Thursday, June 16, 2016 10:00 AM
Some motherfucker has commented on my YouTube post of one of Mendelssohn’s ‘Songs Without Words’ saying, “What a laugh! lol.” So I went to his YouTube channel to see what he was about—he had a post of the same piece, which he played very well, liked a trained pianist. My recording was definitely inferior—I don’t play very well—but I still didn’t understand why he felt the need to deride me—who made him the Internet Music Police, anyway?
Maybe he didn’t mean to be mean—I jump to conclusions about that, because he wouldn’t be the first troll on my YouTube channel and I’m kinda sensitive about my piano-playing. Maybe he’s just trying to make friends and he’s even more socially inept than I am—but that would be giving him a truckload of benefit of the doubt. A friendly comment would have made a point of laughing with me rather than at me.
But that leaves the question of ‘why would anyone bother?’ Who surfs YouTube looking for videos to make fun of—and how would a person’s life become so vacuous that being unpleasant to strangers would become a pastime? He may very well have been trying to upset me—but all such comments only confuse me—don’t people have anything better to do?
I’ve made many comments on other people’s YouTube posts—but I never bother unless I want them to know how much I enjoyed their music, or thank them, or encourage them to keep playing and posting. Here on WordPress I find myself sometimes trading barbs with someone who offends my sensibilities—but on YouTube? If I don’t like a YouTube post, I just stop listening—I don’t go out of my way to tell someone I don’t like their music. That’s like telling someone you don’t like their religion—or their face. It’s just rude.
I don’t like violence—I don’t understand how it keeps being such a big part of our lives. It never produces anything but more violence. Maybe I’m just lucky enough to live a life where violence doesn’t come up—but even in situations where violence is commonplace, I still don’t see it doing anyone any good.
And trolling seems to me much more an advertisement of loneliness than any kind of criticism I would take seriously.
I am shocked someone would do that to you. What a low life. What does he do, search songs he plays just to boost himself to himself. I am only speaking of my piano playing, but it has come hard. I don’t have natural talent but I work hours on challenging songs and don’t stick to easy songs. he couldn’t dream of the accomplishments you make daily. And I am sure he doesn’t have your level of intelligence, compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit, and passion of your beliefs. I understand sensitivity all too well, so, move on and forget his rudeness and please continue what you do. Music can lift spirits, but you lift spirits in many, many forms. Play on.
Thanks so much, Mindy. I’m almost glad it happened now, hearing your kind words.