Narcissism

[cosmolinguist]

I'm tempted to comment on my random review, but I cannot think of a single thing to say that isn't so sarcastic it'd be immediately rejected.

Like "It seems I am in prestigious company." But that would be mean, and probably reinforce the point that I think I'm smarter than everybody, since I used such a big word.

Or "At least I'm not a shithead." This community's one rule is I will not be a shithead. I think it's a good rule. Had I not cleared that hurdle, I imagine it would've been pointed out to me that I was, in fact, a shithead. Instead, I apparently just lack personality, which is a shame. Ever since Jeff Goldblum's character in Jurassic Park was described as "suffering from a deplorable excess of personality," I wanted to do that too.

Or "You think my journal's boring? You should see what I haven't been posting these last couple of days!"

Or "Damn, and I tried so hard to have a layout that's unique and yet readable." Which is true and not actually sarcastic at all, but would be unavoidably perceived that way.

I thought random_review was getting better ("better" = less frivolous, dismissive, superficial, etc.) again but I may have been mistaken. Of course, I can't say that now because if I did I would sound like--and, in fact, probably would be--a whiny loser. In fact, I wonder what I would think of this post had I not been one of the people reviewed therein.

It doesn't really bother me, as I joined the community mostly to find out about other cool people who have LiveJournals, and I have, in fact, found a bunch. This makes me happy. I asked to be reviewed only as a lark, and didn't really worry about what kind of grade I was going to get ... though I hoped to be average.

If anything, I'm bothered by the fact that I got such a cursory glance; the review, short as it is, proves that. "Boring" is a value judgment I cannot dispute, but "long"? A few are, recently, but that's not much of a trend. And I don't know why my bio makes me appear arrogant about my supposed intelligence. The Dexter icon? The interest in things like full-contact slow dancing and bassoons and Plankton and trebuchets? I have to admit, it is perplexing. And doesn't strike me as very fair, but then, I was never promised anything; they're not just reviews of random journals, they're pretty random themselves, and come as-is with no warranties explicit or implied because it's just for fun.

We now return to your normally scheduled journal time.

Comments

[alchemi.livejournal.com]

Any response will make things worse. Ignore it.

Re:

[cosmolinguist]

Oh, I intend to. Thus, I wrote this for my own gratification, wrirting just to get it out of my system. I wouldn't be surprised if I start to hate this entry's existence in a couple of days and delete it, but for now I'm happy it's there.

[czircon.livejournal.com]

Personally I really hate those reviewing communities, but I guess I can't decry them too much if you have to volunteer to be reviewed. But that particular review is totally off-base, especially the part about the bio. I think it's probably the reference to calculus that prompted the "I'm smarter than everyone" comment, but I hardly think that mentioning calculus constitutes arrogance. I guess that person is just overly sensitive about her own lack of calculus knowledge.

As for "boring," you're one of the few people whose journals I've found interesting enough to go back and read from the beginning, for what that's worth. (I haven't finished reading all the way through to the present yet, but I'm working on it.)

Your entries generally are longer than those of most of my other friends, but that's not a bad thing. I actually prefer longer entries provided that they're interesting, which yours are, as I mentioned above.

So basically that reviewer doesn't know what she's talking about. Yeah, yeah, it's all just opinion anyway, but hers is wrong. Heh. I know you probably didn't post this so that people would comment and reassure you of how great your journal is, but tough luck; I'm doing it anyway.

Yeah, I happen to suck at calculus; I just think it's cool, and important.

[cosmolinguist]

As for "boring," you're one of the few people whose journals I've found interesting enough to go back and read from the beginning... I consider that an incredible compliment. Thank you.

And you're right; I wasn't fishing for compliments, just lashing out irrationally, but your comments are all the more appreciated for being unexpected, in manner and degree.

support

[acromonkee.livejournal.com]

Psh. What does the judgement of people who spend their time critiquing others' LiveJournals mean? I gag in their general direction.

[andvariar.livejournal.com]

Those people are, ironically, shitheads.

Nobody in the entire review community has ever been able to impress me. They are, more often than not, egocentric enough to blatantly use their own livejournals as the 'standard' for an A+.

And they're shitheads.

[cosmolinguist]

I very much enjoy the irony of your comment.

[carpeicthus.livejournal.com]

It really made no sense to me. Tonight she reviewed four journals with apparently having given them only a passing glance. You deserved a better review. A higher grade, too.

[welfy.livejournal.com]

I find it ironic that all the people who I've seen reviewed on that community who are on my friends lists have gotten bad grades (as a reviewer of that community, I don't wish to review any of said people because it would be biased). For what it's worth, I think that while annessence is a good reviewer, these last few entries of hers in the community have been really dismissive and not to my liking. I'm not sure what she meant by "superior" either...who knows. I'm sorry that her review of you was yucky. I like your journal and I know your friends do, and that's what really counts.

I got all C's and an F in some other review community, so I have no idea what the heck people's standards are on some of these communities. I especially hate it when they freak out about layout. A journal is for writing out our thoughts, not showing off to people.

*hugs* I like your layout and writing. :^)

[cosmolinguist]

I do think the people at random_review are capable of better things--I've seen them--and that's why I bother holding them to some sort of standard in the first place. That is, in fact, why I decided to succumb to a review and why I read the community at all.

Yeah, my friends do seem to like my journal--I'm amazed at the comments this entry has received!--and that is indeed all that matters to me. I have good friends.

[ismelljello.livejournal.com]

I want to create a journal review community thats secretly based around a magic 8 ball. I betcha nobody would be the wiser.

my review

[g-nice.livejournal.com]

i don't think your entries are boring but i do think your icons are cute choices.

[tenbaset.livejournal.com]

I don't think that reviewer has any right to complain about anyone's layout. Egads, a LJ where the link:hover style does.. what ever it is that that does? Or the "really easy to read" purple-on-black subject areas?

[cosmolinguist]

You know, that's a good point. It had never occurred to me to look at hers before, but I just did and it made my eyes hurt. Vindication! Thanks. :-)

I told ya random reviews were lame

[5-rings.livejournal.com]

Heh, based on the amount of time your reviewer invested in talking about you and the, ahem, depth of her understanding, I'd say the review amounts to little more than her briefly taking the stick out of her ass and poking you with it.

Or perhaps I'm being too graphic ;-)

Re: I told ya random reviews were lame

[cosmolinguist]

That's a good image. I like it.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I think that letting folks who just want to tear other people down take a run at your journal should not succeed in bringing you down! Your journal is good.

[odwalla.livejournal.com]

I don't think you should sweat it. It is probably just a matter of your niche not coinciding with hers.

I tend to overanalyze and from reading this post it seems that you do, too. Try not to, it'll just drive you nutso. *hugs*