interested in acting and can't play sports to save our lives? Shit outta luck, I guess.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's always bothered me that those of us who are artists and writers--especially those of us who are professional, who have to work a day job and squeeze our true passion into the two hours at the end of the day or a few hours on the weekend--why is it that if we're the creative types, it's considered a pointless career unless we're multi-million dollar mass-producers like Stephen King, Thomas Kinkade, or Lady Gaga? There's some phenomenal work out there that's done by people who are essentially paper pushers during the day, and to be honest, it's not always because they chose to do so...it's because they have to do so, to make ends meet, and to get healthcare coverage. Sure, there are those who manage to balance a Day Job and a Creative Job and have no problems with it, but there are others who may not have that luxury for one reason or another.
Sometimes it makes me wonder, too...how many people are out there, who wish they could have been an artist or a writer, who have the potential to be one, given the time and the practice...but choose not to, because it wouldn't be profitable? It kills me to think that there are potentially creative people out there who never let that gift grow and blossom, out of financial necessity.
This is PRECISELY why, now that I'm able to do so, I pay it forward as much as I can. I know friends and fellow creatives who run Kickstarter campaigns for their creative project, or need some funds to pay off an unexpected bill, and I'm always happy to donate if I can. I know people out there just starting to take their writing seriously, and I am 100% behind them and will help them how I can. If a musician's album grabs me, I will totally download or buy it from them, and even give a shameless plug or two if I can.
Because it's positive all around...everyone wins.
Because it's the right thing to do.
Because really--FUCK that "I made it by myself, you're on your own, no handouts" bullshit, Mr. Troll.
We're all in this together.
* One of my favorite bits about right wing trolls is their penchant for name calling. There's the playground level of 'libtard' and so on, and there's the nuanced misnomer like 'Democrat Party' (purposely leaving off the "ic" suffix just to annoy). It's the online version of "you're a retard and you smell funny", obviously, a cheap and easy taunt. I of course understand it happens on both sides ('rethuglicans' and so on), but it seems the right wing trolls are more vociferous and nasty about it.
In particular, this was a troll who'd been following the #nerdland hashtag on Twitter (that's the one for Melissa Harris-Perry's weekend show on MSNBC) and basically complaining how we in the Democrat Party* are always whining about poor jobs and looking for handouts, as well as saying how awesome capitalism was and how Socialism = free handouts. I mentioned various personal truths such as not being able to find a decent job in or near my hometown, and having to take a job I didn't like because, well, that's all there was. In addition to that I mentioned that guaranteed, if you're stuck at a job you hate, you're gonna end up doing shitty work because you have no pride in it. To which he of course responded:
No, I want [you] to work at whatever level job you are qualified for and be thankful for your job. Is that too much to ask?
Aside from my overwhelming urge to invoke Godwin's Law (in particular, "Arbeit Macht Frei"), I decided that was too easy and let that one pass. I instead said that's actually not enough to ask. In so many words, I stated that work without pride in it is wasted time for all involved, and it's a hell of a lot rarer to find a job you're completely proud of nowadays. He of course suggested starting one's own business if it was that bad. Never mind how the hell someone with no finances or knowledge to do so in the first place will know how to do that.
Well. Aside from the back and forth and never the twain shall meet (and besides, I was too busy enjoying a movie), we basically ended our verbal sparring on a funny note, at least for me. He pointed out that I should be looking for a new job and do something with my life instead of whining on the internet all day.
To which I responded:
On the contrary, I'm happily married, I write, and am paying it forward to others. So stop the projection there, dude.
Well! That seemed to piss him off enough that he yelled at me for wasting his time and cluttering up his Twitter feed, and I haven't heard a lick from him since. But I have to say that payoff was probably the most fun I've had feeding a troll in quite some time. :D
On a side note, part of this came about because of something I'd mentioned on the #nerdland tag this morning about creative jobs. It's always bothered me that jobs that are creative--writing, artistry, performance, and so on--always tend to bear the stigma of being superfluous and nonprofitable, and thus not a serious career choice. I've always wondered just how many people are out there who could possibly be writers, artists or musicians in the making, if they'd only been given the opening and the ability to do so. This dates back to when I was in high school, when they'd gotten rid of the stage club (or whatever it was called), who would put on seasonal plays for the area because they didn't have the funds and no teacher wanted to be part of it unless they'd be paid for it...and yet god forbid they get rid of football...!! Sure, living in a small town, we most likely had better running backs than thespians and I don't blame them for sticking with offering sports for that majority of kids, but still--what about those of us who are interested in acting and can't play sports to save our lives? Shit outta luck, I guess.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's always bothered me that those of us who are artists and writers--especially those of us who are professional, who have to work a day job and squeeze our true passion into the two hours at the end of the day or a few hours on the weekend--why is it that if we're the creative types, it's considered a pointless career unless we're multi-million dollar mass-producers like Stephen King, Thomas Kinkade, or Lady Gaga? There's some phenomenal work out there that's done by people who are essentially paper pushers during the day, and to be honest, it's not always because they chose to do so...it's because they have to do so, to make ends meet, and to get healthcare coverage. Sure, there are those who manage to balance a Day Job and a Creative Job and have no problems with it, but there are others who may not have that luxury for one reason or another.
Sometimes it makes me wonder, too...how many people are out there, who wish they could have been an artist or a writer, who have the potential to be one, given the time and the practice...but choose not to, because it wouldn't be profitable? It kills me to think that there are potentially creative people out there who never let that gift grow and blossom, out of financial necessity.
This is PRECISELY why, now that I'm able to do so, I pay it forward as much as I can. I know friends and fellow creatives who run Kickstarter campaigns for their creative project, or need some funds to pay off an unexpected bill, and I'm always happy to donate if I can. I know people out there just starting to take their writing seriously, and I am 100% behind them and will help them how I can. If a musician's album grabs me, I will totally download or buy it from them, and even give a shameless plug or two if I can.
Because it's positive all around...everyone wins.
Because it's the right thing to do.
Because really--FUCK that "I made it by myself, you're on your own, no handouts" bullshit, Mr. Troll.
We're all in this together.
* One of my favorite bits about right wing trolls is their penchant for name calling. There's the playground level of 'libtard' and so on, and there's the nuanced misnomer like 'Democrat Party' (purposely leaving off the "ic" suffix just to annoy). It's the online version of "you're a retard and you smell funny", obviously, a cheap and easy taunt. I of course understand it happens on both sides ('rethuglicans' and so on), but it seems the right wing trolls are more vociferous and nasty about it.
