I’ve Quit Reading Aggressive Rants So I’ve More Time to Read Valuable Writing

I’d rather not waste my time

Everybody has an off day here and there. And, if you write, it’s tempting to unburden on the page. The idea isn’t a bad one. Studies show journaling — that’s when you write for yourself in a diary — reduces stress and aids clarity. Online ranting, though, is often a waste of a reader’s time. The writer might benefit from getting rid of angst. But the reader is left with battered inner ears.

Some rants, of course, are juicy. If you agree with a writer’s point of view and want to rant too, you might relish their outpouring of gloom and anger. Personally, though, I’m not keen.

I used to read rants — I mean gushes of annoyance from writers upset about something their mother-in-law said or inflammatory hate pieces about someone prominent on the news. They weren’t simply opinion pieces. They were aggressive in nature and designed to offend or cause turmoil.

It soon wore thin. I find other articles more gratifying to read. Some teach me: They aid personal growth. Some entertain. (Funny rants are terrific). Some demonstrate wonderful writing skills or are beautiful. Some, like this article, offer a point of view you can take or leave, and they might make you think.

Maybe it’s just me, and everyone else enjoys reading rants. After all, I never liked Tracey Emin’s bedroom scene that won an award either. I prefer people’s mess kept private unless it helps observers in some way. Otherwise, you’re just like a little boat in the sea that is assaulted by an ugly vessel with teeth.

I’ve always been the same in offline life too. Drama, the off-screen variety, makes me sigh, and I don’t watch soaps unless they are funny.

So, is it just me? Do you love reading rants about topics that have nothing to do with you? Or, do you consider hostile tirades unreadable too?

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