The Problem with Lurking

I read a fair number of blogs, because I'm a snoop. 

I'm especially drawn to blogs written by women who have lives completely different from mine:  very religious, homeschooling mothers who are Republicans.  Call it ghoulish fascination.

I rarely leave a comment.  (No, I don't think homeschooling is the bee's knees!  No, I don't think relying on the rhythm method at age 45 is a good idea!  Etc.)  I silently absorb and marvel, even when what these women write strikes me as sheer, uninformed lunacy.  I'm what's known as a "lurker."

But then, every once in awhile, I lose it, often over something relatively minor.  I told a Mormon mom in her comments box that her obsession with choosing a hood for her kitchen displayed  misguided priorities, but I'd bitten my tongue when she went on about being pro-Proposition 8.  Does this make sense?

No.  It's like a bad marriage.  I get pent-up, and then I let them have it.

As of this morning, I've decided I'm done.  No more lurking.  I can't tolerate these viewpoints at complete odds to my own for the sake of satisfying my curiosity.  Exploding occasionally in the comments box ("Combox" for those in the know) about something trivial is pointless and not really fair.

These people are going to go one with their lives and their (misguided?) values, and I'm going to go on with mine, and I'm sorry to say, never the twain shall meet.   If I were honest, I would have read one of their blogs and said, "For God's sake!" and never returned. 

 It's going to save me a lot of time.