Sound Off!?? At Least Do a Sound Check First.

Recently I've found myself browsing other people's blogs. I enjoy my friends blogs mostly because they are relating personal bits of info on how their life is going. Or more consistently they write about what they know. Occaisonally a friend will write an opinion piece based on an event in their lives. I usually enjoy these quite a bit because either the person has taken the time to write it well or they don't take themselves seriously at all and mock the whole writing profession. (ahem..Scott) I posted a comment recently on another person's blog about how I was frusterated with his writing style especially since he could do so much better. He had written a blog discussing how people will assign an evil nature to an object when in fact it is man who is inherently evil. A good arguement but it was bogged down in his writing style. Here is the post:

It is easy when we sit back at our own computers and discuss complex issues like we were discussing yesterday's Gilmore Girls episode. I know how incredibly safe it is for us to bandy about our opinions on a blog and appear that we are these thought rebels who are incredibly challenging to the uncultured masses. It is easy and somewhat sad. No one is really there to challenge us in return since we realize that the audience who reads our writings are probably of like mind and therefore less likely to catch us on our use of ad hominem, overgeneralizations, stereotyping, oversimplifications, and false analogies. In truth we don't like to have to think for ourselves or challenge ourselves to ask the question 'Is this a good piece of writing?' Although I agree with you about how man's issues are a deeply seated problem, I was disturbed with how glib and ironic your writing style is. Even more disturbing is that you don't seem to be aware of your own irony. You talk about people making blanket statements about gun control and music, then turn around and lose your track of logical argument amongst your own personal issues with societal opinions of music by making it all relative? You create your own blanket statements in the process becoming almost as ridiculous as the people you are ridiculing. Confusing to say the least. You consistently create this odd dynamic throughout your blog. Yes, please continue to challenge people by creating witty and satirical pieces of personal thought. Just put some more care in behind what you are saying. You have alot to say but haven't necessarily used the tools to create a thought provoking piece were you don't come off sounding like the latest yahoo who has opinions on how faulty our world is. It is easy to sound off. It takes true commitment and concern to take the time to craft what you are saying. Not everyone may agree with your stance but at least you can say you wrote a damn good piece. Sounding off isn't the problem, sounding intelligent and thoughtful while doing so is a great thing, but coming off foolish is. ( not that it is anyones intent to sound like a fool...unless you'r Carrot Top. Then have at it with your silly visually based humour.)Keep up your writing. Continue to improve. You have alot to offer.

Maybe my english major is getting to me but I wish that people took more pride in what they write when discussing complex issues. I know in the future for myself that I'll take this lesson to heart when I write my next opinion piece based on complex issues...and no post punk doesn't come under that.