The colourful world of comments

Love it or hate it, everyone online has something to say - and they're not afraid to say it!

“Don’t you have anything better to write about?” is the response you get when you do a story that does not cover pressing issues or one that would be ‘making a difference’.

If you do get a story on topics along the lines of corruption, rape or violence, the reaction you get is, “Stop maligning the name of the country! What will others think when they read this?”

Working for The Express Tribune Web Desk, I have come across a very diverse group of comments – everyone seems to have something to say, whether you like it or not.

There are the ‘something betters’ – these guys are never happy. They always want to know why we don’t have anything better to write about. Sirs and madams, you’re in the Life & Style section, for ‘pressing issues’ please use gates, ‘Home’ and ‘Pakistan’.

‘The defenders’ – yes, they defend everyone and everything. If theres a story on corruption, they respond by saying, “Stop reporting it!”; Rape? “Why are you giving us depressing news?” Business? “We’re the best, what inflation?”

‘The All-India-We’re-Better-Than-You-League’ – this bunch is stalking the website, literally. They jump at every single opportunity they can get, quoting from Wikipedia like 2nd graders running through their ABCs. They don’t like you, they want to bring you down and they pretty much manage to do it too.

‘The ‘Religious lot’ – this group will defend the faith, and it doesn’t matter which faith they’re defending. They’re all for the blasphemy laws and they want to be heard, via 700 word essays, of course.

‘The punishers’ – like their name suggests, they want everyone punished, they don’t even want to know if the suspect has been guilty. Hang them, jail them, punish them, lynch them, they want blood sitting behind a computer monitor.

‘The shameful’ – “shame, shame”. That is all.

Unfortunately, I don’t have enough space to list all of them down. I do have this to say though – what we have on the site is a very diverse and vibrant bunch of people who get to express their views, unlike on many other websites.