Let's Talk Fridays: Can WORDS Hurt?

I am writing today's post after a personal experience recently which made me think.  Blogging is all about writing and the words we use:  what we say,  how we say it,  what we mean,  how our words are interpreted,  what others think of us by the words we use,  etc.

Sometimes we all say something to someone else in a comment which may be viewed differently by those who read the comment.  We may hurt someone's feelings without even knowing it.  OR we may give a person the wrong impression about us by the words we use.

Think about it!!  Have you said something on a blog post or in a comment which you regret?  OR---do you really think about or care what you say at all?

When you know someone on a personal level and talk to him or her frequently,  your words can be more easily understood and interpreted because you really 'know' that person.  Blogging is different.  Many of the folks you blog with are just 'blog friends' ---and the only way you know each other is through your WORDS to each other.  That is why I think that we all (myself definitely included) need to do a better job when choosing the words we use on blogs.

One thing which we all have to be careful about is expressing negative opinions.  We all have opinions ---and I think we can and do express them freely on blogs.  We know we have the 'right' to express them.

What I have tried to learn (and am still learning this) is to stay away from PERSONAL attacks which may hurt someone else.

This brings me to the situation I witnessed recently while visiting a friend's blog.  The blog post was well-written and there was nothing wrong with the post itself.  The problem came within the comments on that blog.  A couple of bloggers (whom I do NOT know) spewed some ugly words against another person.  They used words even worse than the ones you see in this illustration above.  I was SHOCKED.

Just reading these words about another human being really upset me, even though they were not about me...   There may be people in this world whom we don't like,  but why publicly say things like that about ANYONE????  That opinion hurts the person who makes it --more than the person they are criticizing.  Do they not realize that????  The comments upset me ---and certainly gave me a negative opinion about both of those bloggers who said that.  They are NOT people whom I would want to have as blog friends.

I guess what I am saying (to myself also) is to be careful what we say.  Remember this:  "Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones, but Words will Never Hurt me"????  Obviously, that is NOT TRUE.   Words do HURT. As it says above,  words can hurt our souls.

Have you been wounded by words?   I'm sure we all have ---and I'm sure that most of us have wounded others by our choice of words.  Reading that particular blog certainly taught me to be more careful when expressing an opinion which may hurt someone else personally.  What say YOU?????  Have you ever experienced something similar while blogging???

I am taking a week off from blogging.   SO--I will be back on April 4. Hope all of you have a great week, and remember to watch what you say--unless you want others to form a negative opinion about YOU.

Hugs,

P.S.  ALL illustrations/pictures came from the internet.