Why do people read (and comment on) blogs they don’t like?

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This is going to be a pretty short post.   Someone who I won’t name had been commenting frequently on my political posts, and their views are almost the polar opposite of mine.   I can’t say this person is exactly a troll, because their comments weren’t offensive or abusive enough to qualify as troll comments, but their views were certainly at odds with mine and he/she wasn’t always very nice about it either.

I asked this person why they were reading my blog since what I have to say seemed to anger them so much, but got no reply.    He/she would be silent for a few days, and then make another negative comment.

Now I get that not everyone is going to agree with me, and I don’t expect them to.   I wouldn’t even want everyone to agree with me 100% of the time, because that’s boring.   Healthy debate is good.   Different points of view can make you think in different ways and consider other points of view.  But this person wasn’t open to civilized debate and seemed to disagree with me about just about everything I said.

Today this individual said they were unsubscribing.  It didn’t hurt my feelings; my only reaction was, what made you wait so long?  It wasn’t as if there was any doubt about where I stand on certain issues.

I really wonder why some people waste their time reading blogs they disagree with or don’t like.  If they just HAVE to read blogs that make them angry (like the pleasure you get picking at a scab), why do they bother commenting?    I really don’t get that.   If I don’t like a blog, I don’t bother reading it.  There are so many other things I can do with my time that are more productive and give me more pleasure than making myself angry or upset reading a blog I hate.    There are so many good blogs out there that give me great pleasure to read, so why would I read one I dislike?

17 thoughts on “Why do people read (and comment on) blogs they don’t like?”

  1. A.M.E.N!

    I’ve been pretty lucky so far… I haven’t had that kind of experience, but I often see comments on blogs I follow that make me want to reply the exact question you’ve been asking yourself… “Why the heck are you reading this, if you don’t like it/it makes you angry/it doesn’t interest you???” But those are not my blogs, and I don’t want to start a fight on a fellow-blogger’s lawn… Because, yes, I have a feeling the answer wouldn’t necessarly be very cordial….

    Liked by 3 people

    • Your blog is one of those blogs that would offend no one. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all. Just that the type of content you post isn’t offensive to anyone or controversial in any way. I write about controversial things and always have, so it’s a trade hazard, I guess LOL!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. I think it’s the anonymity of the web, people say and do things they wouldn’t normally do because they are generally safe from being identified, sooner or later they run into someone who will take their IP address and use Google to pinpoint their exact location and send a photo (via satellite/Google street view) of the offenders home, usually scares them enough to make them run

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  5. Some people just have to correct you and let you know how wrong you are and that they are correct. They cannot help themselves. It’s all about them, not you.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I have had a troll on my blog. They clearly didn’t like it but yet were reading it. I don’t get it. If they can’t be bothered to make those comments under their username, I just think they are trolling and should not be taken seriously.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. There are a number of reasons, and I agree with a number of the comments here. I’d point out the way populism can bend what people believe to the point that they feel the need to be assertive on their “ground.” Which can be anywhere if they’re too involved or hopeful the person can change. Technology allows propaganda to spread quickly. And then there’s… wait for it… narcissism.

    Populism gets toxic, if not evil, when politicians mislead people on their insecurities. When Donald Trump says to his rally-goers that “they” are trying to “take away the future you want” or voted for, “They’re trying to take away our culture.” It’s not his culture; he resonates with the crowd because he changes his persona to fit the talk radio quality politic.

    Liked by 2 people

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