Annalisa > Status Update

Sometimes people can be kind of rude about review. Opinions are opinions--we're entitled to our own!

I know! It always surprises me the force with which some people need to tell me my opinion is wrong. It's the rudeness that gets to me. I wish people were more civil online.

a sad but true reality. still, there are strangers who leave good comments. hope you still have good experiences here in GR :)

I know and that's why it was sad that I had to block all comments :(. Most of the comments were fine, but the negative ones overshadowed them so that I wasn't having a good experience anymore. Now I can go back to enjoying the site, even if I miss out on some great comments.

I've had a couple negative comments on my reviews--I just delete them and pretend like they were never there.

I've just gotten to where I don't want to deal with them anymore. You still have to read them and it ruins your day. Someone said I must have been home schooled, someone else said I was disturbed, and just the other day someone accused me of lying about reading Gone with The Wind because apparently my super-long review wasn't enough to convince her that I'd done more than see the movie. And yes, all of those comments are because I tried to have a civil conversation and they turned even ruder in their responses until I blocked them, but if I just leave it, than it feels like I've surrendered my review space to commentors. I used to delete them. I don't anymore. It doesn't look bad on me. It looks bad on the person leaving the comment.

I didn't even know you could set it up to block comments without being private. Good idea! I hate getting rude comments too. I don't get it. They never even have to do with their opinion about the book either but just super critical of me and my review. I've thought about deleting my reviews on a few books that tend to attract the worst offenders but I like your method better. And I totally agree with your most recent comment. Frustrating!

Lucy, it's a brand-new feature, thanks to this discussion:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

The bullying has gotten really bad for some readers. Gratefully, I haven't been harassed to that extent, but I know if I were, I would have caved and deleted the review. I've thought about deleting a few reviews too (including my Gone With the Wind review which took me forever to write and I've already edited it down to take out the points I was getting the most disagreement on) and even at times my account. It's sad that readers have caved to it. I was so excited when the Goodreads team said they were working on a solution. I'd gotten to where I didn't even want to get on the site anymore, but today I've been on just about all day. You definitely should use the option. I know how rude people have been to you. Go to edit profile>settings> uncheck "allow non-friends to comment on my reviews."

It is sad that even goodreads isn't immune to bullying.

Catherine, I agree. With a more literate culture you hope to be above that but apparently not :(.

I am surprised that sometimes the people disagreeing and being argumentative haven't even read the book. That is ridiculous.

You gotta do what you gotta do. For some reviewers, missing out on possible positive comments from complete strangers is worth it to avoid the verbal abuse and harassment of some of the assholes on this site. >:[ Hopefully, Goodreads really will tinker with things more, though, so that this solution isn't so black and white.

Caroline, I agree. I was hoping for your original suggestion to turn off comments on certain reviews and think most users would be happiest with that option, but for now I'm happy and relieved with this one. Seriously, I can't thank you enough!

Marla, I don't understand that one. Only makes the commenter look ignorant. But hey, thanks for coming to my defense one of the times I got a less-than-friendly commenter :).

I'm glad that you decided to not leave goodreads. I love reading your reviews and seeing your insights regardless if I agree or not!

Erin, I don't think I actually could. I've invested too much into the site!

My very wise mother would tell us: "Don't let success go to your head and don't let failures go to your heart." And in this case, substitute with praise and criticism.

:) You're welcome Annalisa, I hate to see anyone get bullied! And unfortunately, in our virtual world, people feel that they can say any rude thing, because they don't have to look the person in the eye during or after they say it. Anonymity doesn't require accountability.

We would miss you greatly, so I, for one, am glad that you could find a solution that will provide you peace and keep you with us.

Thank you, Marla :).