On The Whine Train

I enjoy how newspapers have enabled online comments from the public. I'm not sure I enjoy that Topic Drift, wherein an interesting topic for discussion becomes an excuse for the airing of unrelated pet peeves, is an inescapable facet of the human condition. (Of course, Yr Humble Servant tries to stay on topic, but it's not always easy.)

Today's casus belli was restaurant service. The complainant wants to be served his wine in a certain way, and the poor fellow often seems to get an argument about it from the restaurant staff. One would think that the responses to his tale of woe would include sympathy, solutions and retorts. My rough analysis of the actual results is

• 13 thoughtful, pertinent responses
• 5 silly ones
• 6 attacks on the plaintiff's knowledge, motives and psychological health
• 10 attacks on other commenters' knowledge, motives and psychological health
• 4 attacks on the staff's training
• 4 attacks on the restaurant's role in the capitalist system
• 11 posts that have lost the plot entirely
  

The other common thread seems to be love of one's own voice. But then, I must be guilty too or I wouldn't be here.