Today someone left a comment, which I haven't published, hoping all boomers like myself would die. They were very vehment about the whole thing and there was a lot of anger behind it. And I could make some snappy remarks (for a start, I'm not a boomer!) but it worried me for different reasons.
We are facing a desperate time. Many of us will be shut in the house for the next few months with the same old thoughts milling around for company and little opportunity to rub off any rough edges with others. Soon after we will be facing economic recession as all the dislocation hits. People always look for scapegoats.
After the Black Death in the mid fourteenth century, there was horrific persecution of the Jews. After the economic impact and dislocation caused by the discovery of the Americas and the wars of religion there were the Mass Witchcraft trials throughout Europe. The poor harvests at the end of the eighteenth century resulted in nationalism and revolution in Europe and WWI, the Spanish Flu and the Great Depression were followed by the rise of extremism and hatred.
We have the internet. This is a mixed blessing, because there are some very dark rabbit holes to fall down, but there are also wonderful, positive places and ways to keep connected. Almost everyone has a phone with chances to make calls. Relationship and social networks can sprawl across continents with wonderful friends to keep positive chat going. If there is ever a time to promote tolerance, it is now. Now is a time to remember how we can work together, and to share the good that people do.
WHO have published a note on mental health at this time and you can find it here. Lets look after ourselves and each other and try to be different this time.
Hugs to all.
I had that comment on my blog as well so just deleted it. I can't begin to understand why anyone would write something like that at any time, let alone during a global pandemic.
ReplyDeleteSybil I think the comment was left by a spam bot, I had the same comment left twice on my blog.
ReplyDeleteMany bloggers without comment moderation received that vitriolic scammer - ignore it. I did too but was able to delete it.
ReplyDeleteHey Lyssa. Thanks for the reminder about the positive. We all need to look for the blessings. It is unfortunate that things are being thrown at us each day over this virus, the markets etc. I think we all need to take a break now and again and not read the news or listen to the news or get off social media for a day. Hugs to you, Bear and your husband. Jean
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're feeling better. Hope your loved ones don't succumb. I suspect the "person" who left the nasty comment is just a troll leaving comments on all blogs. It sounds the same as one left on Going Gently a few days ago. All good wishes.
ReplyDeleteTrolls are just a feature of blogging and they do frighten some people away from blogging , we seem to have a little cluster of bot trolls among us at the moment the boomer posts are a case in point . We also have anonymous a regular bitter twisted individual troll who appears from time to time and must be stuck at home bored at the moment , trying to undermine peoples confidence to make themself feel more important. Remember most of us are friendly nice people
ReplyDeletelots of bloggers received it - ignore, it was a bot, if you respond, then it has won. At times like these, positivity, friendship and support outweigh the small mindedness of the few x
ReplyDeleteI follow a blof written by someone in New Zealand and they had the same comment, so I am guessing it is one of those "spam" posts that do the rounds. Not pleasant to receive though - the NZ blogger left it up for people to see. Luckily I have always thought there are far more good people in the world than bad and I think that is being seen now when many are helping each other out. Hope you and your family saty well.
ReplyDeleteThese are, indeed, worrying times and they do seem to bring out both the best and the worst in people. Hopefully, the good will overcome the bad. Take care of yourself and keep well.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Obviously someone had nothing better to do. Whenever I think of leaving a bad comment anywhere (nothing like that!) I just say to myself 'if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all'. That's what Mum always says lol
ReplyDelete