The Blogosphere

My eyes were opened a little bit today. I am well aware that I do my best to shut out the rest of the world in my daily life. I do this because there is so much hate out there and it makes me intensely sad to see it.

I started blogging because... well because I could. I enjoy writing, most days. I am NOT an aspiring book writer. It's a way for my family and friends to stop by and see what's up and if, in the end, if other people that don't know me in real life are somewhat entertained enough to come back, then great. I welcome any and all who stop by.

I also like to read blogs. I have a list of about 15 that I check on a daily basis. Each with their own personalities, each with their own themes. It's a small window view of someone else's life and like most of us that read blogs, it feeds that quirky little voyeuristic bug that we have hiding inside of us.

I purposely avoid certain topics in my blog. The top ones being religion, politics, abortion, racism and work, although I've cheated on the work one a few times but that's just because I couldn't help myself. You might be interested to know that I have written posts about the others. No one has ever seen them for I never pushed the publish button when I was done. It keeps things light and fluffy around here and I'm able to avoid confrontation, which for those who DO know me in real life, know how I avoid confrontation like the plague.

But I have found that the blogs I enjoy reading the most, are the ones who are not afraid of confrontation. One in particular. I would consider this blogger a professional blogger. Also, a mommy blogger. She is outspoken, hilarious, insightful, and extremely entertaining. Out of the tens of thousands who read her... yes, tens of thousands... there seems to be quite a few who don't like her. Today I found an entire blog based on hating her. Specifically, making fun of those who do enjoy her. Quoting comments from her readers and then making nasty comments about them as well.

What I found interesting about this concept is that all of these people that are contributing to the hate site, including the hate site's author(s), take time out of their day to visit the very blog that they so despise to be able to contribute to the hate site. My question to them would have to be... if you hate this blogger SO much, why do you keep going back?

First of all, just from skimming the surface of the hate site, it's obvious there are some jealously issues going on over there. I guess it's the hate part that I find so confusing. I've come across many, many blogs that I didn't like for various reasons. So I never went back to them. Just like I won't go back to the hate blog I'm talking about. But I wonder at the kind of hate that is in these people's hearts, to so openly hate and encourage others to hate, on a daily basis. How exhausting their lives must be. And how small.

The coolest thing about this kind of media, including TV, is that no one is making me watch or read anything I don't want to. If I don't like something, I don't read it, or watch it. It's quite simple, really. An amazing concept that many have obviously not been able to wrap their minds around.

I really do understand when someone is passionate about something they either agree or disagree with. Because of that passion we have some of the coolest things ever, like the internet, and running water, and air conditioning, and compression socks. But on the other side of that, the passion runs towards racism, murder and hatred. It has always been this way. I fear it will always be this way. But in the end, this is the world that we live in. And I understand this, too.

My heart does not deal well with hatred. I see it almost every night I go to work. I do my best to separate myself from it. It can be done. But while I'm at home, I choose not to open myself to it. Granted, I'm not always successful... but I do my best. And I definitely have a hard time understanding those that feed on hatred with whatever or whoever that hatred might be geared towards. It never fails to boggle my mind.

It's okay to be mad. It's okay not to agree with other people's opinions. Whether you hate Glen Beck, Obama, abortion, murder, suicide, blacks, whites, illeagal aliens, Christians, Athiests... where ever your hatred may lie... might I suggest eliminating these topics from your daily life? Don't misunderstand me here. I'm not saying to not be passionate about something. Without passion we would not be who we are. But there is a distinct difference between passion and hatred. Learn to know the difference. And learn to love the world you live in, with all of the different kinds of people, all of the beauty, and all of the PASSION. I promise, you will not be disappointed if you do.

Love. It's easy.