Hi, Lithium Girl!
Have I considered it? Are you implying that it is, in fact, "bad?"
By asking, are you essentially telling me it is?
I'm afraid I don't understand what you're (being terribly kind about) asking? I get the gist; perhaps enough to have a go, so here's a go:
Well, when I see a comment that starts, "A rusty razor, pliers, duct tape..." -- and ends in "...and when he dies, revive him and do that shit again!" I do see those (see them, don't write them) And in a word... do I think they're "bad?" No. Do you?
To clarify my feeling that I'm not guilty of that particular element in commenting, you'll never find, in any of my too-long-and-rambling comments, ANY sort of punishment conceived by me and meant to obliterate the culprit in the story. I've never hinted that anyone needs their "baby parts" removed with a rusty anything, nor have I ever called for "pliers" in a way that makes many people lose their lunch. I know it's done, it's common here. But it's not done by me.
What I do wish, so often that it's almost a part of my signature, is that they get what they gave. No more than that, ever. No fancy dreamed up torture devices, nothing that's going to make anyone wince as they visualize the horrors the commenter has invented. If anything at all, I'll express a wish for the same treatment they doled out be given to them; the only exception is when I add "tenfold" or "sevenfold" (love me some folds, haha!) I think it's clear that when it comes to imaginative "bad" things, I'm not one of the more creative posters... mine's always that they receive what they gave; (the practicality of that is obvious, I assume?)
Take, for example, my latest post (above): Here's a woman and the child she produced and birthed. And she takes her life with all the regard most people take the life of an annoying fly in a window: not giving a damn whatsoever. In fact, she did it in a way so cruel and appalling that I was hard pressed to imagine a more heartless method or murder, (and I can imagine many methods of that! As can we all!) That post was -- how many lines long? (I can't see it now, but it was a bunch!) How many of those lines were regarding me wishing "bad" things to happen to her? One, two at the MOST, at the end?
If adding a sentence at the end of my comment saying I hope the same happens to her... if that's wrong... well I don't wanna be right!
But I appreciate your question, and I'm definitely always open to some honest and constructive criticism, so feel free to ask me about anything, anytime. If I wrote it, I meant it, and I don't want anything I've written to be taken any way but as intended. So I'll always try to elaborate if I've failed to make anything clear; because (borrowing a phrase shamelessly): Please, don't let me be misunderstood! I've got a feeling... well, it's suffice to say that I don't think I was misunderstood at all. I don't think, seeing so many comments that DO fit that area of questioning, I don't think anyone would confuse my comments with the sort you're talking about. I mean, apparently you did -- or something -- but I don't think that's what anyone else would've taken from that comment. I'd wager that not one person read that comment and thought, "Wow, that's bad that she's wishing the mother would suffer the same thing!"
If anything, they may have thought, "Same thing? No, she deserves much worse!"
Not trying to speak for anyone else, but I'd be shocked to learn I'm mistaken in believing there's not a single person reading this, who read that, and who took THAT from my post.
I can't even fathom someone reading all of that...and coming away with the opinion of
"Wow, she wished too much 'bad' on that mother!" It's ludicrous, it's laughable, because it so unlikely. Hence my questioning you getting that out of it -- not saying you didn't, but wondering how you got there... I don't see it.
But that's... that's just my take, and as we're all aware, opinions are just that, they aren't factual statements, just our take on the story at hand. One has no more value than another, and I'm sure I'm not alone in enjoying the diversity of the opinions here, the unique writing skills and banter of each member, and the surprisingly wide latitude that we're given regarding the rules in place for stating those opinions (comparatively speaking.)
(In other words, "I don't have to watch my mouth here? I'm stoked!")
And I hope you can kind of get my take on the opinions you mentioned. Some of them have provided some much needed comic relief, especially in the really horrific cases; dreaming of punishing those responsible for particularly horrible atrocities... it's a fast, effective, and free sort of therapy to fix what became broken as we read yet another true horror story. Nothing whatsoever wrong or "bad" about that! I applaud the imaginations that provide such fabulously appropriate "sentences" and have laughed out loud at the "give him CPR so you can kill him again!"-types of endings... they're funny as hell (to me!) Definitely my favorites! Most people, their torture ends at the death of the tortured... this group? Hell no -- this groups is like, "Kill him again!" You've gotta love that about the members of this group... I know I do!
How about you, do you think it's "bad?" Do you think what I wrote about the mother who took her child to give to the tide, that I wished the same on her...do you think that was "bad?"
And if so, does that make me "bad?"
If I hadn't added "sevenfold" -- if I'd just said, "I hope life gives her as she gave that child" -- kept it even like that -- would it be less bad? Just curious as to how you're defining "bad" -- it's a very general word and again, I'm not altogether sure what kind of answers you're looking for. But I hope I helped somewhat... and if I didn't, I hope I didn't (make myself look stupid) ramble too much (I did, I always do and I did it here) -- if I did, mea culpa -- I'm working on that... working on comment size... and I'll get there. Obviously, I won't get there today, but I'll get there...
Interesting question (surprised it was asked of me) but it did make me pause and consider my karma-like tongue-in-cheek endings that involve what the "bad guys" deserve. I appreciate the input, it's definitely something to think about.
Thanks again for asking!
TJ