Blogs and Civility

Daniel Henninger's Wonder Land column in the WSJ today is as amusing as it is disturbing. Being over 50, (just), I'm not used to foul language being acceptable in public. (Though my almost all grown up kids tell me I use it more than I think, usually engaging in the SUV combat of the school run.)

Having just started a blog a few months ago, I have only recently started referring to myself as a blogger, and it's a shock to read about someone sharing cannibalistic impulses on their blog. I somehow feel like it reflects on me. But then I just stick to the political blogs. Whether mine is nominally political, I hope not! This is about as personal as I get.

I usually read the Wall St. Journal op-ed page, conservative blogs and articles, and then the major newspapers, which is enough liberalism for me, besides what floats around the neighborhood. The few times I've sampled the lefty blogosphere I have been startled by the foul language and anger, the ad-hominem attacks. I start to feel like I'm their mother. I want to tell them, Behave!

Since I get enough of being a mom in real life, I've stopped visiting those sites. But there is hope that the blogosphere won't dominate the world---enough people, including, amazingly enough, some of my closest relatives, find blogs BORING.