On using the comments section
If you have been a regular Metblog reader, you will notice that along with the slight dip in the number and quality of posts, there has been an alarming and utterly deplorable increase in the number of abusive comments on the site.
We can do something about the quality of posts. They do occasionally fall. Not all posts, as you would understand, are great. Some are good, some only so-so. You may have even felt that some are down right bad.
We are constantly at work on improving the quality. That is something we can do, and if you ask me, often do effectively. If you can think of any ways to improve this blog, please make your suggestions. You can always use the story suggestions tool or the comments section for this.
Here at Metblogs, we have a no comments deletion policy. Since we have some respect for the Internet, we don’t want to delete anything from it. As far as I know (and I have been around since the beginning), nothing ever has been deleted from this blog.
If you are an abusive commentator, this policy should, no doubt, excite you. Seeing all the abuses you make against the author of the post, your fellow commentator, and ultimately yourself, appear on this blog must surely be a gratifying experience.
The no deletion policy will remain in place. Comments will not be deleted, modified or monitored in any fashion. It is the hardest to show restrain while enjoying absolute freedom. We would like the comments section to be an extension of what the authors says in the post. Please do consider helping us keep the comments section a place where fruitful debate occurs.
What drivel. David already deletes comments that tell him his posts are illogical — though theyb don’t have a single abusive word.
It is a good thing to hsve a blog dedicated to Chennai, moles and all. Having said that, the comments and commentators, just as the writer should be respected for the interest shown.
The debates here are benign, compared to some other blogs. Debate just shows human nature.
I would suggest a model like http://www.chowk.com, where anyone can write to the editorial board and get an article published, unlike this one where you have to live with the apartheid of its ‘writers’ and ‘commentators’.
I would like some one to write a blog about the language issues in Chennai on my recent visit I was
quite disheartened to listen to see how people are treated when the speak in the official language of this state. People are to egotistical here and not proud of there language it seems.
I agree with Nilu. Its not as if all the authors do not delete any of the posts.
We may create a fish market here, on our disagreements or biased views of each other. Be it rhetoric, propoganda, abuse, extension, disagreement, agreement, salutation .. or whatever , an individuals freedom of speech is something that is sacred – even if it is not to anothers personal taste.
Dissent is a vital part of democracy and you should keep it that way. Authors too have all sorts of varied ideals and biased views. Many of the authors and commentators display signficantly polar opinions , hence they will attract dissent from their peers.
Many a times, there is agreement to the quality of a post as well.You will also notice that commentators too have preferences – certain blogs do not attract any comments whereas others attract all sorts of comments.
Besides, i dunno why you the authors have to take it so personally. In terms of being able to create an argument on your blog.. you the author, are the winner.
It would be good if you guys can report more on activism and social issues in chennai. Unlike my initial impression, you do have a variety of people. But somehow its still not representative in terms of interest. Predominant topics – Vintage Chennai, Events, Traffic, Nostalgia, Coffee Houses. In one of my other moods, I would be saying thats crap. “Real” chennai is more than just all these nice things. Especially given that you have a few “journalists” amidst you. You have an aspiring filmmaker on your list. But how many posts have we had about the state of tamil cinema? If people lack time, you can switch to a model like the commenter suggested above. Obviously, there is lot more happening in Chennai in terms of issues and you guys are uniquely positioned to do so. For example, where’s the city going in terms of urban planning? how bad is the economic divide? how are the suburbs faring in terms of growth? how are traditional industries and industries other than IT? the issue of losing our identity, the issue of the environment and how chennai is faring. I am sure its running on your heads but it better be on this blog.
You guys have done a good job in consistently running the site but I think you need to move onto something with more substance. I hope I added to/reinforced certain ideas that you already had. Apologies if a conclusion is wrong.
I agree with david. Expressing discomfort over a point made by an author is different from getting personal with them.
My request to the readers is to be abusive if needed but be abusive about the blog and not the blogger. Calling an author pea brains and idiot does not get the blog, the blogger or the reader anywhere.
IMHO the quality of comments reflect the quality of posts. Of late I’ve been seeing posts with very poor grammar and bad English in general (by vinodvv, dilip, etc. to name a few) and those where the author shows their own bias (e.g., your own over the RamSetu controversy). Personally I enjoy GV Balu’s photo-related posts, that’s pretty much it. So before you try to rectify comments, do some serious introspection yourself.
“Quality of comments reflect the quality of posts” … Add my vote too !
Most comments reflect the quality and objectivity of the posts as well as the other comments against them.
I agree some authors put up really shoddy posts, and several commentators come up with really critical lines. But in the larger picture, this is a public forum hence none of the comments should be edited.
The only incentive that the authors may have is to invite quality commentors to become authors. That may to some extent, will invite good talent towards the blog
I read 3 different city metblogs – Bangalore, Chennai and San Jose and am ashamed that Chennai has the worst posts. The authors should be embarrassed to be associated with such trash. Is this the best a metro the size of Chennai can offer? Let me list the problems:
1. Posts that do not reflect the metro at all – example:the Zune review
2. Unoriginal posts — Ex:the email forwards like how to know you are in Chennai etc.
3. The language and grammar — If English is not a strong point let the authors write in Tamil.
4. Bad reviews — Where a place is mentioned but the details are missing. EX:the disco post.
5. Dilip — definitely the weakest writer here. His rants and rambles are fine for his own personal blog but is this the representation of Chennai to the world? If anybody needs an editor it is this guy. Badly thought out posts that show lack of organization, hubris and absence of logical thinking, ghastly grammar — guaranteed in his writings.
Nilu,
a couple of ur comments were indeed deleted. but they were abusive. fact is, you continue to abuse authors. i distinctly remember you calling an author idiot.
Parthasarathy,
unfortunately, we can’t change our model. I’m aware of chowk.com. and what little i have read of it, i have liked it a lot. but like i said, we really cant change to that model.
I am not so much against debate us such, which u rightly call human nature. it may be true that the nature of comments are much better than in other unmoderated blogs. but as an author, i am interested in improving the quality of the debate and preventing abuses all together.
Amen to that, Gowri. The difference in quality between the Bangalore and Chennai blogs makes me cringe. BTW, vinodvv also gives Dilip a run for his money as the weakest link here.
Gowri,
thanks for ur comments. here’s my elaborate answer.
1. the zune post, the author of that post Dilip felt, was about the city because he was one of the first in the city to own it. there were disagreements between the commentators and the author over the post, and since last week we have agreed to stick to a more pertinent subject matter.
2. i do not understand what u mean in your second line. exactly which post are u referring to?
there are very few email forwards as such on this site. we try to keep them to a minimum. in some cases we are requested by friends and acquaintances, sometimes even commentators, to help them out by posting about an event. in those cases, we do oblige them.
3. while most of the authors have pretty good english, I agree that some of the authors’ language skills are not up to the mark. writing in Tamil is an excellent idea and there are posts on this site that have been written in Tamil. it’s been a while since anyone posted in Tamil. i will try and moot the idea among my fellow authors.
4. the disco post needed a more elaborate caption. i still thought that was a pretty decent picture, didnt you?
5. As for Dilip, he recently quit. I never thought he was a weak writer.
As a sometime reader of MB: Chennai, I’d have two observations to make:
1) Trolls are trolls. The net’s full of them. While the vast majority of posters can make comments without insulting people, there’s always a few for whom insults are the highest form of intellectual dissent they can muster. Sad, really, but that’s the way of things. Best rule to follow: Do not feed the trolls. Once they get used to having foolish, abusive behavior ignored, they’ll move on to other venues.
2) To all the people grousing here about the quality of the site – it’s good to see that so many care. If you’d like to help change things, why not put your efforts where your complaints lie: Don’t like the coverage? Ask if you can add your own! Become a blogger! Sitting back and throwing stones is lazy work. Write – and prove you’re even half the hard-nosed writer you’re accusing the others of not being.
Well put, Mack! :)
Nandhu,
I take it that your view that ‘commentators’ cannot write on this site is not just your own view, but that of the majority stakeholders on this site?
If so, there is nothing we ‘commentators’ could do about it, but I do hope that articles do not become a property of a select few.
One advantage of the net is that a large number can participate. Such participation can only increase the number of views, facts and indeed, the quality of debates.
As for forwarded emails, I do not see why we should not read them, ifthey do relate to Chennai. No one can make the ‘perfect’ website, and grammar mistakes should be minimum but forgiven easily. As for Dilip, I thought he was a good writer and its unfortunate to have antagonised him too. Politics, no doubt?
I was glad to have chanced upon a site dedicated to Chennai and where people could write their views. But I would be dissappointed if you did not have an open mind on this issue, of the scope of writing articles here.
Anywhere in this world human voices and opinions are
relevant. Blogs aren’t exempt. Curtailing them is
out of fear. It is an expression of weakness.
Gandhi, Lincoln and Mandela had ‘no fear’.
Blocking or deleting comments are actions of weakling.
I think the quality of the blogs reflect the quality of the people residing in that state. Someone here compared Bangalore metblogs to the Chennai one. Well, in a nutshell, Bangaloreans are not used to picking up fights at the drop of a hat. Most of them are well-seasoned people, much unlike the untolerant bunch in the whole state of Tamil Nad. Before you accuse me of being another raving North Indian, I am not one, unless you consider anyone living up your state a north Indian.
Having lived in Tamil Nad for the past three years, and mercifully out now, I have realized how such an insular state can ever exist.
If you want to improve the quality of comments, get in more opinions from people outside your state. Although Tamil Nad has the least diverse population as compared to any other state, it might still be worth a try.
Nandhu,
Now, let’s assume I was abusive. Who decides that? The author of that post? That’s already being done — even by your own admission here. So why did you make this post, if that is the case already? I don’t intend to get into a slug-fest with you because it’s a no contest. But then, this is the metblog of the city I live in. So, either write relevant/logical things. Or shut up. Shutting up isn’t that difficult, you know?
This is getting better ..
All of us realise this is a public forum visible to the whole world. Lets do our best to make this metblog a place for all Chennai lovers and even outsiders to visit and post their best / worst comments. Everyone is good and bad at some points. But lets not make this place dirty anymore.
I’m, a Chennai fan, is out of Chennai for last 6 years. No place is better than my hometown and things related to it .. this metblog is one of them. Keep it going with high spirits, Good or bad, I’ll continue to visit !
Chennai rocks ! Did some one hear that ?
Most of the comments here which talk about quality and content are themselves trash. I find them more of a crib; nothing constructive…If you think you can write/contribute better stuff, you should be writing content here, not comments.
Justpassingby>will you pls grow up and stop comparing cities? There is no difference in the mind-set of a majority of the folks in any Indian city, cos we have an Indian mind-set. Its folks like you with a narrow regionalistic outlook who start this whole divide stuff.
Snide remark>The way the politicians are fighting it out in Bangaloroo right now leaves much to be desired, so pls set it right asap.
soory about addressing my earlier post to justpassingby. it was meant for Pritham, who has made it a habit to land up in a Metblog of a city she hates an yet continues to comment on every post :-)
Hey guys, you cant blame every frustration on PMS :-)
Hi Donthecat, (or should it be dontheb..?)
At least, I have the courage to post my name. And I would pardon you for not getting my gender right from my name because you are from a state with the really psyched-out names.
You are right about the PMS though. I am experiencing the post-madras syndrome and none the more happier for it. I just commented once. Maybe you just like to see me everywhere.
I did give suggestions — write city centric original stuff, even in Tamil if need be. Why post fwd emails ? David once even posted a newspaper article. Shouldn’t this blog have original content?
As for challenging people to write for MB — perhaps not all should be writing. Blogs have been so egalitarian that every one thinks s/he is the next big thing. Perhaps the way out would be to invite some journalism or creative writing students to write for MB.
If you read some comments it seems like Chennai is a village not a metropolis. Please stop this “North Indian” hate. Why are the locals so xenophobic?
Not all of us reading the blog live in Chennai. Get used to the idea that this metblog is your representation to the world. Maybe that will inspire some authors to do better.
Some authors had passion but are not able to contain it enough to think clearly. You could feel the raw energy in the posts but that does not make up for writing talent.
We care enough to tell you honestly. Do you care enough to start acting on it?
Gowri you are from a village it sounds like, people across the globe are fed up with North Indians not just Chennai, people in Bangalore also dislike them. Because of there rude and intolerant behaviour, go overseas as see what reputation they have nothing to be proud of.
The only people who hate “north indians” in Bangalore are, you guessed right, Tamilians. If the Tamilians so much liked their own state, you wouldn’t see them making a beeline for Bangalore like they do. Now close to 27% and growing…
Bangalore and Mumbai are a metropolis whereas Chennai is not because they can accept anyone and let them lead their kind of life without thrusting their language and culture on them.
I have traveled across the globe, and seen none of the “north-indian” (which to Tamilians is anyone north of their state) hate that Ram so proudly talks of.
Signs of being a Tamilian:
1. You think that the world is either TN or the US.
2. When you go abroad, you try your best to tell everyone who cares to listen that Hindi is not the national language of India.
3. You think that Rajnikanth’s acting skills are the epitome of good acting.
4. You cannot live without curd-rice.
5. You think you are a caste-less state but inherently, more casteist than any other state in India.
6. Contort Sanskrit names (Ranganath becomes Renganath) just to show your Tamil allegiance.
Grow up guys!
I think the issue about hate for North Indians has transgressed its boundary.
IMO, If indeed that hate is a part of Chennaite identity, it should be reflected on the blog too. No harm in that. Even gossip can be published and indeed the site could even write up a disclaimer to the writings here.
Anything that may be interesting and is related somehow to Chennai should be postable. That should include forwarded emails too! But the basic structure should remain the same. Who decides this? I think ideally an editorial board, something like a censor board, not neccessarily writers even, but sensible enough to see the difference betweeen criticism and bad language, and between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ articles, between quality and spam.
And then, the blog editors should then be getting plenty of material to choose from.
partha,
i never said commentators cant turn bloggers. we just cant adopt the chowk model. if you or any one else wants to become a metblogger, do leave your email, and i will get in touch with u. as such i am not sure if ur present email id, which does not appear on this site (but which i can see) is valid.
all of what i say is not my sole opinion. it’s this site’s.
Please don’t write in Tamil. Everyones English here seems sufficient. Squeeze the post through Word’s spell and grammar checker if need be but keep the door open!
It’s my second language too and it’s great at that.
The comments made by Pritham are really silly, TN and Chennai is not forcing anything on anyone in fact this is a place which is more leanient than other places like Mumbai. You have to learn Marathi or Hindi in Mumbai to survive or you can not do anything, and let us not forget TN has a governor who is a non Tamilian, while most other states have never had one and never will. I do not see MH, AP or any other states appoint non natives as there governors or CM’s. In terms of forcing culture I think people who come to TN force there culture on locals including other so called South Indians. Also Hindi is not the national language of India but one of the official languages. India generally is a mistake that occured on a grand scale.
Nandhu,
Thank you for clarifying that my impression that ‘commentators’ cannot post is wrong. The list of ‘authors’ somehow created that mistaken impression.
This aspect of the site is welcome and I do hope it stays that way. Hope everyone else is aware of this too.
And yes, my email ID is indeed the one I have mentioned.
Sorry for jumping into the Tamil-North Indian divide…but it is getting little bit too much….As far as my personal observations on my trips to the North side of India, i only found people being not so open….in chennai one can easily get the directions to any place of significant importance and esp. to bustops and to places without being able to talk in tamil…but i found it so funny that in the capital city of India one cannot hope to find a busstop or even way to the Red Fort unless u ask it in Hindi….esp. if it is clear that u have a brown skin and a dravidian face….
I am willing to give the conscession that they still feel hurt that the tamilians long ago were against forceful insertion of hindi into their lifes…..but pray how many of the people from the North side speak tamil or any other languages….Languages are for communication….for building bridges among people….but unfortunatley we don´t appreciate it…i guess we still teach in our schools that India has unity in diversity….but always when i came across such arguments over language issue i wonder whether we really do have unity in our diversity….how many of us do really has the mind and elegance/grace to appreciate our diversity and hope to maintain it?
I am not an religious fanatic but i like going to temples(ofcourse i do also go to church and dargas) becoz of the peace that prevails there but i was scared to death and felt suffocated and wanted to get away as soon as possible when i was in the temple in North India……The sheer aggressiveness in the negative sense of the priests there really made me feel insecure…
And from the scientific area it is still worse….most of the people in the CSIR institutions and all other central research institutions in Tamil Nadu has typical north indian name……
And if one wants to get logical and really hurt u guys…i can go on naming the zero intolerance that the north indians show to their fellow indians from neighbouring and down south states…
everyone has their own preferences and taste for food, we like curd rice since it suits our hot climate and it is the best and harmless food…full of partially/completely digested proteins and carbohydrates…..and our staple food like idli and dosai are the best scientifically concoted food of good proportions of carbohydrates and proteins…. And it only shows that how silly people can be when they make such silly comments about food…..
Before making any silly comments about our soicalising ability just stop and turn back, take a look at urself and then start talking…or writing……
Couple of observations-
1. The Chennai metblog has some good, useful content. Now there will be some that not so good. Nandhu has pointed that out himself and accepted the need to work at improving it; this is being mature. Rubbing it in with comparisons with other metblogs is unnecessary. Sure, I welcome encouragement to the authors to improve, but I get the feeling they have the intent. As they continue to work on it, they’ll get better.
2. I disagree with the thought that the quality of comments reflects those of the posts. You do not need much more than a survey of other blogs to verify this.
3. Abusive comments that I have seen on the Chennai Metblog are usually of the following categories- disrespectful of the author, insensitive comments about groups of people and generalizations that are negative. To those that write thus, I’d only ask- is it really necessary?
4. You see sweeping generalizations in some comments- North Indians are this, Tamilians are that, and so on. Come on, our identities are purely a matter of chance. Do we need to make so much of these? I am a Tamilian by birth and I have been living in Chennai for the last 6 years; I have lived all over the country and traveled extensively within and outside the country. I am completely fluent in 3-4 languages of this country. I would find it difficult to say anything that would apply uniformly to any set of people. I think that people everywhere are the same- they want creative expression, a chance to lead fulfilling lives and have a good time. I consider myself a human being on this planet who is incidentally whatever else. Before I think ill of another group of people with a different identity, all I need to do is to remind myself that but for chance I could well have been them!
5. Last point about what can the authors do to improve quality-
– Invite contributions from different types of people; someone wanted posts about urban planning, economic divides, etc.- these require people with expertise to write meaningfully
– Try to see if the posts can be relevant to Chennai
– Avoid the errors of the abusive commentators!
– Keep writing and re-writing; there is nothing like good writing, only good re-writing! You can only improve as you keep trying
All in all I’d say this blog is a good job that we must all encourage.
Ela, your comment is SO hilarious! I still do not get why the people of Tamil Nadu prefer a foreign language to one of their own. Hatred is an intrisic quality of the Chennai lifestyle. Anti-northindian, Anti-Hindi, Anti-Sanskrit, Anti-Brahmin… The only pro thing is the soft corner for English and the people who ruled you. That fits in very well with the fascination for the fair skin in Madras. You would rather speak a foreign language than one your own.
Try having a conversation with a fellow tamilian who was raised outside your state and ask them if they would entertain the idea of relocating to their home-location. I will be astounded even if you get a single yes to that one. I know of my Tamil friends in mumbai who rejected wanted Tamilians raised out of the state.
I guess it is time the Tamilians ask themselves why they raise the hackles of everyone outside their state, including their neighbors. It is that, “we know english and everyone in India can talk to us in that language”. Only 10% india is conversant in English and close to 70% can manage Hindi. I have traveled Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka and never faced a language issue. And people don’t look at you in disgust when you speak in Hindi.
Tamil Nadu just doesn’t look or feel like the rest of India. Even the north-east beats TN there.
Yes TN is not like rest of india and we exactly want it to be lik that.
If you ask any one who has born and brought up in mumbai or delhi will like to be in only those cities for the simple reason that they are bigger than their native places and provides lots of oppertunities and materialistic satisfaction which their native city/ place cant give. so it holds good for not only tamil in mumbai but even to anyone from any other state.
There is nothing like Anti-northindian, Anti-Hindi, Anti-Sanskrit, Anti-Brahmin. These are different dimensions which needs to be looked at individually.
Anti-northindian: Is it that if some one does not accept the view point of a north indian shoud be called anti north indian? If so then we are anti north indian. Exactly the attitude of people like pritham which makes an average chennaite to not like them.
Anti-Hindi: Ah again the same old thing. Why do you expect locals to speak hindi? when there is no necessary for them to learn the language why should they learn it? If languages can unite nations then, pakistan-bangaladesh, england-ireland, england-us all would have been single nation. Its idiotic, stupidity and arrogance on th part of the people who say that if i trave to a place the locals in that place whould have known my language. Better you learn the language of the masses or just carry on your work.
Anti-Sanskrit, Anti-Brahmin: There are historic reasons for this. I dont want to dealt with this here
Regu (that should have been Raghu but then, you wouldn’t want to admit to Sanskrit, would you?)
Dude, I was born in Belgaum, and have traveled most places in India. So, my perspective is not from sitting inside my state and giving you my opinion. What I write is the perception that people from all over India have of Tamil Nadu, including the southern states. The culture that Tamil Nadu boasts of like its dances and music come from the very community that it so detests. If you admit that your culture is reflected in the movies that you make, I am not even commenting.
Tamilians brought up in Tamil Nadu and working in Bangalore do not ever want to return to their home state with a few exceptions.
My TamBrahm friends would rather die than return back to their home state. Of course, you have historical reasons. Like what…?
In the one year that I was in Chennai, I saw no festival being celebrated with the gaiety. No Ganesh Chaturthi, No Diwali, No Christmas…everyone just shops and stays home! Even Pongal, supposedly the state’s own festival is no exception.
Instead of asking other Indians to accept you, maybe you should look around and try being accepted. That could make some differene. Of course, you could continue to be the insular state and life in India would still go on.
Thanks Pritham. Thanks for your time, thanks for your concern towards your brothers and sisters in TN. You made your point. Dont you worry, we(Tamilians) all have understood our mistakes. We will change soon, if not for anyone, but for you. Please go and have some milk or Thumps up to chill you down. Go home and sleep. Its not good for your health to continue on this. Thanks again.
Btw, you still can continue to visit this blog as well as Chennai and write comments too.
ahh forgot … Do not expect a response to your comments anymore .. Thanks a lot bro.
Pritham,
I should like you to re-consider your comments. I am sure you have valid reasons for your anger; all I would say is that do not let the anger within you make you blind to the goodness in people around you. There are good people and bad people in Chennai/ TN and everywhere else.
Now I have lived, studied and worked in all the 6 metros as well as in other small towns. Sure, everyone has a local culture, but deep down everyone is the same.
I have been living in Chennai for the last 6 years and it has some good points. Where anyone choses to live or which language they prefer is a personal choice; we can have no quarrel with that. You may prefer another city; we’ll respect that choice.
However, generalizations about a community or sermonizing to a group serve no useful purpose. All these comments about residents of other states, TN, North India are sweeping generalizations. Once you remove these narrow identities people don’t seem very different- I’d urge you to consider this.
Ela,
Just as Pritham has made some inflammatory remarks, you have responded with some negative experiences outside of Chennai you have had.
My only submission to you is- please exercise your preferences, only remember that there is no issue of principle here and for every negative experience you quote, someone could quote the opposite.
Pritham has some strong feelings no doubt that have led to a deep-seated prejudice. The issue with a prejudice is that it blinds you to evidence that is the opposite of what you believe.
Maybe nothing I say or write here is going to change things a whit now, still I hope it will lead to some change of heart some time later.