Can't we make one mistake once in awhile?
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
May 21, 2009 12:41pm CST
Ok this was a long posting, but Mylot lost it when I hit "start" so here's the short version.
I made a mistatement of fact in an article I wrote today about a tv show. I clearly said in the article I had not seen the show and was just curious about it and pointing out that the premiere is next week. So you would think people would come along and just say 'oops, you got the one fact wrong' and be nice about it.
Well NOPE, instead people have to say "get your facts straight before you post!" and "so much for being credible writers" and otherwise act like I wasn't trying to get it right. I did try! I read A LOT of articles before I posted my short "premiere" update. I really thought the fact I wrote was correct, I messed up, it doesn't mean I was't trying.
I make measly pennies, if that, for writing online. I mostly do it for fun. So for people to be rude if I make 1 mistake out of a hundred, that really irks me! I myself have seen tons of mistakes in articles and they are glaring if it is a subject I'm interested in, but I always correct people in a nice way. My whole philosophy is to say something like "nice article, btw there were 6 kids, not 5", or whatever the case may be. I make it seem like I want to help them.
I have seen people be rude and jump on professional writers on News websites just the same. Can't we make mistakes? Can't you just correct us nicely? Do people feel superiour by ripping you down because of one mistake?
Has this ever happened to you and what do you think about it? Are people justified in being mad about a mistatement of fact, or should they calm down and realize that with a million news stories, sometimes a fact slips out of your head and you get it wrong???
3 people like this
7 responses
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
21 May 09
Hi vivasuzi...I went to school to become a religious school teacher. One of the things we learned about in school is how to critique people without being critical. I think there are ways of talking to people without being rude, nasty, or inconsiderate. One of the things we learned and I use to this day is that you should always say three positive statements for the one critical statement. In this way the person is less likely to be as sensitive to the criticism and it will be taken better as it is not an attack, but constructive statements. I'm sorry you were attacked like that. It is unnecessary to be so unforgiving when it comes to errors - we're all human and make tons of mistakes. Try not to take it personally because you did hit on one thing - it could be that people feel superior by publicly lashing out.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
21 May 09
That is a great philosophy :) I'm usually of the "one positive for one critical" b/c I'm usually just trying to leave a quick comment. ut still, I get ya!
Lucky for me, that site allows me to delete comments! I fixed the mistake and deleted the rude ones, but I still felt grrr about it thinking those people are going to look at all my articles from now on as if I'm a bad writer.
I also think it's easier for ppl to be rude online. As if, since we don't really know them, they are hiding out in the internet feeling like they are so smart compared to everyone else!
@deejean06 (1952)
• United States
21 May 09
You're right again - I too believe that the internet gives people license to behave poorly in some instances because it's not personal if you can't see the person.
1 person likes this
@desteny114 (886)
• United States
22 May 09
I make many mistakes especially typing becaue I have so little experience writing and my spelling and well everything is just not right. But I don't think that people should be mad about a mistake like that and yes have the right to correct you but in a nice way. I don't understand why there are people that are so mean. I bet that they also make mistakes maybe not often but they do. Pleas if anybody that is like this, pleas be honest but in a nice way so you can actually teach us insted of afectign us. THANKS :)
@sanuanu (11235)
• India
22 May 09
May be they were having fun with you and yu took them otherwise. I myself don't go for small errors and I would be posting like, "I didn't know if there were 6 kids but I have seen only 5, LOL"
So, people can have fun at your mistake and you should learn to take that in positive way. Think about it, if people won't get mad at us on our mistakes, then we would not learn from it and will do those errors more than often.
I dont' remember how people reacted on my mistake but I learn from them every day!
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
22 May 09
Well your way of responding sounds more funny, you know the LOL can make ALLLLL the difference. But when people just post "get your facts straight, there were only 5" or whatever, then it's basically like saying I didn't do enough research before posting.
Note: the example given was just a random made up one. But it proves the point that it wasn't a big huge deal!
I do learn from my mistakes, but when I get the correction in a negative light, it makes me MORE nervous the next time I write and MORE worried that I might spell a name wrong or write something wrong. I double check facts a lot but it gets tiring when I'm triple checking just to avoid getting yelled at :(
Thanks for your thoughts!!! :)
1 person likes this
@sanuanu (11235)
• India
22 May 09
Your star rating tells me that you are a very good and active mylotter. you must have learnt many things during your mylot life, haven't you?
I would say that it is almost impossible to please every one every time, so, be what you are and post with care, I don't think you need to to tripple or even double check your postings. Just do your posting.
But if you are talking about numbers, then yes, you need to check as I also check my numbers before posting.
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
22 May 09
Most often, it depends WHERE you make the mistake. If you make it on a personal blog, it doesn't matter. If you make it on an official press site (or one that's trying to be), then it matters because people expect a higher standard of fact-checking. And if you're being paid, they expect it to be right (even if it's only pennies - you're still being paid).
And no, that doesn't excuse being rude, at all.
2 people like this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
22 May 09
Yes I agree and I do try very hard to do my research before posting, but it's bound to happen sometimes if you read too many resources or too many facts, one slips your mind and you make one mistatement. So I do appreciate someone to point it out but I wish they would give me the benefit of the doubt that it was a mistake and not done due to lazyness.
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
23 May 09
That's entirely true and normal - I made a similar mistake recently, though I was lucky as it was all rumour anyway. In most cases, a simple comment response like "Thanks for pointing out the error: I've corrected it." is enough. It's blunt, non-emotional and leaves them no space to troll. Don't apologise (unless it was a comment concerning a particular individual and they replied).
1 person likes this
@coolcoder (2018)
• United States
21 May 09
Do you know how many mistakes the mainstream media makes in their reporting? Facts are left out or skewered to fit one particular ideology. It's funny how more people don't jump down the throats of those who make some of the biggest mistakes in this country.
Hold your head high--one unintentional slip-up is nothing compared to the intentional mistakes made by mainstream journalists, reporters, etc. Happy MyLotting!
2 people like this
@prinzcy (32305)
• Malaysia
22 May 09
We human, of course we make mistake. So don't be hard on yourself so much. I did make mistakes with pickjack once. I did make research and after I assumed the fact was correct, I posted the question. But the fact was wrong and other users start making comments about it (pretty much like you received) Well, there's nothing we can do about it.
1 person likes this
@xprincessx (99)
• Malaysia
22 May 09
its ok for one to make wrong once in a while..who in this world never do wrong? but the most important thing is you need to learn from the mistake..and not to repeat it again next time..and improve yourself from the mistake..
1 person likes this
