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To Rant or Not to Rant?

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Run_Fido_Run's picture
October 5, 2015 at 10:49am
44 Comments

Do you enjoy reading or listening to other Buckeye football fans ranting about poor play by the team? I ask because when homers like me call out the "negative nellies," we often hear the perfectly reasonable reply that some fans simply need to vent. This venting process serves a healthy, constructive purpose for those who are doing the venting

I don't know if venting is personally therapeutic or not. I sure as hell do it myself. This past Saturday, I said some nasty things to my television set.

Here's the thing, though . . . I was watching the game by myself. If I'd been watching with a buddy, I would have toned down my act because it annoys me when other fans rant and scream and bitch in my presence. Likewise, if I had jotted down my raw feelings during the game, my written words wouldn't have been pretty, either. I avoid doing that, though, because I personally don't see such public venting as dignified and I don't view it as worthwhile, pleasing communication.   

Which reminds me of an argument one of my old girlfriends had with a professor when she was a writing tutor in college. It was her job to help freshmen students pass the university's basic (remedial) writing requirement. So, she always stressed to them that the primary purpose of writing is communication: a writer's concern should be for his readers; therefore strive to make one's writing clear, concise, well organized. During a tutoring session, a student brought her an incoherent, stream-of-consciousness "essay" that he had written about the joys of taking a dump, instead of the academic essay that he was supposed to write. My girlfriend patiently, but sternly, explained to the student that such gibberish would not pass the university's requirement.

The next day, the professor chewed her out for harshing the poor kid's mellow. The professor believed that the primary purpose of writing - whether in a private journal, or in public communication - is to promote the writer's wellbeing. The reader is also important, the professor argued, but not as important as the writer's process of self-discovery and expression.

When my girlfriend told me what happened, I was pissed off and fervidly took her side in the argument (and not just because I wanted some grudge sex). The professor was a damned fool! So that's why I am asking if you enjoy reading or listening to negative rants. If you do - if there is a robust audience for such rants - then who am I to object? 

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