Part One: Anonymous
We've all faced it before. That one comment that can ruin an entire day, left behind by a no-name author with a grudge. They condemn our beliefs, undermine our intentions, then disappear without a single shred of evidence to point toward who could've left such inconsiderate remarks. The are filed under the name "Anonymous," a synonym for cowardly peeping Toms that don't have enough courage to leave their thoughts with their true identity.
This doesn't encompass those without a Google ID, and therefore check anonymous yet leave their own name at the end. In the blogging world, we understand that you may not use the same server as the writer. Therefore, if you're willing to identify yourself, then this isn't about you.
If you're a pretty involved blogger, you read the comments others leave for you. Whether you monitor them or not; hopefully you at least check them out since the majority of readers have something decent and uplifting to say. Then you see it. That one comment that completely ruins your entire day, makes you want to shut down the entire blog, never write again. That person probably knows what they've done; they know they have the power to knock you down.
Part Two: What To Do
How do you deal with these situations? Do you ignore it? Reply to it? Call them out in hopes they'll return and see your rebuttal? Everyone is different.
A family friend, someone I've known since I was eight years old, recently had to deal with such an issue. Her blog faces the difficulties of infertility, the joys of adoption, and the surprises that await us around every turn; in her case, the amazing ability to have two children naturally. Recently, she announced some amazing news, which was (for the most part) very well received. But then, Anonymous struck [see post here]. They left behind words, hurt feelings, low self-esteem. They left behind a blogger who honestly considered ending her blogging career, despite the numbers of women who look to her for guidance and support. With a few short sentences, they left behind chaos.
There are so many options for coping with these predicaments. In this case, Wendi responded with well written and detailed bullets. She made a stand against Anonymous, despite her feelings of betrayal, to correct their misconstrued views and to rally those that actually do support her. The sheer number of people that responded to Anonymous' comment should've drowned out those words, but we all know the negative responses are the ones that stay with us the longest.
So, how do you deal with these scenarios? I tend to delete the negative comments and not respond. While this blog is very open to all forms of opinions and ideas, even those that contradict my own, there is no room for blatantly mean behavior. I especially refuse to call attention to those specific people since that's more than likely what they're wanting me to do. Do you respond to them? Delete the comment? Ask for advice? How do you get back up on your feet after such an issue?
