Guest Book entries

imported
#1

What is the purpose of Guest Book entries?

Is it to say stuff like: “You made it to , you’re almost done!”
Or “I soooo love your journals, I print them off and read them everyday!”

The rules state that the author takes full responsibility for the content of their journals. The privacy policy states the site is an open forum, available to the general public.

Some journals are matter of fact; others spew opinions; others cite statements of their reactions to things (places and people) on the trail.

Based on all this, why can’t someone use a guest book entry to disagree with the journalist on a comment they made or an action they took?

If the sole purpose of the guest book entry is to be an ego boost for the journalist, then where does the reader come into play to provide a counterpoint to the journalist on an open forum?

Comments?

Jim

#2

It’s just late enough after enough Corona’s to actually respond to this one.

You’re right. But i think there is room for considering that the journalist is putting themselves out there “at risk” with little or no chance for any “gain.” It’s not like they are a columnist getting paid to write their opinions, a politician elected and getting paid, a gigabucks athlete, etc. So with that in mind, i would think that disagree-ers would rightfully keep that in mind when disagreeing, so that the journalist doesn’t have to be overly defensive of something that was never put in print for personal gain to begin with.

On summitpost.org, i once posted in the guest entries some criticism of a journalist who totally reamed his climbing partners performance in a difficult situation. It seemed clear to me that it was the journalist who did the wrong thing, and i had a similar experience, so i wanted to point out the counter-opinion. I hope i did it in a collegial and unoffensive way. I probably didn’t. oh well.

Feel free to comment negatively on my journal…if i ever get it posted. JMT this year…i’ll try to do it by this weekend. cheers!

markv

#3

Jim, not every author is writing for you or me. They may keep a journal for their family, friends or co-workers. They may keep a journal for themselves to look back over when they finish hiking. If you have read a journal that you enjoy, let the author know. If you are reading a journal that you do not enjoy or disagree with, my suggestion is to move on to another journal. I know many of us would like to write a witty, creative, and exciting journal and have a movie or book made out of it, but that is not going to happen. However, like markv if someone is willing to open up their journal to criticism, negative comments and grammical errors let them post it here.

Bilko

#4

I had a person dis aggree with something I did and wrote about it in my journal. I would not have minded so much except the person did not have the “balls” to leave an email address. - If you want ot differ with me fine but at least have the courage to say who you are. – But then so many of the hackers out there put up a bunch of falsh names when they can’t be who they are, so I guess there will is no point. – Yes, I know hikers take false names as well but we also say who we really are. – Last point is someone does not like what I write don’t read further!!

Hammock Hanger

#5

I passed along some info that turned out to be incorrect in one of my journal entries. I did not claim the info to be fact but merely quoted what some local person told me about hunting laws in the area. Instead of politely correcting me, some anonymous poster totally flamed me. I felt bad about getting the info wrong but it seeemd the response was way disproptionate then the issue warranted. There are alot of sad people out there who use the anonymity of the internet to take out their anger on the world. After some serious thought, I decided to remove the anonymous remark from my guest book. I wanted my guest book to be a positive thing for me and seeing that asinine comment every time I looked at it was just too depressing.

Striker

#6

Guest book entries is a great way to read positive comments from “readers”. Especially during the actual hiking time, it’s so great to get the encouragement, cheering and support. It’s also a great way to follow other hikers in your age bracket, to live vicariously through their experiences, to learn, so that when we’re able to start our own thru hike we will recall the “ups and downs”, the pain, the tears, the rain, cold and wind. We all recognize that its not always fun on the trail but the good times far outway the bad. I so agree with Striker, delete any bad comments, who needs them?? :wink:

Cathy Benton

#7

Its a guestbook. Just like if your a guest at someones house. You dont go in and tell them of all the things you dont like about them or thier house. Whats the point? Just stay home Jim.

Virginian

#8

…you don’t have a journal Jim so we could all send you a GUEST book entry telling you what an A-hole YOU are! You need some help if that’s the way you get your kicks. Perhaps you’re one of these guys who just likes to be rude and sound off on the internet but it’s another story face to face. Good luck pal…you’ve got problems.

EBs

#9

Hey EBs! owie! I don’t think Jim ever said he wanted to be rude to anyone. He was asking a question, and asking for comments. That doesn’t really sound like someone who is planning to get his kicks trashing somebody else. Maybe he was reading someone elses negative guest book entry, and it just put a question in his head.

I have to say, though, I hope if anybody is ever busting my chops that you are on my side! :smiley: I’ll just stand back and let you at 'em! lol!

It’s all good! :girl

texangie

#10

Hey I gotta agree with texangie. I never saw that in Jim’s post either. You are blasting Jim for the very thing you just did. You just did it here instead of a guest book, so I guess Jim doesn’t even have a chance to erase your comment. Not sure I would want you on my side.

As far as Jim’s question I tend to feel that if someone has a journal up with a guest book then all entries should be allowed, even those with commentary that may not be flattering. Now with that said, I don’t think anyone has the right to flame someone else no matter what the forum. It’s just that if someone thinks that a journal entry may have missed the point a guest book entry should be allowed to address this in that persons mind. Just don’t wail away when you do it.:cheers

Old Grey

#11

Guest books in all other contexts are intended for friendly comments from friends, relatives and well-wishers.

I assume the same is intended here.

Conan

Conan

#12

In my opinion, while the poster signing the Guestbook has a right to his opinion, the Guestbook is utimately that of the jounalistist and they have the right to keep or delete whatever is in it. – Now if it is a forum I believe the comment should stand and then can openly be debated, but not a guestbook. Sue:girl

Hammock Hanger

#13

To finalize this, I’ve read pretty much all the PCT and JMT journals. Some are well written, some are funny, some informative, a minor few are outright rude and obnoxious. Similar to society as a whole, I guess.

I’ve made entries in several guest books. I’ve offered help (I live less than 45 mins. from the PCT); I’ve written encouragements; I’ve written congratulations.

Virginian made a comment that a guest book is like being a guest in someone’s house. I can see that viewpoint. But if I’m a guest in someone’s house, I don’t believe I should have to keep my mouth shut and be insulted with statements like these:

“After all, he's just a lowly section hiker. I was a thru-hiker.”

“…..hope you feel good about yourself, Mr. Armchair hiker. F***er.” (edited for this post, not edited the journal).

“Thru-hikers get first dibs!”

These are actual quotes from journals. I saw others, but these are good examples.

I don’t believe a journal writer has the right to stand on their soapbox and spew comments like these without the ability of a journal reader to say they disagree.

It’s a public forum, which means the writer and the reader should have the same rights. To just say “don’t like it, don’t read it” implies that statements like these are appropriate for a journal writer to make. I don’t think they are appropriate, and you probably don’t think they are either.

Virginian: your “Just stay home Jim” comment was unwarranted.
EBs: calling me an “A-hole” was also unwarranted.

Texangie and Old Gray and the rest, it appears you understood my post. I appreciate your inputs.

If you haven’t read this, you should (link found on pct-l):
http://www.idyllwildpct.com

Jim

#14

Journal guestbooks are not public forums. This area of trail journals is public. If you feel the need to disagree in public about something you read in a journal, post here, or start your own journal/blog and post there but I simply can’t agree with the idea that anyone has a right to post something in the guestbook areas. A journal guestbook exists as a courtesy to readers to communicate with their host and should be respected as such. To use your soapbox example, you seem to think that you should be able to muscle your way onto their soapbox in order to criticize them. I call shena****ns on that. Get your own soapbox and shout away. It isn’t like soapboxes are in short supply on the Internet.

Perhaps you are thinking of open comment areas that some blogs have. I think that is very different than a guestbook area on a trail journal. An open comment area is like a second soapbox next to the blog owner’s. They are inviting other people to step up and respond to their writings. Much different than a guestbook.

radar

#15

I never said anything about muscling into a guest book. Where did you pick that up? Geeez.

Show me the rules that says guest books are not public forums.

You can’t, because those are not the rules.

jim

#16

Yeah, I give up. You through hikers are a bunch of self centered jerks and attack me for asking a simple question. Go take a hike. I’m outta here.

jim

#17

Weird. I wrote ‘s h e n a n i g a n s’ all spelled out and in the post the ‘****’ appeared.

Anyway… You suggested that readers have the right to be able to disagree with a journalist by utilizing the journalists own guestbook. You said that journalists and readers should have the same rights to that guestbook. By right I assume you mean that a journalists is required or compelled in some way to allow readers to comment on their own guestbook. I just don’t see it that way. I don’t see the guestbook as something that belongs equally to the journalist and the readers, I see it as belonging to the journalist exclusively.

Similarly, if you are insulted by something said while you are a guest in someone’s house, you have no right to be permitted to stay and respond. You might be allowed to to stay and respond by the host or you might be asked to leave, in either case your access to the house is not contingent on whether you were insulted or not.

So I see your insistence on equal access to the guestbook as an attempt to utilize the guestbook for your own purposes irrespective of the journalist’s purpose (muscle your way onto their soapbox).

I don’t see how you can conclude that guestbooks are public forums. They only exist if a journalist creates a journal and checks an option to have a guestbook. They are called ‘Guest Books’, not ‘Public Forum’, or “Open Comments” or anything else. You have to simply ignore the meaning of the word ‘guest’ in order to conclude that they are public forums in the same way that this forum area is public.

As far as equal rights, you’ve got them. Create your own journal/blog and write whatever you want. I don’t understand the need to use someone else’s journal or guestbook for your own purposes.

radar

#18

Equal access to disagree with a comment made in a journal. If guest books aren’t the access then where’s the equal access to publically call someone on their comments in their journal?

Jim

#19

I don’t understand where you get the idea that you have a right of equal access to someone else’s home, soapbox, blog, trail journal, guestbook, and so on. These things are not public resources. Even the forum part of Trail Journals is not a public resource. It belongs to Leif and ZipDrive and we are here as their guests.

As I said before there is absolutely nothing that prevents you from starting your own journal, blog, or web site where you can write what you want or invite people to participate under whatever rules you desire.

Radar

#20

Hey Jim I think you should write your senator… perhaps you can get it tried in the supreme court. Maybe at least the Peoples Court.

Start with a petition… they like those.

tha wookie