Screw the Pain Olympics

I’ve been sort of tired and cranky lately (shut up), and when I saw Melissa‘s latest post my mood shifted right into pissed off. She’s been posting about trying to sell her house and how horrible an experience it has been, but apparently she’s been getting emails and comments along the lines of “Shut up already. It could be worse. You could have [insert dreaded health condition here] and then you’d deserve to complain.”

Give me a fucking break.

This isn’t a competition. No one is keeping score. Undoubtedly, Melissa would concede that being afflicted with [insert dreaded health condition here] is far worse than the real estate nightmare she’s been living.

But does that mean that her story isn’t worth hearing just because it doesn’t meet some imaginary level on the Pain Richter Scale? Of course not, and only a control-freak moron would think otherwise.

No one who knows me is surprised by the news that I cannot stand to be told what to do. And I am so offended by asshats who want to silence all conversation except for what they deem worthy. There’s a nice, toasty spot in hell reserved just for them and the rest of the “I will tell you how it is going to be” brigade.


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18 responses to “Screw the Pain Olympics”

  1. Surviving Avatar

    I don’t understand people leaving comments like that. What purpose does it serve. Do they really think the person they are writing to will say your right and change. Don’t they understand that for some people blogging is a way to deal with their frustrations. If you don’t like what someone is saying or their attitude just don’t read their blog!

  2. AbsolutelyBananas Avatar

    I agree! Down with the comment trolls!

  3. shaz Avatar

    wow. ok then! what difference does it make to them?? i wonder what those “comment trolls” blog about?

  4. Sarah Avatar

    People suck.

    They would never say those things in real life, so why do they think it is appropriate to play the “mins is worse than yours” game online?

    People suck.

  5. CharmingDriver Avatar

    People, they suck. It really is all about perspective and your own situation; my completely awful crappy day/illness doesn’t somehow make it suck less that her house won’t sell, right? No more than my getting better will somehow improve her prospects.

    God. Internet! BEHAVE, DAMN YOU!!

  6. Peg Avatar

    Ack!!! For christ’s sake, who the fuck are these people, that get the Divine Right to decide that one person’s hell isn’t good enough to be written about?!? Shit, in my checkered past, I’ve heard that while I complain an awful lot about Mommie Dearest, I should shut the hell up and be glad that I have these god-forsaken stepchildren in the first place, because of course, they are the fruits of my husband’s loins. BullSHIT, I say! Try stepmommin’ a couple of ingrates, people!!

    Oh, my…I’ve got myself worked up into a lather, now, don’t I?! I am just sick to freakin’ death of one-upsmanship in general. Isn’t the whole point of a blog for each of us to have our own place to share/vent/kvetch about our own particular brand of HELL?!? So my hell is another man or woman’s heaven. Fuck y’all! You can have my HELL, if I could just–for one measly day–have my Heaven, as I’ve defined it! Please?!?

  7. Ivy Avatar

    Haha, Charming Driver has me cracking up with the “Internet! BEHAVE, DAMN YOU!” comment, because I feel exactly the same way.

    We all perceive thst shittiness that is in our lives dofferently. If you’re feeling bitter about your own situation, go ahead and feel bitter, just don’t take it out on someone else.

  8. sherry Avatar

    I have NEVER understood why people will take the time to complain about someone’s topic choice rather than just not bothering to read it if it bores them that much or causes that much hostility in their sad life.

    When my oldest daughter had eye surgery, someone “helpfully” emailed to tell me it could be worse because it could be a life-threatening condition and blablablagetoveritbla. Well duh. It’s in a children’s hospital and I can see the kids who are in the cancer treatment area and I saw the coroner walk up to the front desk and I know somewhere some baby was getting open heart surgery. I’m not stupid. But a random stranger telling me that it’s no big deal that my own kid had to be put to sleep so someone could do surgery on her eyes? It’s a big deal to ME because it’s MY kid, so go read something else!

    Wow. Sorry, I may have uh, projected a little there. :)

  9. Jennifer Avatar

    Uh huh. Apparently there is a new directive on teh internets, no opinions allowed.

  10. Jurgen Nation Avatar

    Oh, WOW. I can totally relate. I’ve been subtly referenced for discussing certain topics. I thought that’s what the fucking back button was for, so the jackassery needs to stop.

  11. crunchycarpets Avatar

    I know…I was just reading a blog buddy and she was saying that she feels bad about complaining about her seizures because they aren’t as bad as others!!!! WTF….how can she feel guilty for feeling miserable about something that truly affects her life??

    I mean can’t compare…we are all allowed to feel miserable about something in our lives…for me it is my in laws and my ill MIL….it is making me feel like an evil selfish bitch…but I can’t help it!

    Sheesh.

  12. andi Avatar

    Ha. Thanks for this. Well put. And did you say you were feeling cranky? Totally couldn’t tell…

  13. thordora Avatar

    While I’d likely THINK that in my head, at the same time-moving/buying/selling house SUCKS. A LOT. It’s stressful to the nth degree, and is actually on the list of major stressors. Just because I might think “it could be worse” doesn’t mean I’d ever say that. Why do people need to say it? Can we email the trolls and start whining in every email “ow, I have a cramp” “ow, I think that chili went down wrong.” just to annoy them?

    that would be fun to do just because….

  14. slackermommy Avatar

    I hear ya! Don’t give me your opinion unless I ask for it. It’s my blog and I’ll bitch, moan, whine all I want so they can just click the little red x in the corner and take their judgemental, condescending ass elsewhere.

    I love Thordora’s idea.

  15. karrie Avatar

    I like the way she handled it. Now no matter how rough my days are, at least I can take some small measure of comfort at not having to farm potatoes with my feet. :)

  16. Susan Avatar

    I love the word “asshat”! I will be adding that to my daily vocabulary. Thanks!

    Susan at Working Moms Against Guilt

    http://www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com

  17. Bon Avatar

    i’m with Thordora here…did i mention i think i have a hangnail? owww! owww!

    yes, it’s probably not wise to go on and on about one’s hangnail as if one is oblivious to the rest of the suffering in the world, because one will tread on the feelings of others…but folks, it’s all relative.

    and if we have to be enduring a life of pain beyond belief just to have the ‘right’ to blog about it, i guess most of us better up and shut our traps. maybe we can all just read Charming Driver and then go about our Pollyanna days.

    internets behave, indeed.

  18. Cate Avatar

    Wow…that’s awful! Doesn’t blogging exist so that we can vent our frustrations, tell our everyday stories, or write what ever the fuck we want ’cause it’s our blog???

    Seriously…if you just can’t read another post about my kids or all of the recent birthdays in my family…or selling my house….stop reading and change the channel!

    Geez!

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