Armor for (blog) Wars?

I've been around the wow internets a fair amount of time now, albeit, silently. I have this tendency to avoid getting personal about anything, to be publicly opinionated on any subject or to take up sides in any of the often heated debates that pop up. It's just me.


Considering some recent events though, along with a virtual all-out bar fight to boot, this crickity old one with the fragmented mind is going to say a few words. /Shockwave! Yes, I do have opinions from time to time and sometimes, they may even border upon intelligent. (rare, I admit)

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before just how much of an avid blog reader I am. With google reader bursting at the seams and my favorites tab showing signs of middle age spread, there's not much I miss out on while bouncing around the wow blogosphere. Well, at least it seems that way. Obviously, I don't read every rss subscribed or favorited blog every day. My hap-hazard system allows me to scan through all posts from all blogs I've found an interest in for some reason or another, snatch up the ones that strike an immediate interest within, then move on to the ones I do read all posts from regulary. Yes, it's a strange journey indeed.

Now, here is where it gets a bit sticky for me. I get to know blog authors. Not personally, but through their writings. I receive and formulate distinct thoughts of and feelings for them through their posts. It's kinda sorta like kindred spirits. I don't always agree with my favorite bloggers at times, but respect their right to voice their thoughts/opinions, and continue to patronize their corner of the community.

What saddens this ol' heart, is seeing one of my favorites stop blogging. That "final post", does tend to make these eyes a bit blurry-visioned. One can easily accept the reasons of: long time player quitting wow, real life changes, etc. But to see blogs go awry or even shut down over all out "blogging warfare", is simply un-acceptable.

GROW UP PEOPLE!

Even like-minded people are not going to have perfectly matching opinions. Differing views are what makes the world go 'round, and grow. You CAN agree to disagree. You CAN disagree totally, and enter into intelligent, RESPECTFUL debate over the issue. MAYBE even come to a mutual understanding of each others views. Hell, if it weren't for all the personal slandering and blood-letting, you might even come up with the best resolution for the issue, or whatever it was that got lost in the heat of the battle anyway.

Would I be speaking about morality, or some form of blogging 'Table of Manners' here? No, not really. Just a little common sense and human decency will do. The old saying is that it takes two to fight, and, there is always two sides to any story. I'm quite sure that open communication and respect will go a long ways towards solving any disagreement. Well, most of the time. Maybe. It is after all, World of WARcraft. (yeah, I went there :))

I hear (read) about the warcraft blogging "community". Within that community I find a virtual truck-load of intelligent, well-versed and knowledgeable writers of all flavors. A grand horn of plenty. Human nature seems to dictate that two people will argue over just about anythng. Why does it seem at times that such a great and wonderful community finds it difficult to rise above this rather simplistic and demeaning aspect of human nature? Blogging warfare. "Is this really necessary?"