June 5, 2013

Dear David, Thanks For The Feedback

So last night was an interesting one on Twitter.

I'd had a rough day, as happens on occasion. A couple of people had disappointed me, as people are wont to do. And I was feeling a little grumpy, as was fairly understandable.

And so I tweeted about it. I guess I wanted some support. And Twitter is fairly excellent for that.

I didn't write 'I am feeling really grumpy', because that is not my style. I try to be funny, and a little lighthearted, even when I'm feeling cross.

So I wrote:

Several people have annoyabled me this morning. I feel crankalily. Why is everyone so irritadedinglyish?

Well, a couple of people Tweeted back, which was welcome, and comforting. And then this came in, from one David Oldfield, of One Nation (and Pauline Hanson) fame.

I'm annoyed by loons who screw with the English language and think it's clever or funny - your tweet is neither!



Well, I can't pretend his comment didn't smart. I wouldn't have to pretend, because it genuinely didn't. I honestly don't care what one David Oldfield thinks of my writing. I mean, obviously I'd prefer it if the entire world found me hilarious, but statistically speaking, it's unlikely that would ever happen. And, given that someone has to find me neither clever nor funny, I would rather it be David than, say, the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, or the publisher of my next book.

Still, the entire scenario fascinated me. Why on earth would someone - a grown man, a father of two sons, a husband, a political figure, and a radio host - want to attack a person they don't even know over something so utterly unimportant? To call a perfectly harmless writer-type person a 'loon'? Putting aside the fact that he is wrong (because language, after all, is something to be played with and enjoyed), what did he get out of it?

Now, possibly I am a loon. I am certainly a loon for giving David Oldfield even more attention by writing this post. But I do wonder at the psychology of it all. And I see similar scenarios played out over and over on the internet, and every time, I wonder WHY.

I have never understood random attacks on strangers. Obviously we all have differences of opinion, and that is normal and fine and to be totally encouraged. And if David had said that he didn't like my tweet, I would have accepted that. I still wouldn't have been sure why he felt the need to mention it, but it was his prerogative. But to call someone a 'loon' is just nasty.

Still, for every David Oldfield, there are hundreds of people who are kind and loyal and caring and fun. And dozens of them tweeted their support for me last night, leaving Mr O no doubt wondering what an earth he got himself into.

And despite David Oldfield making me even more crankalily than I already was, they filled my heart with gladnesses. And I found myself happyish once more.

PLEASE note: I don't want this to degenerate into nasty comments about David Oldfield. Just comments about the post, gorgeous readers. x

72 comments:

  1. We love youuuuse toooooo xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I follow Kerri because she has a lovely sense of humour...


    I don't follow David because... well, I just don't.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fi @ My Mummy DazeJune 5, 2013 at 7:17 AM

    Some people have no personal insight into their own behaviours and quickly transfer their own issues on to others. In this case. Kerri you were just happened to be in the firing line. It's days more about him, and nothing about you. There's nothing 'looney' about it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fi @ My Mummy DazeJune 5, 2013 at 7:18 AM

    Oops, 'says' ^

    ReplyDelete
  5. I loved your tweet. I didn't love his. Blergh.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The really funny part is that, judging by his tweets, he should have just said 'ditto'!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't know what motivates people to go out of their way to write stinging comments to people they don't know. I can only guess they are fueled by their own internal anger or grumpiness. You, on the other hand, are motivated to entertain and make us smile. And that makes you a winner. Don't let his nastiness get you down. Most people see it for what it is. X

    ReplyDelete
  8. I wouldn't leave nasty comments about David because he thrives on them. He gets my sympathy because I could not imagine what it is like to live with a burden like his with so much darkness and hatred in my heart. You, dearest Kerri, bring love, light and laughter - a precious gift.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't know who this David is. But as an apparent animal rights activist (by the looks of his bio) he SURELY has bigger things to be annoyabled by? Anyway I find your wordplay delightful. Hope you have a much better day today. X

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ah Twitter, don't go changing. Lucky there's quite a few good sorts on there.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just don't get people who verbally spit on others just because. If he wasn't happy about your tweet he should have just unfollowed. Some things are obviously just too hard for some. La ya Kez x

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is so weird. It's not like you did something unforgivable, like write 'your' instead of 'you're'. I thought your tweet was both and funny. You made up words and they weren't totally shit. WIN!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I agree. I did not understand at all. All I could think was 'WTF?' Still thinking that.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kim @ Frog PondsRockJune 5, 2013 at 8:25 AM

    Not knowing the man, only knowing "of him" He could have just been having a shit morning as well and your tweet was the final straw so he responded grumpily and without thinking and tadaa here we are discussing two random tweets. I know that on occasion I have responded grumpily on twitter to a random tweet in my stream not because I took particular objection to that tweet but because that tweet was the final straw. David could have just been having one of those days as well and because of the power of twitter, here we are talking about it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Some of the world's greatest authors have 'screwed' with the English language and invented new words and turned it upside down. If the Twitterverse was like David Oldfield, we would never be able to LOL, ROFL or go WTF...

    ReplyDelete
  16. I can only imagine that David Oldfield was having a bit of a bad day himself and thought it was best to take it out on someone he didn't know?! I was a bit baffled that he saw to have a crack - no matter how benign he might have thought that crack was.
    And I tink this is a good reminder for everyone that on the other end of every thoughtless line or throwaway comment is a real person!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Have been pondering this one since last night and my only conclusion is that when a person randomly attacks a complete stranger about something as unimportant and inconsequential as playing with words that they are either dealing with their own 'issues' at the time and taking it out on someone else or they are only really trying to cause trouble and/or grab attention attention.

    I dont' know which it was in this case but given past behaviour both on Twitter and over the years in other media I'd say he has a history of causing trouble/grabbing attention by saying outlandish things.

    My suggestion - move on. Feeding an attention seeker with attention just gets them off. It's easier said than done of course - but spend your day creating something that makes your life and the lives of those around you better and let those that tear down others for no reason wallow in their destructive tendancies.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Obviously David has never heard of Lewis Carroll and his classic literary forms ( Think Jabberwocky and Alice in Wonderland!) Playing with words like this actually creates neural pathways - it wakes up your brain (and your sense of humour). Don't feel too bad - I guess it's hard to nudge awake the brain of a middle aged male politician.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jay - Moodie FoodieJune 5, 2013 at 9:22 AM

    I get why it annoyed you. We use Twitter to talk about stuff and to support each other. Some people just don't get why we use social media and that's okay too I guess. Until they get mean..... Keep on being fabulous xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. That's why I follow you and NOT him....and quite frankly why would he (or anyone for that matter !!) even be bothered !!! It's all very sillilally !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. David Oldfield reads your tweets? I'd be more worried about that :). You my darling Ms Sackville are the deliciousness and your last paragraph made me grin. Coz you're the cleverness and funnininess all wrapped up in to oneiness. And you know, David who?

    ReplyDelete
  22. I just hope you are having a better day today. The simple fact that he himself thought he'd call you a loon is ridiculous. It's like he's forgotten his whole history. You are anything but. xx

    ReplyDelete
  23. it's not compulsory to follow you Kerri...? and it's twitter for crying out loud - you're not writing a novel?! If this is all he has to worry about then he needs to #getalife

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dearest Kerrilileee, I too have been feeling crankilily and make jokes with work colleagues that always make me feel better. Perhaps David was also feeling crankiliy himself so perhaps we shouldn't judge him too harshly. Carry on as you were I'd say.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Your question (WHY?) is an excellent one, as is your post. And honestly? I'd be more worried if Mr Oldfield was tweeting you fulsome praise (in only properectable words, of course)

    ReplyDelete
  26. The funny thing is, I had a look at his Twitter stream, and there weren't plenty of examples of imperfect English in there. Speck/plank. Ha!

    ReplyDelete
  27. If I wrote 'your' wrong I would troll MYSELF!!! xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Ah, you just follow me cause I laugh at your jokes...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh goodness yes. We only want properectable languagelish. HA!

    ReplyDelete
  30. No, it's not compulsory to follow me. (I tried to make it compulsory, but Twitter wouldn't listen!!!) x

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thank you my love. You are not a loon, either. Okay, so probably we both are, but not in the way he thinks....

    ReplyDelete
  32. YES! Of course. Was thinking of Dr Seuss but Carroll is the perfect example. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  33. You know what? You are SO right and normally I would. And I feel silly for even writing about it. I think he just caught me at a vulnerable moment (I mean, I was tweeting about feeling cranky). And I bit! Sigh..... xxx

    ReplyDelete
  34. YES. I think that's exactly what we need to remember. We are all people. With feelings. Even if we are a bit silly sometimes. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  35. Seriously - I can't even remember a world without LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  36. True. And that may be what happened. But I still don't think it's nice to take out one's grumpiness on a stranger. Or anyone for that matter.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I suspect that David was at some airport bar drinking, waiting for a delayed flight. That is the only reason I can think of why someone would do this.

    ReplyDelete
  38. 'Blergh' - is THAT a real word, Chantelle? xxx

    ReplyDelete
  39. I like big jokes and I can not lie...

    ReplyDelete
  40. It totes is. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blergh

    ReplyDelete
  41. totally understand - I bit too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Interesting. he pulled up up for creating words and not using them correctly. Howver the word Loon is: Any of several fish-eating, diving birds of the genus Gavia of northern regions, having a short tail, webbed feet, and a laughlike cry.
    So I question, why was he calling you a fish-eating diving bird?

    ReplyDelete
  43. JoCountrylifeexperimentJune 5, 2013 at 5:44 PM

    Can I just say I am glad that people 'screw' with the English language. If not we would still be talking in Ye Olde English with thou and thy and all that stuff. Language is constantly evolving. Even the word 'tweet' has changed it's meaning as a result of twitter. If someone is unhappy about the evolution of language they need to go live in an isolationist cult somewhere and shun all contact with the world! I make up words all the time!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I suspect that he too may have had one of those days and, rather than being a little lighthearted and funny about it he finds relief in striking out at people - no excuse and it's not pretty but it could be an explanation.

    ReplyDelete
  45. 1. He reads your tweets?
    2. He clearly has no sense of humour?
    3. Poor him?
    4. Hope your day improves, I feel your pain. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  46. Yeah, I was surprised he bothers reading my tweets too!!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  47. I still cannot get that image out of my mind. xxxxxxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  48. I think it is funny that someone can get so crankalily over obvious light hearted humour! :) I often make up words and sometimes think they are more befitting for the situation than the correct word - hears to trying to always make light of a situation.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I saw this when it happened, and my thoughts were a) oh he follows her- maybe they're friends?? And b) if they're not friends, WTF is with him leaving a random sarky comment? Bizzarro! I love your writing!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Maybe he had a crappy day too?

    ReplyDelete
  51. zain ul abidin kkJune 9, 2013 at 3:41 AM

    Any thing you want in Entertainment for Fun... Entertainment Articles, Entertainment News, Entertainment Pictures, Bollywood, Hollywood and Lollywood Pictures and Videos, Entertainment Latest updates, Hot Entertainment News and Pictures Funny Entertainment Pictures, lol Pictures, Funny Pictures and Much More Fun Only on 1 Current Affairs Network

    hotcurrentaffairs.com

    ReplyDelete

Thanks! Love hearing from you.

Like it? Share it!