“Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.” — Robert A Heinlein
Guess what? Ninety percent of all nasty, annoying, pompous, or rude messages come from people who can’t or won’t mind their own business.
My grandmother would be disappointed. The ghost of Ann Landers is weeping in her tomb.
I just had this revelation a couple of years ago, and I’m happy to announce that people who can’t mind their own business
and want to mind mine without being asked will here and now be banished from the kingdom of Bedlam.
The Internet is about to get a lot smaller for me.
I have never cared what those people think, and I care even less now. So what are they doing here? Farewell and good luck to you.
I’m scouting for new AI software that will automatically spot these rude and presumptuous people while using my e-mail and writing blog posts.
The software will automatically ban them for life and burn their messages with crypto Bitcoin.
(That sound you hear is the sound of thousands of helium balloons popping and sailing up into the sky.)
It is now forbidden on my blog or mail to intrude on my life, mind my business,
and tell me what I think or should and should not do.
Go forth and feast on the lives of others. Eat one another.
Right here, I share my new rules for minding my own business regarding people I don’t know and will never meet.
–I mind my own business. I never get in trouble when I don’t mind other people’s business.
I never get upset or angry when the people who talk to me don’t mind me.
-When people come onto my site to mind my business, I don’t argue with them.
I just say: “this is none of your business.” It’s so easy; it took me so long to do it.
-I will not publish, respond to, explain myself to, or read any messages or posts from people who can’t mind their business and feed off of mine.
-I will not seek or take advice from people I don’t know and don’t have to pay.
-That is the boundary. People minding my business can’t come in.
-Free at last, free at last, Thank God almighty, I am free at last…
-Minding my own business is my business. It’s how I live.
It makes me strong, brings me peace, and spares me pain and heartburn.
“He what would make his liberty secure must undergo the fatigue of supporting it,” wrote Thomas Paine.
I’m tired of it. I’ll wave my magic digital wand and make it disappear.
Welcome to my true blog. This was always so simple.
I’m embarrassed it took so long.
The bad stuff in me was drawn to the bad stuff out there.
When someone minds my business and intrudes on my life,
I think about the Thomas Paine idea above,
which sounds old-fashioned and outdated in 2023.
Nobody listens to people like Paine anymore.
And then I want to cry.
Freedom to blog without undue conflict is a beautiful thing! I am so glad you can go forward with peace. And so can we readers who mind our business! Well done.
Good for you! It is your Blog and are thus you are entitled to set the rules and put boundaries in place.
Good for you!! It’s not just online that people do this. I’ve owned and run a small neighborhood pottery studio for nearly 10 years. Over the course of this time I’ve experienced an ever-accelerating increase in the number and pathology of people—students, members and workers (all ages and genders)—telling me how to run MY business. I’ve only recently grown courageous and clear enough to respond to them immediately and succinctly, and most importantly with NO regret or worry on my part about losing their business. They’re gone. Bye-bye!! The studio environment is so much better for it, and my sanity and mood. Our society is growing ever more psychospiritually ill. May god and gaia help us all.
One of my late Mother’s fav quotes was
If you have NOTHING NICE TO SAY
SAY NOTHING AT ALL
❤️
I am happy to read this. Best of luck finding software that helps you do what you need to do to protect yourself.
Besides your blog, I also read the blog of another favourite author, Stephanie Pearl-MacPhee. She has been blogging regularly since 2004. Like you do, she also writes about her life with authenticity and vulnerability.
In this post she writes eloquently about the toll it takes on her to be the recipient of judgmental comments, both good and bad, from readers. I post the link here, in case you are interested to read what a fellow author says about the topic. https://www.yarnharlot.ca/2022/12/what-do-you-do-for-a-living/
Jon, my counselor would say, “It took as long as it needed to take.” There’s nothing wrong with wanting peace and harmony, and turning away from all else. You’re focused on what good you can do. I love that!
Have people always been this eager to tell other people what they are doing “wrong” in their all-knowing opinion? Possibly. Social media have certainly made it easier to chime in with “expert critiques”. Even when the original poster begs them to not do it, many simply cannot resist. It’s exhausting. Life is much quieter and peaceful if you can block them from your life. It requires eternal vigilance because new busybodies keep popping up. Best wishes.
Happy Valentine’s day to you and Maria and all the beautiful creatures on your farm. Hope you have a great day!
Jon, I realize that a certain amount of controversy draws people’s attention and sometimes it is interesting in itself, but this is your blog and how you wish to run it and what you accept from others in regard to this blog, is your choice to decide and allow. To me, the internet has brought out all kinds of negative behaviours that is so disturbing in how the world is changing, hiding behind a computer screen, hatred seems to pour outward. The world has changed. But the internet also allows for a blog such as yours which many follow, wonderful pictures, a slice of country life so many will never experience and may not wish to, for country living is not for everyone, but your topics, your blog is unique and unique onto yourself. IT took one apple for a horse, to change it all. Good for you.
Sandy Small Proudfoot Canada
Bravo! I’m looking forward to your new blog. And happy Valentine’s Day to all at the farm! Hope you enjoy your new freedom.
Yes, good for you, Jon. This brings to mind a familiar quotation attributed to Theodor Geisel (but never truly verified as such)
*Be who you are and say what you feel, because those that matter don’t mind, and those that mind don’t matter*
Susan M
Good luck.
Actually I find minding my own business is a full time job if done with attention.
We’re with you on this.