Yesterday, after I wrote my rant about “Bobby’s” comment about Lindsay Clancy on Facebook, I got a response from a regular reader about how he avoids comment sections. He explained that comment sections are full of bots and idiots, so he doesn’t bother with them. Believe me, folks… this I know. I block dozens of people every day who leave idiotic comments. I also block a whole lot of bots. I ignore many more comments than not.

Last night, Bill read my post, and complimented it. He wasn’t just blowing smoke up my ass, either. He got what I was trying to convey and understood the main point I was making. His ability to understand me, and desire to hear me, is one reason why our marriage has been so successful, and why we’ll be celebrating 24 years of bliss in November. We’re on the same wavelength, and he gets why I write about these things.

But the comment left by my friend made me think that some people may wonder why I waste time reading comments written by idiots. As Bill and I were enjoying breakfast this morning, we talked more about this “phenomenon”. In particular, we talked about “Bobby”, and people like him. Yes, based on his comment, it seems like Bobby isn’t very bright. But he’s also a symptom of the big problem we’re facing in the world today. I’d say it applies to Americans alone, but upon further thought, I think it’s actually a worldwide issue.

I don’t think Bobby was a bot. He appeared to be a regular guy, with friends, family, and a job. He’s been following the headlines. In this case, he’s heard about Lindsay Clancy, a real person with real problems. Bobby doesn’t know Lindsay Clancy, but he also obviously isn’t a reader or a thinker. He’s spouting his idiocy in comment sections, to which other people are reading, reacting, and responding. Now, they’re spreading the idea that women should lose the right to vote. I’ll bet Bobby agrees with that idea. 🤬

As I’ve discovered, after many years of online content creation, most people don’t do a lot of thinking these days. They either don’t have time, or they don’t have the discipline. They don’t want to listen to or read whole things– whether it be an article, a blog post, or a news video. They sure don’t want to pay for the news, either.

So, most people just read headlines, which are usually free, and they form their opinions. A lot of their opinions are based on their emotions or the split second reactions they have to a given issue. Or maybe they’re formed by hanging around friends, family members, or people of a like mind.

They put their ideas in comment sections. Other people read them. Most ignore them, although some might stop and interact. I usually ignore and/or block egregiously offensive, inflammatory, or stupid comments.

Something about Bobby’s comment made me stop and respond. I think it was the astounding thoughtlessness of it… and the fact that, on its face, it made no sense whatsoever. Last I checked, though, no one else had responded to the sheer stupidity and nonsensical nature of Bobby’s comment.

Bobby had indicated that he was outraged that eleven out of twelve jurors did not come to the same conclusion that he’d reached, as someone who wasn’t actually in the courtroom and obviously isn’t a reader. He was also apparently indignant that people on the internet were giving Lindsay Clancy a “pass” for “murdering” her children. Then he wrote that “mothers” who don’t agree with Bobby should have their children “unalived” (🙄 wish that non-word would stop being normalized…), and the killers should “go free”. He justifies that take because he’s “outraged”, and because the “mothers” should know how it feels to have their children killed and then see the killers “go free”.

First off, based on Bobby’s profile, he’s single. He’s also a man. He has NO IDEA what it feels like to be a mother, and in fact, probably isn’t a parent, himself. So his opinion is either based on what he imagines, or he’s simply parroting what others have said.

I doubt very seriously that Bobby has closely followed the Lindsay Clancy case. He’s just heard that a woman “murdered” her children. Without hearing or thinking about the particulars of the case, he’s decided she’s guilty and “monstrous.” He thinks her life should be over. And he thinks any “mother” who sympathizes with her should also suffer.

I guess it didn’t occur to Bobby that mothers whose children are murdered by other people would not be in the same boat as Lindsay Clancy presumably is. But those who have been pregnant and experienced the psychiatric and psychological issues that can come with pregnancy, do have some empathy for her. Bobby, as a man, doesn’t understand that at all. He can’t relate. But he can express meaningless virtue signaling based on what appeared to me to be faux outrage. 🙄

I’ve seen so many comments from men that demonize women. It’s much worse now than it’s ever been. I think it comes from a combination of having a narcissistic asshole as our POTUS and an unregulated Internet on which people are free to spread their stupidity and misogyny. So many people ignore the comments because they come from “idiots”. But when we let idiots go unchallenged, they continue to spread their idiocy to other people, and really stupid ideas catch on, like the contagious spread of a disease.

What happened yesterday when I confronted Bobby? At first, he doubled down on his comment, obviously very sure that he was right, and I was wrong. But then when I clarified– when I pointed out that in expressing outrage over Lindsay Clancy’s murdered children, he’d actually called for more children to be murdered– he had nothing more to say.

Bobby forgot that those children were living beings, and not simply objects. He was presumably upset about dead children and wanting justice for them, but in his demand for justice, he turned other hypothetical children into weapons against “evil” women who don’t share his views. It was pretty clear to me that he wasn’t actually outraged about the children. He just doesn’t like women, and that’s something that needs to be called out and discussed.

I think there’s significant danger in ignoring dumb comments from people like Bobby. Granted, I usually DO ignore idiots, in spite of the contents of my blog. I probably ignore about 99 percent of the stupid shit I read on social media. A lot of it really is generated by bots.

However, as Bobby demonstrated yesterday, there are a lot of “real people” out there, too, and they are spreading their idiocy. The government, which has been bought by billionaires hoping to become trillionaires, encourages stupidity and simple-mindedness. The super rich want us all to be stupid. We’ll be easier to enslave that way. And if they can get smart women to submit, they’ll be that much closer to forming their own big club, that we’re not going to be allowed to join.

I see it as a duty to call out some of the stupidity… as often as I can, and as much as I can stomach it. But, I’m not going to lie. I also do it because it’s so frustrating to see that stuff. I know I’m just a “housewife”, but I worked hard on my education… not as hard as I probably should have, but I certainly put effort into learning new things and getting somewhat smarter. It’s sad and scary to see people like Bobby out there, spreading their ridiculous views without someone reminding them to think for a second, first. I mean, at least try to cover up the fact that you hate women… 🙄

I realize it’s probably a lost cause to confront people. That’s why I rarely do it. However, I figure if I write about this stuff on my blog, and people voluntarily read my posts (or parts of them, anyway), maybe something will sink in. At the very least, I get a chance to vent and process, and try to make some sense of the world, in my own way.

It IS disturbing that so many people like Bobby– clearly a very ordinary guy who currently lives in the United States– are so enthusiastic about sharing their half-baked bullshit with the masses. It’s even more disturbing that so many people– folks with normal intellectual capacity– are so eagerly lapping it up and spreading it. So… that’s why I write about it. Maybe one or two people who might read this post will give this issue some thought…

Or maybe it’s just a pipe dream, because God knows, people don’t consume more than half of anything a content creator makes… even if it’s just thirty seconds. Trust me on this. I know. 🤭 Or… better yet, find out for yourselves.