April 23rd, 2009 / 2:19 pm
Web Hype

SWARM MENTALITY

i’m not sure i have a post for this. but i just thought to myself that “the internet and people writing on the internet seem like gangs and no one has the courage to like or dislike something anymore based on personal opinion without resorting to petty insults or the reverse, petty compliments.” i feel angry.

Tags: ,

117 Comments

  1. Shya

      This is a stupid fucking post. But you’re a really nice guy.

  2. Shya

      This is a stupid fucking post. But you’re a really nice guy.

  3. jereme

      what constitutes “petty insult”?

  4. jereme

      what constitutes “petty insult”?

  5. davidpeak

      if we’re forming gangs then i want to be in the furies because face paint is cool.

  6. Gene Morgan

      We should all form one ‘mega-gang’ that fucks non-internet writers up, online.

      They can’t fight back, and we all feel important.

  7. davidpeak

      if we’re forming gangs then i want to be in the furies because face paint is cool.

  8. Gene Morgan

      We should all form one ‘mega-gang’ that fucks non-internet writers up, online.

      They can’t fight back, and we all feel important.

  9. davidpeak

      can i still paint my face?

  10. davidpeak

      can i still paint my face?

  11. davidpeak

      fuck it i’m painting my face.

  12. davidpeak

      fuck it i’m painting my face.

  13. Nathan Tyree

      I want to be in The Warriors. I’ll come out and play!

  14. Nathan Tyree

      I want to be in The Warriors. I’ll come out and play!

  15. jereme

      i can dig it

  16. jereme

      i can dig it

  17. sam pink

      alright gentlemen. so it’s agreed. we need to have meetings. i’ll bring cooler ranch doritos and grape kool aid but we can’t meet at my apartment it’s fucking dirty.

  18. sam pink

      alright gentlemen. so it’s agreed. we need to have meetings. i’ll bring cooler ranch doritos and grape kool aid but we can’t meet at my apartment it’s fucking dirty.

  19. brandon

      sweet

  20. brandon

      sweet

  21. Brad Green

      I disliked something here. I’m a swarm of one.

      Is this how you self-promote? I just wanna make sure.

  22. Brad Green

      I disliked something here. I’m a swarm of one.

      Is this how you self-promote? I just wanna make sure.

  23. Nathan Tyree

      I’ll bring Scotch and fetus pizza

  24. Nathan Tyree

      I’ll bring Scotch and fetus pizza

  25. David Erlewine

      The Warriors did it! The Warriors did it! The Warriors did it!

  26. David Erlewine

      The Warriors did it! The Warriors did it! The Warriors did it!

  27. davidpeak

      you’re just trying to get yourself invited over to the furies’ house because the furies have a neo geo and baseball all-stars 2. your house isn’t really dirty.

  28. davidpeak

      you’re just trying to get yourself invited over to the furies’ house because the furies have a neo geo and baseball all-stars 2. your house isn’t really dirty.

  29. Nathan Tyree

      I need a Neo Geo

  30. Nathan Tyree

      I need a Neo Geo

  31. sam pink

      you have to spray paint HTMLGIANT on a building and stomp somebody to get in.

  32. sam pink

      you have to spray paint HTMLGIANT on a building and stomp somebody to get in.

  33. Vaughan Simons

      I agree with this.

      Except.

      MY GANG IS THE BEST GANG.

      And the rest of your gangs are not as gang-like. Or as good.

      So everybody should fuck off, but before they fuck off they should bow down and kiss the bejewelled feet of my gang.

      [If that’s okay with everyone. And if no one objects.]

      [Sorry.]

  34. Vaughan Simons

      I agree with this.

      Except.

      MY GANG IS THE BEST GANG.

      And the rest of your gangs are not as gang-like. Or as good.

      So everybody should fuck off, but before they fuck off they should bow down and kiss the bejewelled feet of my gang.

      [If that’s okay with everyone. And if no one objects.]

      [Sorry.]

  35. PHM

      I’d love it if you elucidated on this next time. Seriously. I kind of just got respect for you I didn’t have before, except for that video of the L train reading. I still haven’t bought your book for exactly the reasons you’re talking about here. So, then, why not tell us how you really feel? Who is making you “feel angry?” And why not say “I’m fucking angry” instead of “I feel angry.” Don’t you think that’s more direct and more likely to give the reader either a kick to the balls or a fucking boner? Come on now, don’t choad around this. Make a new post explaining exactly what pisses you off. Ain’t scurred, are ya?

  36. PHM

      I’d love it if you elucidated on this next time. Seriously. I kind of just got respect for you I didn’t have before, except for that video of the L train reading. I still haven’t bought your book for exactly the reasons you’re talking about here. So, then, why not tell us how you really feel? Who is making you “feel angry?” And why not say “I’m fucking angry” instead of “I feel angry.” Don’t you think that’s more direct and more likely to give the reader either a kick to the balls or a fucking boner? Come on now, don’t choad around this. Make a new post explaining exactly what pisses you off. Ain’t scurred, are ya?

  37. Blake Butler

      i feel HTMLGIANT’s ‘target market’ turning to slather in my anal

  38. Blake Butler

      i feel HTMLGIANT’s ‘target market’ turning to slather in my anal

  39. Ani

      Disliking something online is different to disliking something in person. It’s easier to talk shit or explain your position in person without sounding like a dick maybe.

      Now the petty compliments thing I just don’t get.

      I think your mind had something specific in it and generalising like this is hurting mine.

      Or was this ‘ironic’ and now I am a fart?

      Fuck the Warriors, I want to be in the Dagger Debs (PR? Ummmm … Chelsea Martin? Anyone?)

  40. Ani

      Disliking something online is different to disliking something in person. It’s easier to talk shit or explain your position in person without sounding like a dick maybe.

      Now the petty compliments thing I just don’t get.

      I think your mind had something specific in it and generalising like this is hurting mine.

      Or was this ‘ironic’ and now I am a fart?

      Fuck the Warriors, I want to be in the Dagger Debs (PR? Ummmm … Chelsea Martin? Anyone?)

  41. jereme

      “switchblade sisters” is where it’s at kid.

  42. jereme

      “switchblade sisters” is where it’s at kid.

  43. Brad Green

      People are afraid of saying negative things about a work because those works are often written by an editor of a journal and the reviewer doesn’t want to damage their chances of acceptance at said journal. It leads to a culture of falsity and posturing. It’s probably always been there, but it’s amplified in the Internet like most things are.

  44. Brad Green

      People are afraid of saying negative things about a work because those works are often written by an editor of a journal and the reviewer doesn’t want to damage their chances of acceptance at said journal. It leads to a culture of falsity and posturing. It’s probably always been there, but it’s amplified in the Internet like most things are.

  45. jereme

      and those who speak their mind are shit on.

      very few people make a stay in places they are not wanted.

      whatever.

      go your own way.

  46. jereme

      and those who speak their mind are shit on.

      very few people make a stay in places they are not wanted.

      whatever.

      go your own way.

  47. Brad Green

      What does “shit on” mean? You mean those that speak their mind are castigated, outcast? Shat upon?

      Are you telling me that I’m not wanted here? Look, I’m not smart. I failed Internet inference. Help a guy out.

  48. Brad Green

      What does “shit on” mean? You mean those that speak their mind are castigated, outcast? Shat upon?

      Are you telling me that I’m not wanted here? Look, I’m not smart. I failed Internet inference. Help a guy out.

  49. Paul Squires

      “no one has the courage to like or dislike something anymore based on personal opinion without resorting to petty insults or the reverse, petty compliments” I dislike faux-naive with a certain intensity of feeling that I can’t quite explain. If the sentence “I don’t know why” appears in any book, I will not buy it.

  50. Paul Squires

      “no one has the courage to like or dislike something anymore based on personal opinion without resorting to petty insults or the reverse, petty compliments” I dislike faux-naive with a certain intensity of feeling that I can’t quite explain. If the sentence “I don’t know why” appears in any book, I will not buy it.

  51. jereme

      brad,

      pick something popular. state your non-popular opinion.

      now repeat despite the backlash.

  52. jereme

      brad,

      pick something popular. state your non-popular opinion.

      now repeat despite the backlash.

  53. christopher higgs

      I appreciate the publicity your dislike has garnered for my chapbook, Brad.

  54. christopher higgs

      I appreciate the publicity your dislike has garnered for my chapbook, Brad.

  55. Nathan Tyree

      He did that. See above. He gave a great explanation of why he disliked a work (that I happen to like).

  56. Nathan Tyree

      He did that. See above. He gave a great explanation of why he disliked a work (that I happen to like).

  57. pr

      I think Jereme was trying to say that he agrees with you, that it is hard to be your own person and have opinions…

  58. jereme

      yes correct.

  59. jereme

      yes correct.

  60. Brad Green

      Thanks, PR. I need an interpreter a lot of the times. Dense headed. Fog skulled. I’m from Texas, remember. It is hard, yes.

      Let’s look at Goodreads for instance. It bothers me when someone consistently gives out 5 star reviews over and over. I start to feel like they’re lying to me.

      I love Cormac McCarthy, but I can’t give all his books 5 fucking stars. Dude goes off track. Everyone goes off track. I just wish there were more honesty in this arena. It feels like Hollywood, only without the money.

  61. Brad Green

      Thanks, PR. I need an interpreter a lot of the times. Dense headed. Fog skulled. I’m from Texas, remember. It is hard, yes.

      Let’s look at Goodreads for instance. It bothers me when someone consistently gives out 5 star reviews over and over. I start to feel like they’re lying to me.

      I love Cormac McCarthy, but I can’t give all his books 5 fucking stars. Dude goes off track. Everyone goes off track. I just wish there were more honesty in this arena. It feels like Hollywood, only without the money.

  62. pr

      I understood you Jereme.

      Brad- you did something gutsy and it didn’t come off assholish- just honest, I felt. People can disagree, but you didn’t insult anyone- call them “frat boy” or so on. You really engaged with the piece. Good job.

  63. pr

      that’s funny! But Hollywood can be SOOO mean. I like how this past year it became ok to hate Mike Myers. Just hate him with vitrol.

  64. jereme

      i have hated mike myers since the 90s.

  65. jereme

      i have hated mike myers since the 90s.

  66. barry

      i like htmlgiant.

  67. barry

      i like htmlgiant.

  68. barry

      now i can get in to everyone’s journal. thanks for giving me the secret…..

  69. barry

      now i can get in to everyone’s journal. thanks for giving me the secret…..

  70. jereme

      i think you raise a valid point barry.

      petty compliments will not get you into a journal. it is “obligatory conversation” to quote a friend. a publisher has to like your writing on some level. unless you are a cute chick and the publisher is desperate.

      speaking contrary to popular opinion will affect your publishing efforts regardless of how well you write.

  71. jereme

      i think you raise a valid point barry.

      petty compliments will not get you into a journal. it is “obligatory conversation” to quote a friend. a publisher has to like your writing on some level. unless you are a cute chick and the publisher is desperate.

      speaking contrary to popular opinion will affect your publishing efforts regardless of how well you write.

  72. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      me too

  73. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      me too

  74. André

      how mean-spirited

  75. André

      how mean-spirited

  76. André

      What does this mean regarding HyoJung, was she really just an experiment? I hate those interns.

  77. André

      What does this mean regarding HyoJung, was she really just an experiment? I hate those interns.

  78. André

      I like Brad’s use of the phrase “failed internet inference”. I like how Jereme briefly turned this conversation thread into a cowboy movie. I like how pr fixed everything.

  79. André

      I like Brad’s use of the phrase “failed internet inference”. I like how Jereme briefly turned this conversation thread into a cowboy movie. I like how pr fixed everything.

  80. sam pink

      andre, i emailed hyo jung and told her that i would post whatever she wanted to say. she said it had to be un-edited. i agreed and said something like “my little hyo jung, why would i edit it?” then she emailed me back and insulted me about being a dick or some shit like that. intern or no intern or whatever, just more weak shit.

  81. sam pink

      andre, i emailed hyo jung and told her that i would post whatever she wanted to say. she said it had to be un-edited. i agreed and said something like “my little hyo jung, why would i edit it?” then she emailed me back and insulted me about being a dick or some shit like that. intern or no intern or whatever, just more weak shit.

  82. sam pink

      if you want a free copy of the book, email me and i will mail it to you.

  83. sam pink

      if you want a free copy of the book, email me and i will mail it to you.

  84. Blake Butler

      sam, if you have questions you were going to ask hyojung i will answer them in her stead

  85. Blake Butler

      sam, if you have questions you were going to ask hyojung i will answer them in her stead

  86. Blake Butler

      but only if you edit every line to deff

  87. Blake Butler

      but only if you edit every line to deff

  88. sam pink

      the main question i have, is, “what kind of thread is best put to use when sewing a roof onto a cat skull.”

  89. sam pink

      the main question i have, is, “what kind of thread is best put to use when sewing a roof onto a cat skull.”

  90. sam pink

      actually i told hyo that i didn’t have any questions and that i would just post whatever she wanted. that way she could let us have it. looks like the frat party continues yo. she told me to enjoy our circle jerk. i call pr!

  91. sam pink

      actually i told hyo that i didn’t have any questions and that i would just post whatever she wanted. that way she could let us have it. looks like the frat party continues yo. she told me to enjoy our circle jerk. i call pr!

  92. pr

      I am a 41 year old housewife–a mother of a ten and a thrirteen year old. I ididn’t know anyone when I started commenting here.
      Now I am a contributor. I know that aesthetically that I don’t have much in common with many here, but I am genuinely interested in people who are different than me. I want to learn and I also think that when I share things about Flannery O;Connor or Calvino, it is appreciated.
      I hope I have never been hostile but I am OK with being argumentative. There is a difference- I hope that I have always shown respect- or at least shown a respemblance of it. I feel- I hope- that Blake and I have very different ideas about what is good lit- and yet, we both enjoy the discussion of what is serious disparity in ideas of what makes good fiction or poetry.
      I am the old lady here. I can’t help but be anything else.The Great Gatsby anyone? I know, I know. I am old and retarded. But I love you guys. You have something to teach me. And maybe I can show you, or convince you, a thing or to, too.
      Hi. HI! Be nice!

  93. Brad Green

      There is a right way and wrong way to disagree for sure. The right way of disagreeing should never be damaging to anyone. Perhaps I’m naive. Perhaps I’m foolish to think that people can be honest and move beyond pettiness for, oh my god, the sake of the art. There’s a troubling statement, eh?

      Maybe I haven’t been kicked in the nuts enough.

      I like when I read something that makes me jealous. I seek it out. It makes me write better. I yearn to seethe.

      That doesn’t happen with everything that I read. Should I really be afraid to say I didn’t like this book or that particular piece? I don’t know if Christopher Higgs runs a journal or not, but if he did and I sent something to him that he liked, would he decline simply because I didn’t like his work? He seemed very reasonable in his responses on my blog. I have a great respect for that. I have a great respect for him now. I’m highly likely to read what he writes next because of it. I’ll encourage others to read him because he appears to not posture and put on falsehoods.

      I may not like that particular work of his, but I’m going to give him attention because he deserves it for no other reason than he at least appears to be a reasonable human interested in furthering literature. If someone came out and wrote a scathing review of something I’d done and then sent me a piece of work, I’d still read. If it wowed me, I’d publish it. Text always trumps the personal. Always.

      If it doesn’t, then something is wrong. Let us not be sick-hearted and ill-willed. Let us be open and engaged with writing, even writing that we dislike. Most of all, let us be truthful for if we are then by the nature of that exercise we are immediately made better in many regards.

  94. Brad Green

      There is a right way and wrong way to disagree for sure. The right way of disagreeing should never be damaging to anyone. Perhaps I’m naive. Perhaps I’m foolish to think that people can be honest and move beyond pettiness for, oh my god, the sake of the art. There’s a troubling statement, eh?

      Maybe I haven’t been kicked in the nuts enough.

      I like when I read something that makes me jealous. I seek it out. It makes me write better. I yearn to seethe.

      That doesn’t happen with everything that I read. Should I really be afraid to say I didn’t like this book or that particular piece? I don’t know if Christopher Higgs runs a journal or not, but if he did and I sent something to him that he liked, would he decline simply because I didn’t like his work? He seemed very reasonable in his responses on my blog. I have a great respect for that. I have a great respect for him now. I’m highly likely to read what he writes next because of it. I’ll encourage others to read him because he appears to not posture and put on falsehoods.

      I may not like that particular work of his, but I’m going to give him attention because he deserves it for no other reason than he at least appears to be a reasonable human interested in furthering literature. If someone came out and wrote a scathing review of something I’d done and then sent me a piece of work, I’d still read. If it wowed me, I’d publish it. Text always trumps the personal. Always.

      If it doesn’t, then something is wrong. Let us not be sick-hearted and ill-willed. Let us be open and engaged with writing, even writing that we dislike. Most of all, let us be truthful for if we are then by the nature of that exercise we are immediately made better in many regards.

  95. PHM

      oh, i just read that you gave your age twice, but you didn’t it. it was funny. “mother of ten and a 13 year old.”

  96. PHM

      oh, i just read that you gave your age twice, but you didn’t it. it was funny. “mother of ten and a 13 year old.”

  97. davidpeak

      pr,

      i am 25 and i’ve read gatsby twice, once on my own, and once in college. i’m slightly afraid of complimenting you because now i’m self-conscious of appearing petty in my compliments, but it doesn’t really matter, tomorrow i’ll wake up and leave my apartment and be in real life. i think your posts are some of my favorites. you reference a lot of the books i like. the only thing i wish you did more was translate black metal liner notes.

      i think it’s okay to compliment you because i don’t even know who you are. that’s a safe zone, right?

      pr stands for perfectly regal i think.

      petty? i don’t know. i’m going to sleep.

      brad, any journal that rejects writing based on social politics–and i’m sure it happens–isn’t worth your time.

  98. davidpeak

      pr,

      i am 25 and i’ve read gatsby twice, once on my own, and once in college. i’m slightly afraid of complimenting you because now i’m self-conscious of appearing petty in my compliments, but it doesn’t really matter, tomorrow i’ll wake up and leave my apartment and be in real life. i think your posts are some of my favorites. you reference a lot of the books i like. the only thing i wish you did more was translate black metal liner notes.

      i think it’s okay to compliment you because i don’t even know who you are. that’s a safe zone, right?

      pr stands for perfectly regal i think.

      petty? i don’t know. i’m going to sleep.

      brad, any journal that rejects writing based on social politics–and i’m sure it happens–isn’t worth your time.

  99. jereme

      purdy rectum == pr

  100. jereme

      purdy rectum == pr

  101. matthewsavoca

      i want jereme to tell me what sucks about me because jereme is the only one who is good at doing that

  102. matthewsavoca

      i want jereme to tell me what sucks about me because jereme is the only one who is good at doing that

  103. David Erlewine

      Brad, I read your piece in LITnIMAGE again. I think if Christopher Higgs was an editor who took reprints, he would take that one.

  104. David Erlewine

      Brad, I read your piece in LITnIMAGE again. I think if Christopher Higgs was an editor who took reprints, he would take that one.

  105. jereme

      thank you for acknowledging my excellence

  106. jereme

      thank you for acknowledging my excellence

  107. dobbs

      what happened to html giant

  108. dobbs

      what happened to html giant

  109. Brad Green

      It’s still here. Just refresh.

  110. Brad Green

      It’s still here. Just refresh.

  111. keith n b

      seriously, how many times are people going to say this? that should be the giant’s new tagline:

      html giant: what happened to us?

      htmlg? don’t you know it’s not a static entity by now? it’s a shapeshifting freakshow of folly and delight and flashes of brilliance. what more do you want? you want to date my sister? hold on, let me go put on a wig.

  112. keith n b

      seriously, how many times are people going to say this? that should be the giant’s new tagline:

      html giant: what happened to us?

      htmlg? don’t you know it’s not a static entity by now? it’s a shapeshifting freakshow of folly and delight and flashes of brilliance. what more do you want? you want to date my sister? hold on, let me go put on a wig.

  113. Brad Green

      That’s funny, Keith. Hi!

      I miss your blog.

  114. Brad Green

      That’s funny, Keith. Hi!

      I miss your blog.

  115. Blake Butler

      thank god for commenters like keith

  116. Blake Butler

      thank god for commenters like keith

  117. pr

      Keith rules my universe.