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A commenter speaks Adebayo Flynn on why comment sections aren't as bad as they're made out

No, really.

You may recognise Adebayo Flynn as one of the most frequent commenters here on TheJournal.ie He sent us this piece on the good and bad things that he’s seen during his time as an internet commenter. 

HI, I’M ADEBAYO Flynn and I frequent internet comment sections. I often leave comments on YouTube, respond to tweets over on Twitter, and I also regularly get involved on TheJournal.ie.  I’ll scroll on down and see what’s getting thrown around. Those of you who do partake in commenting (even if it’s just reading them rather than actually writing them) will understand why some people regard the bottom part of the internet as being akin to taking a turn into the wrong part of town. I understand that, so I’ll give you my take on what lies beneath: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Comment sections are not for the faint-hearted. They’re not exactly bastions of political correctness. By the very nature of being a melting pot of opinions, you’re going to find differing viewpoints which cover all perspectives imaginable – but you will also come across darker statements containing casual racism, sexism, homophobic remarks, body image judgement, and so on.  It can make for uncomfortable reading.

For those of you reading this who do comment, you will know that online discussions can rapidly descend into personal abuse. When was the last time a stranger called you an asshole? Strap yourself in because it’s in the post, baby. It’s funny in retrospect when I think back on the first insult I received. Having given my take on a topic that went against the general consensus in the preceding comments, somebody felt they should let me know what they thought of me. “Wait! What? Did he just…Oh my god he just called me an asshole!” I was in shock for a while, if I’m honest.
https://vine.co/v/OqXQrYnJpzB

Thankfully, I soon learned to ignore this type of interaction. Unlike my above re-enactment, nowadays I just scroll past. It’s that or go off-topic having a cringeworthy online feud (which is always a sure-fire way to debase your own points).

The experiment

I would liken the confrontational attitude of some commenters to an experiment about road rage I saw on TV years ago. A sample group of self-confessed road rage sufferers were asked to drive around during rush hour. The test drive was recorded and, true to form, the drivers quickly mutated into furious, swearing, life-threatening people. The transformation was very Bruce Banner.

The second part of the experiment was to walk down a busy high street. The people around them stopped and started, brushed into them, and barged past. All the while, Mr and Ms Road Rage remained placid and reasonable. No heavy breathing or foaming at the mouth. The conclusion was the vehicles created a barrier which had a separating effect on the drivers’ attitude to other road users, acting as a kind of disconnection. It appears to me the same could be said about online interaction with strangers.

The experiment reminded me that not everybody suffers from road rage and not everybody goes nuclear in comment sections. So while I accept some of the negativity toward comment sections is warranted, I also believe they deserve to be defended.

I believe they are getting a raw deal and are being dismissed as warzones ran by illiterate keyboard warriors, sexists and racists. That’s just not the case. I’ve seen comment sections filled with intelligent replies, witty retorts, and fascinating anecdotes from people’s life experiences which I would never hear otherwise, unless I somehow met hundreds of people every week and started up random conversations with them all.
https://vine.co/v/OhbEjahwrL1

Bear in mind most comments are written on the hoof and without a moment’s thought – and it shows, you may say – as people wait on a Luas, stand in a queue, kill some time on a smoking break, or before they go to sleep. Often there’s not much time to overthink it, plus it doesn’t come with the luxury of proofreading or having a time out while you calculate your killer rebuttal.  It’s more transparent and unprocessed. It’s raw. There’s plenty of honesty. 

Sometimes that’s not pretty but it’s real. I like real, I can deal with real. It cuts through the stifling political correctness. If anything I’d be more concerned about the growing willingness not to ruffle any feathers than with a bit of straight talking. If we always agree on things then perhaps one of us isn’t thinking. If we are afraid to think for ourselves then there is no debate. Everybody keeps it between the ditches because God forbid you might go against the general consensus and offend somebody.

This Stephen Fry quote says a lot:

It’s now very common to hear people say, ‘I’m rather offended by that.’ As if that gives them certain rights. It’s actually nothing more… than a whine. ‘I find that offensive.’ It has no meaning; it has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. ‘I am offended by that.’ Well, so fucking what.

It is my opinion that the microphone has been in the hands of too few up until now and what we’re now seeing is the end of one-way news reporting. Questions can be asked instantly. We can all say our piece.

Has there ever been an opportunity for so many opinions to be shared so rapidly? I cant think of any other time but feel free to let me know in the comments below. I would urge people to make up on their own minds on comment sections. Go in with an open mind, keep the head and don’t feed the trolls; trust me. they are in the minority.

Peace out, I love you all.

Adebaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

You can see more from Adebayo at http://www.adebayoflynn.com/ 

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97 Comments
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    Mute FG2016
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    Nov 16th 2012, 1:52 PM

    “I’m just so disappointed”, said head “man of the people” on €250k per year, “I was really hoping to be able to sit on the 23rd storey of our glass mansion and look down on people”

    128
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 16th 2012, 1:58 PM

    Just like FG/FF/Labour!

    62
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    Mute FG2016
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:02 PM

    What?

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:08 PM

    Are you shocked, that these parties pay themselves like Lords and Ladies, while treating the citizens like cashcows?

    44
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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:09 PM

    Will you just quit moaning about 250k?!

    So should we never build anything ever again, unless it is managed by someone on 35k?!

    65
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    Mute Jay funk
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:16 PM

    The top 3 stories were actually going to be public spaces, but agree it was a bit of a vanity project

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    Mute John Scott
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    Nov 16th 2012, 5:21 PM

    may be a cut in fees now not b4 time

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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Nov 16th 2012, 1:47 PM

    They should march on the streets and protest, Oh hang on they don’t do that anymore?

    64
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    Mute Kitty Prendergast
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    Nov 17th 2012, 1:17 AM

    Never mind marching, where are they getting the kind of money it takes to demolish and rebuild a skyscraper in the middle of a capital city?? Surely it could be put to better use. Surely THEY could be put to better use!

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    Mute Damocles
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:00 PM

    Do they still use it? It looks abandoned.

    62
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    Mute Michael Cunningham
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    Nov 16th 2012, 4:42 PM

    That is one ugly building.

    43
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    Mute Joe Loughrey
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    Nov 16th 2012, 5:57 PM

    I know I’m in a minority here but I like liberty hall. Apart from what seems to be a bit of a waste of money and no doubt endless roadworks on the quays if it was replaced, it’s always been part of the Dublin skyline as long as I’ve been alive.

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    Mute John Scott
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    Nov 30th 2012, 5:23 PM

    they do now is it not time to drop there fees to the workers. it is about time .

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    Mute Reg
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:02 PM

    What is going on with councils in this country. Why are they granting permission for projects that are in breach of their own development plans only the to have them overturned at great expense and waste to all concerned?

    55
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    Mute Daithí Naughton
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    Nov 16th 2012, 1:57 PM

    Maybe now they’ll be made restore what was once a masterpiece of Modern Architecture after letting it fall into hideous disrepair for the past 45 years!

    50
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    Mute Jay funk
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:14 PM

    It was never a masterpiece, a nice building before they changed the windows but never a masterpiece

    38
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    Mute Eric Chubb
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:07 PM

    Good to know those union subscription fees were being put to good use. Oh wait…

    48
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    Mute Brian Daly
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:24 PM

    Liberty Hall is an iconic Dublin building that SIPTU shouldn’t be allowed demolition. They have been very poor custodians of the building – look at what they did the window and the way the entrance area is maintained and the crap signage at ground floor level. You can’t blame people for having a negative view of a building that looks shabby.

    What would be great to see is the building restored, “up lighting” put under the roof canopy and spruce up of the ground floor entrance and environs.

    I don’t think that Liberty Hall was ever supposed to be a lone tall building in the city centre. It would be good to see it get a few brothers and sisters in the ‘hood.

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    Mute Mark Larson
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    Nov 16th 2012, 3:05 PM

    Tara street station Redevelopment

    http://archiseek.com/tag/tara-street-station-redevelopment/

    Hawkin House planned demolition and replaced with mid and high-rise buildings.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0208/1224311460512.html

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Nov 17th 2012, 12:43 PM

    Liberty hall is uglier than a communist era tower you’d see in Minsk. Tear down that monstrosity. It’s embarrassing especially being across the road from the ulster bank hq

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    Mute David Kennedy
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    Nov 16th 2012, 4:51 PM

    Can someone explain to me why SIPTU needs to have such a marquee location and 23 stories of it? I would have presumed that TUs were not for profit?

    If I were paying subs (and i never would) to these bearded representatives of the ‘working people,’ I’d be seriously questioning the logic of this vanity project.

    Trade Unions have a place in protecting genuine workers rights but SIPTU is an ‘old boys club,’ that does nothing but use its scale to hinder Ireland’s return to competitiveness and ultimately cost jobs.

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    Mute Niall Donnelly
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    Nov 16th 2012, 3:21 PM

    Ah now I know where my union subs are going!!! Why don’t they hire the unemployed people they represent to update the building with all the money they have!

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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:29 PM

    No redevelopment, no jobs !

    19
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    Mute Garrett Mullan
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    Nov 16th 2012, 4:51 PM

    they should have bn given permission. we need high rise landmark buildings

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    Mute Damocles
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    Nov 16th 2012, 5:16 PM

    Why?

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    Mute Eoin Norris
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    Nov 16th 2012, 11:50 PM

    The Journal used to be fun. Unfortunately it’s been taken over by the miserable bunts who dominate the Irish Internet. Wawawa bearded. Wawawa Edna. Wawawa property tax. Wawawawawa. It’s like 3 year olds with keyboards.

    I like liberty hall. The new building would have been interesting, just because some of the city is Georgian doesn’t mean it can’t build up in certain parts.

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    Mute Frank2521
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    Nov 16th 2012, 3:29 PM

    It is a sad reflection on the planners and architects of Dublin City Council when they passed the planning for this glass block. These guys travel Europe and the world on junkets looking at beautiful buildings and come back and grant permission for this thing that a child could design. If they simply looked at the Custom House and thought about our Georgian city for 1 minute they might appreciate architecture a little more. We get what we deserve. If they want to create employment may I suggest they knock down most of the buildings that DCC passed for planning like Prioy Hall and others and redesign and build them properly and safely.

    15
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    Mute Damocles
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    Nov 16th 2012, 3:47 PM

    They should remove it. I don’t think it should be replaced.

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    Mute Bobby
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    Nov 16th 2012, 5:14 PM

    They will put it to every member of the joke of a union they call SIPTU to march on Leinster house til they get what they want….pack of whining toss pots….

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    Mute Colin Murray
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    Nov 16th 2012, 3:44 PM

    They should restore the existing building. There’s no reason it can’t be given a modern facelift for a fraction of the price. It would be a shame to see this building go.. I love it!

    12
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    Mute gerry
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:10 PM

    Now, go and strike about THAT!!

    9
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:05 PM

    It would be great if they would do that and have a restaurant and viewing area on the floor under the frill.

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    Mute FG2016
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:06 PM

    Yeah, the caviar bar and money fighting room would also be a nice touch.

    26
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    Mute Leigh Barker
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    Nov 16th 2012, 5:30 PM

    Another Guinness Storehouse? Not the most imaginative. Were they proposing to open it up for the public then? Presume there would be a charge at the door…

    I kind of imagined something more like a casino perhaps, with some dancing girls for the boys with exceedingly high wages to play with… All courtesy of TU subscriptions.

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    Mute Michael Mulhern
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    Nov 16th 2012, 8:18 PM

    Unions are past their sell by date. They should share out the loot that they have taken to their members and quietly go to the great union in the sky

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    Mute Liam Kennedy
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    Nov 16th 2012, 9:16 PM

    provided the restaurant revolved. food tastes better when you’re revolving!

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Nov 17th 2012, 12:41 PM

    FG2016 you are without doubt the most bitter loser I’ve ever come across. Stop complaining

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    Mute ROBERTO
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    Nov 17th 2012, 12:51 AM

    Well done to An Taisce

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    Mute Brian Daly
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    Nov 16th 2012, 2:26 PM

    We should bring this back on Fridays! :) http://playhouse.daft.ie/

    4
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    Mute Michael Byrne
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    Nov 16th 2012, 11:08 PM

    They should demolish it but only with all siptu reps in it-they are a joke. They don’t even have the welfare of workers at heart only jobs for the boys.

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    Mute Johnny Hegarty
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    Nov 17th 2012, 11:38 AM

    A vanity project for those that waste the money of Irish workers and protect high salaries, archaic work practices and jobs for the boys …… Policies that increase unemployment and prevent recovery for all. The pursuit of this project is disgusting in this time and never made economic or cultural sense. Repair the building. Act responsibly. Start protecting jobs rather than archaic and inefficient work practices.

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