In Reply to Some Who Have Inquired
I have gotten some responses inquiring why I feel I need to cease writing on WA and project my efforts in writing elsewhere. I have written this blog to provide an answer as to why I feel the need to cease writing on this platform and for several reasons have chosen thus.
The above, taken from the Dippers Dipt, is what my writing looks like to too many people on here and I understand and have taken action.
Recently I discovered that many of my replies have been deleted by a number of members on their blogs. It's mostly the same members this has occurred, but it's pretty extensive. This issue goes back to last summer when some members on here wrote blogs about useless comments. I've tried to contact some of these to ask why they've deleted my comments. Only one responded, telling me that he didn't want negative comments on his blogs and thus purged all of mine out of his. Not that they were negative in and of themselves, but that apparently, in his view, I'm a negative person in general.
I've been accused of being racist because I wrote a blog about entitlement mentality and it happened to feature a Tampa black woman publicly-demanding someone pay for her 15 kids to support their stay in the motel where they were living. This was from a news story in the city where I live (Tampa.) A new member quit WA because I wrote that, I got flamed and teamed up on, resulting in the loss of my write privileges and unpopularity.
Twice I got flamed for removing blogs I had written, one that was "causing headaches" for a couple members. Because some people had left comments (including the headache people) I got lashed at because they had taken the time to respond and their comments went with the blogs.
Some say my personality is "too hard," others saying I pontificate too much, others simply saying I'm a know-it-all and don't know what I'm talking about. A number of people over time believe I write just to be heard, to gain in the WA ranking and to make that $5. I've heard it all at one time or another or several times. I used to write on here "all the time."
My readership tends to be low, and I get very few likes for what I write. Sometimes I say what I feel and that's considered "politically-incorrect." Others say I should not be writing blogs that are "off topic" to what the platform is all about.
When I do write about online business and IM, some of the same people go on there or contact me via PM telling me I'm giving misinformation and that I don't know what I'm talking about - or that I'm writing over people's heads, writing them too long and too many big words.
Sorry, I read books written in 16th and 17th century English. Some of it must be rubbing off. It must be affecting my personality too. We live in an age when it's wrong to offend others over principles because truth is considered relative. There hasn't been another time like this ever.
At times when I was down and out and in very bad living environments, I blogged about this numerous times over the years, and stopped writing about personal issues some time ago because I've gotten some pretty strong responses about not subjecting WA members with this kind of content. That's understandable, but what I write is generally not well received, though there are those who have consistently supported me in my writing, whom I greatly appreciate.
There are the few who say my writing is fantastic and these are mostly the same people who make up my readership. Once in a while I get a new person.
To me, it's not worth the effort. It's a waste of time for both me to write on here and for others to find it, and from the critique I get, it's just a bunch of static and noise on an already laden platform.
It is not to say for everybody on here, but I have earned an unpopular status and I do not have the respect as a writer to continue on here and I have deemed that it is time to stop. Negative as all this may sound, I'm only trying to practical about it and accept the outcome as it has come down.
I really appreciate those who have deemed me a fantastic writer and someone worthy of my occupation, but this isn't shared by most. However, if I can't write to be understood - something I think has caused all of the problems mentioned above, it's better to avoid writing on here altogether.
Recent Comments
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Ya know Daniel .... how hard it is .... to remove ourselves .... from other people's opinions .... from their emotions ....
It ain't easy!
You've .... been around .... the block .... plenty enough times .... to know that .... in this life .... most people you encounter .... will simply not be .... where you are.
I think this is grace at work.
So we .... can easily .... and quickly .... recognize personalities .... for what they are .... instead of what .... they so fearfully .... think they .... should be.
We could never isolate ourselves completely from others' opinions and emotions. Even when I lived in the woods, that could not be done for wherever another human is, there will be opinions and emotions.
I have definitely noted what you've said to be true. For one, there is not one other person in my family that can relate to me, nor I them. According to them, my communications with them were deemed as trouble-making and as such, I have been blocked.
I have removed my Facebook account, and by this time, it is permanently deleted. I never did like Facebook and was forced by my family to keep the account. To shut down the account to them, is my insidious action of throwing the family away.
I can't control what they think nor will I even try.
My circle of friends has always been very small, though these days, I do have my church family and am more accepted there than anyplace else. WA follows in this regard. I have no friends outside of these.
You are so right ... we can't isolate ourselves completely from others' opinions and emotions. But, it's sometimes fun trying. :-)
And family ... we have much in common here, too. Time has taught me that we can't control a person's thoughts, feelings, actions, reactions, etc.. My truth is this ... would we really want to? I can't imagine getting inside their heads and for that matter, it would most likely explode. Best just to let them be.
Most of the people I come into contact with have neither the humility nor the stomach to attempt to see or receive any ideas or concepts other than (what they perceive to be) their own. Oh well. In the end, all we can do is take care of ourselves and be blessed with people who love us and allow us to take care of them.
Having your church family is indeed a huge blessing! Please stay in touch - I expect to be at WA for a very long time.
I tried for years to get my family to stop thinking things about me that are not true. It just isn't going to happen. There is wisdom in the Word that instructs that we should leave family and find your mate. I have not done the second part, but that isn't necessary anyway. The point here is that it's my spiritual family I will be with for an eternity. The earthly family is temporary and not as important as the spiritual. Albeit, there are great family situations on the earth and family relations are taught as well. There is something for every situation in this regard to be found there. For me, it was leave the family and be with the spiritual.
I am happy to hear you will be staying here for a very long time! It's a wonderful place!
I won't make my move here permanent. I am hoping to improve my performance in my business and therefore feel better about talking about it on here. Right now I have been making improvements in the wake of my online business, but of these improvements, I have already had plenty to say on here.
I should be making more than a full-time income for the length of time I've been here. There's a LOT of work to do!
I totally get where you're coming from. And like you, I've much work to do on this end as well. I'm sure we'll be talking again down the road so give a shout if you ever need anything. God Bless!
Daniel, I am new WA so I have not read many of your blogs. What I have read I have found to be insightful with lots of depth, which I respect. It seems to me that you place a lot emphasis on what people think of you. In essence,you let others determine your own worth. Do you write because you want to be of value/ service to others or do you write to gain acceptance/praise? Is one person who immensely benefitted from your blogs worth more than 10 negative comments. A 100, a 10,000? From your comments, the weight of your negative feedback far outweighs the positive.
Jesus was crucified for his beliefs, the Dalai Lama was forced to flee his home for risk of being killed. Every great leader has been faced with overwhelming negativity. I think this is true for every single one of us. Focus on the positive comments. Give thanks for them. Look at the negative comments to see trends. See how the negative can be used as fertilizer to make your writings better. If you find negative comments that you can't turn into a positive, forgive them, and go back to the positive. Give thanks for the negative comments. "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" Max Planck
Rob, thanks for your comment.
I do place a lot of emphasis on what people think of me, due to the severity of past experience. There is also a reputation thing here. Standing up for what is right is one thing. That has no bearing popularity. That is a responsibility. Yes, Jesus and countless others lost their lives for standing up for the truth. When it comes down to worthiness, it isn't that I let others determine my worth, but to most others, that's pretty low. There isn't much I can do in this regard. It is what it is. These are not life-and-death matters and is therefore not worth the bother both to me and for others if what I write causes contention.
I write to be helpful and when I think I'm contributing that way, not, as is believed of me, doing it to get rank. I really wish the ranking think wasn't here at all! There would be much less content on here, but what would be here would be all top quality!
I've definitely been able to help with my writing and seen how it's changed their lives, but I've also had people leave this membership because they have been so offended by what I've said. These were over misunderstanding, but it's also caused highly respected, high performing members to come down on me for it - and this does weigh heavy on me. It has just been my experience all along that it's doing more harm than good.
Well, Daniel,
I am sorry to hear this and don't understand why it is okay for others to give their opinions and you are not able to express yourself.
Good luck Daniel!
Sheila
It's because others know how to express themselves at the proper level and are sensitive to their audience. I don't always have that ability and definitely not diplomatic about how I say things. I think this is what gains acceptance with others when they express their opinions. When I do it, it just comes out strong (as I've been told numerous times.)
I don't mean to, but often, when I point something out, it causes offense and bitterness because of the way I present them.
I don't sugar-coat things.
I don't go about buttering up others.
My language is often misunderstood.
I don't beat around the bush.
I say things the best way I know how.
For this, I believe my audience will always be very small and my niches very limited.
This blog serves as an answer to some who have inquired about my last blog and what I meant by it. It also serves as a lesson and a warning to those who read it, what happens when you don't communicate properly with your audience.
Well,
I sure hope that you find a place that accepts you as you are. The one thing I remember is that everyone is different and we need to accept them for who they are!
Sheila
You are definitely right about differences, but when personalities are considered "undesirable," and this has been so in my case, it's for the best. I am continuing to work on being a better person, improving my writing skills and people skills. It's not permanent.
I personally have not read anything you wrote, except for this one. Just remember, it is their opinions not yours. Good luck in what path you choose.
This is the first time I have read anything by you Daniel. I am of the opinion that I may not agree with everything someone says, but I respect their right to say it. Good luck in the future, Chrissie :)
We do have the right to say it, but if it does more harm than good, I'm all for not doing it.
I respect your decision Daniel, even though I (also respectfully) disagree with it. Bullies really don't deserve this kind of power over anyone.
I like what you are saying and think that it is wrong what Daniel is deciding to do. Do not let them push you out Daniel.
I think some of them have just cause and are not bullying, though I have had a couple bullying incidents on here, most are not that way.
I'm just doing what I think is best, as these issues keep occurring.
I read Chaucer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer for fun. But there are not many people like us Daniel. Many people don't have any greater literacy than the average 12 year old and that's not a bad thing it's just the way it is. We also need to consider that English is not everyone's first language.
When we write stuff that the average 12 year old can understand we can reach everyone.
You definitely deal with older English than I do. You are right, and I have tried to tone down my writing over the years but it just doesn't work for me. I read non-fiction in these earlier ages in my attempts at untangling some of church history that has been misrepresented. I have been at this for many years. I also have kept a Journal since I was 13 years old, so I have become very developed in the way I write.
The books I read tend to take a particular topic over several pages of small type, much of which come from the Gutenberg printing presses (as above) and today, topics like these are normally meted out in a paragraph or two, sometimes with references given.
I don't read these books to "show off." I do it because I have great passion for what I do, even if it doesn't bring an income.
The literacy of today is indeed much simpler than it used to be. When I lived in the woods throughout the 1980s, the only books I could get were the old tattered ones from the 19th century and early 20th, because I could not afford new ones, and I settled for the type of language that is today, considered archaic.
I have just sampled a bit of Chaucer and surprisingly I can get around in it with difficulty in some of the words, It's not much different than the English I get into, just 100 or so years older.
Heere bigynneth the Knyghtes Tale
Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
And in his tyme swich a conquerour,
That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,
What with his wysdom and his chivalrie;
He conquered al the regne of Femenye,
That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
And weddede the queene Ypolita,
And broghte hir hoom with hym in his contree,
With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
And thus with victorie and with melodye
Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,
And al his hoost, in armes hym bisyde.
My translation (without looking anything up!)
Here Beginneth the Knight's Tale
Whilst, as old stories tell us,
There was a duke [,] that [high] Theseus
Of Athena he was lord and governour.
And in his time [such] a conquerour.
That greater was there none under the sun.
[For] many a rich country had he won.
What with his wisdom and his chivalry;
He conquered all the reign of Femeny.
That whilst was [...] Scythia.
And married the queen Ipolita.
And brought her home with him [to] his country,
With much glory and great solemnity.
And [s]eek her young sister Emily.
And thus with victory and with melody
[...] I this noble duke to Athena ride.
And all his host, in arms him beside.
Now Old English I do have a problem with because it looks more like a cross between German and Latin.
When I read Chaucer i mentally sound out the words and that makes them easier to understand. Gotta luv his humor.
Re your translation: pretty good. I think "whilom" is "once" and "ycleped" is "named" and maybe a few other things. It's hard to find someone else who enjoys the olde language.
Daniel I am so sorry to hear that you feel like this. I am also a freelance writer and my family accuse me of using long words that they don't understand! :)
Probably the most common complaint I get. I wrote a grammar for one of the members on here a few years ago and it was rejected by his marketing team because I had used words like,
Semantics
Composition
Compound
Albeit
Recite
Imperative
Competent
Concise
nuances
Cursive
Adverbial
Dastardly
Archaic
Aspiring
Insidious
Misdeeds
Caveats
Precedence
Behooves
Aspirated
Inadvertent
Assemblage
Predicate
Prepositional
Cognitive
Plurality
Esoteric
Voluminous
Articulation
The member was disgruntled with the report and simply told me the grammar was "everything it shouldn't be." Note that some of the words in this list ARE grammar terms for which there are no other names!
I use all of these words in my writing regularly and they come so naturally to me that I don't give them a second thought when I write them. This doesn't include the many, many more words that cause problems for others - and is something unintentional.
...and nope! My family will not even communicate with me because it all just goes over their heads, not to mention they have no interest in what I say or do in life. They can live their silly lives. I'm not any part of them though I love them, bless their hearts. It has been this way with me and my family since I was five years old.
Nothing wrong with any of those words in my opinion - I use them all myself :) Keep your chin up, the problem is theirs and not yours. Not you circus, not your monkeys!!
You know Jude, I don't understand it either. But that's their call. I was using a number of these words since I was in the third grade!
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I know you are a fighter and the only thing you are trying to do is help others and that is what we are supposed to be doing but if you think this is a fight that you can not win then you have already lost so I say go with God my friend I am sure your path will get you where you want to go and to those who tend to judge I say judge not least ye may be judged all the best Max