Threatening Comments in a Culture of Incivility
A couple of months ago I listened to Scott Adams’ WIN BIGLY (Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter
By: Scott Adams, Narrator: Scott Adams, PRHA |Imprint: Penguin Audio) here:
I don’t believe had never reviewed anything political before. I tried to be diplomatic. As requested by the publisher, I put the review on Goodreads, with trepidation:
I received two negative comments and one positive on Goodreads. Then Friday I got a comment I feel is a threat to me and my “entire bloodline.”
This could be looked at as funny, but since it is Goodreads, my name is included and this person has threatened my “whole bloodline.” In today’s violent world and cultural incivility I find this scary. When someone can go into a theatre, , or a concert, or a church, or a children’s school and shoot at will, I don’t feel I can ignore this.
No one ever threatened me over a romance or paranormal novel, or any other book I have reviewed.
I contacted Goodreads about the post Friday and again yesterday, but they have not removed it or responded to me.
I need a day to think about it — I don’t get paid for blogging, I have no idea if I should contact the police or an agency.
Have you ever felt threatened by a comment?
November 7, 2017 @ 4:36 AM
I hope GoodReads does take action because that is totally uncalled for and is a threatening type comment. That’s not just a disagreement over your review thoughts.
November 7, 2017 @ 5:25 AM
Wow. I think you’re right to be cautious and concerned; in today’s world you have to be. And isn’t that a sad state of affairs? I think I’d try contacting GR again siting their TOS document. I’d contact law enforcement just so you have a papertrail.
November 7, 2017 @ 3:16 PM
Thank you for the idea to write them again. I don’t know what agency to contact. My research says that someone can say anything they want within the TOS of the site. While I think this violates it GR is either understaffed or doesn’t care.
November 7, 2017 @ 10:12 AM
I avoid politics at all costs. Toxic environment on both sides. Sorry this happened to you.
November 7, 2017 @ 8:00 PM
I have gotten more political this year. Thanks for visiting!
November 7, 2017 @ 12:28 PM
I hope they take the comment down but I doubt they will. Years ago I reviewed a few movies I had watched and put the reviews on Amazon. There was this one guy that made rude comments on all of my movie reviews so I stopped posting movie reviews. People sit behind a screen and don’t have any qualms about saying the rudest most ridiculous things to people who they don’t have to face.
November 7, 2017 @ 3:14 PM
Ugh! I think we should all just remember the stuff we learned as children. But then, maybe I wouldn’t even make critical reviews. Thanks for coming by.
November 7, 2017 @ 2:19 PM
I’ll be honest; I saw that more as a sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek comment more than a threatening one. I can certainly see why you would feel threatened, but the serious threat posts I’ve seen are usually much more straightforward in their language and the nature of the threat. “Level 3 Trump Derangement Syndrome” sounds like someone trying to be funny, not someone issuing a serious threat. I’m not saying it is funny — but as you say, it may have been intended to be. I hope you’re able to get the comment removed, though.
November 7, 2017 @ 3:12 PM
I think I can delete it – there is a button for it. I haven’t heard anything from goodreads. Let’s hope you are right in your interpretation. In days gone by I probably would not be worried. But it has made me think. Thanks for commenting.