I discovered this quarter to be an opportunity for me to learn the importance of empathy for the reader. Up until my last two blogs I had only received a total of three comments on all the blogs I wrote this year. I foolishly believed that my audience was my class and teachers, at best, and I needed to solely address them in my blog. I was wrong. After igniting a storm of outrage from a recent blogpost, I was reminded that on the Internet, anything can be viewed by anyone, and the world is my audience. Also, once a post is written and viewed, it can't be taken back. The response to my blog referencing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy shocked me. For half the year, barely anyone in my class had ever commented on my posts, and then suddenly I generated about fifty comments in two posts. In the original post I wrote about a connection I considered fascinating and intriguing between marketing and a disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, that I first heard about in a commercial that aired during a football game. I lacked clarity in this blog, and my audience interpreted what I wrote as an insult to the very real suffering experienced by victims of Duchenne and their families. Although my post has been officially taken off the Internet and I have written an apology in a follow-up blog, I still have to acknowledge the initial reaction to the post. I also learned from this experience the impact an apology can have. The comments I received following my apology blog showed me how meaningful an apology can be to people who feel that they are not being heard. Still, the power of a controversial blog post can lead to good. The effectiveness of the commercial came into question, along with general discussion of this disease. Also, it was crucial to understand where the comments posted to my blog were coming from, and show empathy to the people who were writing them.
On the Internet, any topic has the potential to spark particular interest from any number of people. When you write a blog you have to question who could read it and how they might interpret what you say, and then show empathy to those people. I can voice my opinion freely, but I must watch my tone and intentions. Based on experience, I never anticipated anyone would actually read my blog, but even still I should have found an appropriate tone for what I was attempting to say. Not only was it offensive to people, but it was misinterpreted because of my flippant and arrogant tone. People were particularly frustrated with the fact that I would complain that a disease would have an advertisement. The readers did not know that my intention was positive, and I did not mean to have an offensive tone. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy should of course be funded, and a commercial is a great way to draw public attention, and generate donations to help find a cure. From now on, I hope to carefully examine who my blog might impact and how it might be interpreted, not only to avoid causing hurt, but to get my point across.
Note: The Judge and The Teacher
I believe I speak for the entire Duchenne community in thanking you for your apology. Any time you'd like to volunteer or get involved in a great cause, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteYou can contact me at: debra@cureduchenne.org.
Hey Tk, this sounds great, but don't be too hard on yourself. It's wonderful how you have taken what was no doubt a negative experience on your end, and turned it into a self-taught diplomatic approach. We, as the DMD community, could have been more understanding of what you had said. Our approach was not diplomatic, and I am sure we all are sincere in our apologies to you, as well. We are all very well aware of how little the public knows about DMD. Your understanding of how you have affected the Duchenne community is superior. Everyone single one of us jumps up and down when we see that commercial. We all turn everything off, run to whichever TV is playing and sit in silence for the 30 seconds it is on. The commercial is a remarkable triumph for the Duchenne Community.
ReplyDeleteDebra is the founder of Cure Duchenne, I believe. She more than likely has many contacts in Congrees, and even more doctors. Debra is also the person who got the commercial to run, I have been told.
My family is with Parent Project MD: http://www.parentprojectmd.org/site/PageServer?pagename=understanding_about
Really, thank you for being so understanding, and sorry about the Facebook Message. Many of us will probably continue to follow you, and I may even take you as an example for how I will need to write the blog my English Teacher wants me to set up:/
and Happy New Year!
I was one of the parents that commented on your original blog, though mine was not abusive or offensive, but rather asking others to educate you and recognise you as a voice for our message to be heard. I was touched to read your apology and, again, to read this follow up post. You are an intelligent young adult, and I believe, with your style of writing as such a particularly young age, you could go far in the "blogging world". I hope you will continue to let others know about the plight of our young boys (and some girls) as it is through word of mouth (verbal and written) that we can raise enough awareness worldwide, and hence funds, to find a cure. My son is not yet 7, and every night he wishes upon a star that he will "wake up normal". Perhaps one day his wish will come true.
ReplyDeleteThank you again, from the bottom of my heart.