I've got a question for you...
I need an opinion from all of you. I received a comment on my review of Joshua Braff's The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green review over on FWDT yesterday. It's a highly negative comment in tone as you can read below...
I extremely dislike this book! It would be better if I could reccomend it to anyone under 50. I don't approve of this book because of the r-rated content. Joshua Braff is a sick-minded perv that needs to lighten up the sexual content in this unbelievably sick novel. I hereby state that this book is for the elderly folk.
The comment has no usable URL (http://mynameisurl.com/) or e-mail address ([email protected]) for means of commenting back, and it really doesn't serve much purpose overall other than to trash the book in a non-constructive way.
But I hesitate because it's not a spam comment in the traditional sense. And, I think, he's trying to make some point amidst all his rambling.
If you were maintaining the FWDT site, would you pitch it? Or should I just post a counterpoint reply comment in defense of the book, but without taking the low ground and resorting to verbally abusing the commenter?
I'd leave it there because while negative, the author isn't insulting anyone who reads it, just stating their opinion, as unconstructive as it may be worded.
Posted by: nicole | Tuesday, 26 September 2006 at 05:11 PM
I leave those comments up, but definitely respond to them with my own thoughts on what they've said.
Posted by: Dave2 | Tuesday, 26 September 2006 at 06:48 PM
if you leave it up all it does is make him look dumb (i am totally assuming he is a he). what kind of grammar is he using? and wtf about the elderly? it makes no sense.
or maybe i am drunk.
Posted by: ms. sizzle | Tuesday, 26 September 2006 at 08:12 PM
Leave it up, and use your response to rebut the absurdity of this comment in a non-combative manner.
Posted by: SJ | Tuesday, 26 September 2006 at 10:19 PM
Haha, I would leave it because it is funny to read.
Posted by: kilax | Tuesday, 26 September 2006 at 11:29 PM
ditto with the rest - leave it up, but post a polite response to address the incoherence of his comment, LOL!
Posted by: *lynne* | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 07:24 AM
I agree with the rest, leave it up and show your maturity by posting your own opinion but still respecting someone elses.
Posted by: Alissa | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 08:16 AM
Yeah, that's what I figured would work best. The more I read it, the more it sounds like an actual opinion. But, on first glance, it comes off as such crap.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 08:27 AM
Do you think it was one of your friends joking around in a sarcastic manner?
Posted by: Anomie-Atlanta | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 08:28 AM
I was thinking that might be a possibility as well. But, they typically leave those sorts of smartass comments here. Never seen it happen over on FWDT. But, there's a first for everything.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 08:29 AM
Yeah, leave it up and reply possibly asking for a clarification - "I hereby state that this book is for the elderly folk." - the elderly folk who like sick dark sexual content?!
Posted by: Bec | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 01:00 PM
Yeah, I went ahead and replied. My reply is longer than my original review. Kinda funny how that worked out.
Posted by: kapgar | Wednesday, 27 September 2006 at 05:00 PM
Leave it, but with a witty counter-response along the lines of "I love it when Maud Flanders leaves comments."
Okay, maybe that's overboard...but then again, so is that comment.
Posted by: Dustin | Thursday, 28 September 2006 at 11:32 AM
I'm hoping my response works.
Posted by: kapgar | Thursday, 28 September 2006 at 12:15 PM