I'm Sick of the Internet

There. I said it. It's probably blasphemous to say that on a blog, but it's really starting to get under my skin. It seems like a rapidly increasing percentage of the websites and blogs I frequent have become too self-centered. Too self-aware.

For example, one website I visit has just become a big clique. Bow down to the girls in charge or you will get torn apart. Post after post from these writers in New York City has narrowed from being about feminism, beauty, entertainment, and relationships to tales of their dating history, the Occupy Wallstreet protesters, obscure runway fashion, and the bad decisions they are currently making (but of course, they don't realize that they are bad decisions.) They don't seem to realize that most the people reading their website are not writers. We work real jobs where leggings are not a good decision and coming in hungover doesn't make you look cool. I used to read their articles because they were filled with good advice and galleries. Now, they've revealed so much about
themselves and their decisions, no one in their right mind
should ever listen to them.

Another part of the problem is also that there is no polite way to debate or critique on the internet. All syntax and emotion is lost so it's always perceived in the most negative light. If you post a picture on your blog of what you're wearing that day and someone comments "You might want to reconsider that dress. It makes you look pregnant.", why can't you see that they are NOT saying you look pregnant? They are saying the dress probably isn't the best choice for you. Period. No comment war necessary.

A lot of websites have removed their "dislike" feature and I think that bugs me more than anything. If I don't agree with someone, I should be able to hit the little thumbs down button and move on. Without it, at least on the cliquey websites, if you refute someone's comment, the rest of the brainwashed zombies attacks and no one comes to the rescue. I don't comment on those websites anymore. Just not worth it. I'm all for positivity and politeness online but if you write a crappy article, I should have the right to tell you I think it sucks (you know, in a polite and specific way, not just "You suck!").

One of my favorite blogs recently took down it's thumbs down and starting banning people who were deemed "mean". No definition of "mean" was ever given. Most of the people who were banned were not the mean ones; they were just the ones who disagreed with the blogger and were not her personal friends. That's fine. I won't comment anymore out of fear of being banned (my comments were never mean, by the way, but if I don't agree, I'll say so), but scaring people away isn't the greatest way to generate hits.

Maybe the problem I'm having is that I just need to find new websites. It's hard to cut one out without having another to replace it. So if anyone knows of some good ones, please let me know. If this rant proves anything, it's that I'm kind of desperate.