Welcome to the Time Out Corner, the place for commenters who need to take a pause, reflect, and maybe get off the Internet. Here's how it works. Nominees are accepted 24/7 at [email protected], please put "Time Out Corner" in the subject line.
We love you, commenter Remy Marathe! We love that you took your commenter pseudonym from a character in David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest (which we'll get around to reading, uh, one of these days). We love that you take little at face value. We love that you're so engaged that you comment on A LOT of SFist posts.
But that last point has us a little bit worried, because you comment on A LOT of SFist posts. And you don't just make one or two comments per post, no, you pour your heart and soul into responding to many other comments in that same post, sometimes days after the news has passed.
Let's take a stroll through some recent exchanges, Remy.
In yesterday's "Deplorable Teen Hoodlums Targeting Asian Women On Muni," you commented eight times, on a post that (at publication time) had 57 comments. That means that about 14% of the comments to that piece came from you. Eight times! On one article. In less than a day.
On Friday's "Facebook Shuttle Drivers Speak Out About Low Pay, Long Days, And Feeling 'Held Hostage'," the number is even higher: 12 comments on a 58-comment post. That's over 20% of the comments on that post.
And so many of your remarks just seem so so angry, Remy! And a little misguided. For example, here's one of your eight on the Deplorable Teens post:
I can feel your clenched fists through my screen, Remy! I am worried about you! So let me help you feel better by telling you how the police determine what a hate crime is: as we've reported numerous times, to fall under the umbrella of a "hate crime," a specific remark opposing the victim's race/gender/orientation (etc) must be made prior to the attack, and the victim's protected class must be the reason for the attack. It's that simple.
You're getting mad, eight times, over something that is not happening. That's no way to live, Remy.
Or there's this, one of your 12 on the Facebook Drivers post:
Remy. Dear, sweet Remy. You know what's boring? When one guy does all the talking.
Remy, you tell us you have two kids, and you apparently work hard enough to own a building with a downstairs flat that you may or may not rent to tenants. That's great! We're sincerely happy for you. But when I see the knotted-up angst and frustration in your comments, I think that having the opportunity to step back and get a little perspective might be a good thing for you. That's why we're cutting you off for a week.
So, take a break. Take your commenting time and spend it with your kids. Transfer the energy you spent trying to make the comments to a post "less boring" and put it into deciding what sex-offender free thing you might try with your lower flat. Take a walk. Order a pizza. Be in the world. This week could be a game-changer for you, Remy!
And, breathe, Remy. Breathe.
