roloper stated it in a way that felt like s/he was saying ‘how could you be so stupid to think that’, which is not so nice.

you’ll notice that no one had a problem with bbobb’s comment, even though it was offering an opinion different from bacchus’, that’s because he did it in the same spirit of the original statement, a musing, as opposed to steadfast knowledge.

roloper’s comment wasn’t in response to anything i wrote, and yet still, i felt a bit like i was punched in the gut when i read it. i suppose because i happen to agree with the theory that they are mother and daughter, so it felt like someone was saying ‘how could you be so stupid’ to me too. this is not to be confused with taking it personally, because after the first initial viceral reaction, before any logic can kick in, well, logic kicked in and i frankly don’t care what some random stranger says.

but i applaud bacchus for calling him on it.

It shows up an utter lack of manners and delicacy on roloper’s part. If your opinion differs from what was only a suggestion in the first place, there are much better ways of expressing it than an adolescent-sounding haughty assertion without any reasoning to support it.

Maybe roloper was in a hurry, and didn’t have time to construct a more detailed response, and would be shocked by the reaction above. But writing a rushed and blunt reply also shows a lack of etiquette and respect, because if you care about your target audience, then you take the time to express yourself more eloquently.

Just my opinions. Feel free to challenge them, that’s what they’re there for.

And as for the mother & daughter question? I don’t know. Not a clue. Not the foggiest inkling. But the picture made me smile, so it doesn’t matter.

I like to solicit my readers’ opinions about all sorts of things, all sorts of unknowable things. Opinions are fun to hear, especially when they come with reasons.

On the other hand, it’s off-putting — to put it mildly — to have people come into these comments and claim to know those unknowable things. It’s a form of internet oneupsmanship — an arrogant assertion that “my opinion is better than yours, so much better than yours that it’s not opinion, it’s fact. And by the way, you’re wrong, neener neener, how does it feel to have a smaller e-peener than mine?”

I don’t think it’s an overreaction to call bullshit when that happens. Or, for that matter, just to moderate the comment, which is what I usually do.

It’s possible they’re not mother and daughter.

Roloper, if you don’t see the similarities I see, why not just say so? Familial opinion is intangible. Absolutes like “can’t” and “are not” are inappropriate here. Because you don’t know. Any more than I do.

When you state your opinion this way, it sounds arrogant and rude, because it suggests that you consider your opinion to be better than mine.

They “can” be mom and daughter. They might not be. I’m interested in your opinion, and why you have it. I’m not much impressed to hear you declare the debate over, just because your opinion differs from mine. What the fuck?

Why do people do this so much? Is friendly discussion so difficult?

Grrr.

maybe sisters?, but even that is doubtful

no, just good friends, but whatever their relationship, i wouldn’t mind being their friend also and spending a most enjoyable day in the sun exploring

faces are not even closely similar