Comments on: Day 9: Should We Be Commenting on Blogs? http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/ The Magic of Learning Tue, 22 May 2012 15:25:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Skip Zalneraitis http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25991 Skip Zalneraitis Sat, 10 May 2008 19:06:21 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25991 Silvia- I have been so awful with this 31 day challenge! I am delighted when people comment on my blog, but I don't do it with the expectation that anyone will. Most of my comments are either 1. questions, 2. amplifiying /supplying more info of in the vein of the post, or, most often, 3. notes of appreciation for what I've garnered from the post. -Skip Silvia-
I have been so awful with this 31 day challenge!
I am delighted when people comment on my blog, but I don’t do it with the expectation that anyone will. Most of my comments are either 1. questions, 2. amplifiying /supplying more info of in the vein of the post, or, most often, 3. notes of appreciation for what I’ve garnered from the post.
-Skip

]]> By: Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25990 Langwitches Sat, 10 May 2008 19:04:27 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25990 @Kathy Thank you for leaving this comment. Yes, FETC seems like such a long time ago already. Meeting so many of you f2f for the first time was very exciting... I am working on to not pondering too long when leaving responses on Langwitches or commenting on other blogs, because experience has shown me that sometimes the special moment passes to respond with your first impression and intuition. You wrote: <blockquote> I think that controversy is the key to generating numerous comments. Some people are very comfortable with confrontation and they enjoy the intense dialog of argument. Their blogs become great sounding boards for a wide range of opinions and ideas.</blockquote> Why do you think that is? Human nature? Does that stand as the opposite of @Lihonda's "Comments are an acknowledgments that someone is “listening” and perhaps expanding their own thoughts". I also like engaged discussions, but when they turn to drama, I find myself immediately turned off when reading posts or comments that are pointing fingers or are turning "nasty" as you say. <blockquote>My own blog seldom elicits comments but it doesn’t stop me from logging my own ideas and opinions. It helps me to think more clearly about topics or to retain a record of the passion I have for a topic, person or cause. In short it helps me with self reflection.</blockquote> From what you are writing above, it seems that you have exactly figured out what your blog intent is and that you are comfortable with that. That is all that matters in my opinion. :) @Kathy Thank you for leaving this comment. Yes, FETC seems like such a long time ago already. Meeting so many of you f2f for the first time was very exciting…
I am working on to not pondering too long when leaving responses on Langwitches or commenting on other blogs, because experience has shown me that sometimes the special moment passes to respond with your first impression and intuition.
You wrote:

I think that controversy is the key to generating numerous comments. Some people are very comfortable with confrontation and they enjoy the intense dialog of argument. Their blogs become great sounding boards for a wide range of opinions and ideas.

Why do you think that is? Human nature? Does that stand as the opposite of @Lihonda’s “Comments are an acknowledgments that someone is “listening” and perhaps expanding their own thoughts”.

I also like engaged discussions, but when they turn to drama, I find myself immediately turned off when reading posts or comments that are pointing fingers or are turning “nasty” as you say.

My own blog seldom elicits comments but it doesn’t stop me from logging my own ideas and opinions. It helps me to think more clearly about topics or to retain a record of the passion I have for a topic, person or cause. In short it helps me with self reflection.

From what you are writing above, it seems that you have exactly figured out what your blog intent is and that you are comfortable with that. That is all that matters in my opinion. :)

]]> By: Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25988 Langwitches Sat, 10 May 2008 18:08:35 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25988 @Lihonda you write: <blockquote>Is it necessary to have comments? Probably not. But it is nice to know that people think that what you have to say is worthy enough to respond to.</blockquote> I absolutely agree with you. Being acknowledged is a driving force for many people in whatever you are doing. The question that @greg on his comment above and Sameer Vasta on his <a href="http://eloquation.com/2008/04/28/rethinking-the-blog-comment-policy/" rel="nofollow">blog </a> post have brought up is, if a blogger who is not intending to have a "conversation" on his or her blog and who is perfectly content in logging their thoughts and learning paths without expecting or wanting any comments still considered a blogger? Is blogging equal to posting AND commenting? Are you less of a blogger if you receive or want/need little or no comments or your thoughts? Just trying to wrap my mind around if anyone can or should define what blogging constitutes in general. Maybe that is the beauty of it? You can make blogging what you want out of it. Maybe the best advice is, especially new bloggers, not to feel pressured to be what others appear or want to be for themselves. @Lihonda you write:

Is it necessary to have comments? Probably not. But it is nice to know that people think that what you have to say is worthy enough to respond to.

I absolutely agree with you. Being acknowledged is a driving force for many people in whatever you are doing. The question that @greg on his comment above and Sameer Vasta on his blog post have brought up is, if a blogger who is not intending to have a “conversation” on his or her blog and who is perfectly content in logging their thoughts and learning paths without expecting or wanting any comments still considered a blogger? Is blogging equal to posting AND commenting? Are you less of a blogger if you receive or want/need little or no comments or your thoughts?
Just trying to wrap my mind around if anyone can or should define what blogging constitutes in general. Maybe that is the beauty of it? You can make blogging what you want out of it. Maybe the best advice is, especially new bloggers, not to feel pressured to be what others appear or want to be for themselves.

]]> By: Kathy Shields http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25987 Kathy Shields Sat, 10 May 2008 17:37:12 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25987 Hi, It seems like ages since I met you at FETC. I have had trouble just keeping up with all the reading letting alone thinking, reflecting commenting and generating my own posts! I think that controversy is the key to generating numerous comments. Some people are very comfortable with confrontation and they enjoy the intense dialog of argument. Their blogs become great sounding boards for a wide range of opinions and ideas. On the other hand, when I think about why I felt compelled to respond to your post which found via Twitter... Well, I think you are genuinely interested in collecting opinions and feedback in a more 'research based' sense. I don't detect the baiting that goes on and generates knee jerk (sometimes regrettable) comments. I also commented because I know you, respect you and knew a visit to your blog would enlighten me in new and unexpected ways. My own blog seldom elicits comments but it doesn't stop me from logging my own ideas and opinions. It helps me to think more clearly about topics or to retain a record of the passion I have for a topic, person or cause. In short it helps me with self reflection. Perhaps I am not bold enough to elicit the kind of reflection one gets when they delve into controversy or engage in finger pointing. That being said, I do like the drama of this kind of verbal engagement as long as people don't get nasty. I love a good intellectual debate. I think a blog can spark conversations that never appear in print. Does that kind of comment count? Hi, It seems like ages since I met you at FETC. I have had trouble just keeping up with all the reading letting alone thinking, reflecting commenting and generating my own posts! I think that controversy is the key to generating numerous comments. Some people are very comfortable with confrontation and they enjoy the intense dialog of argument. Their blogs become great sounding boards for a wide range of opinions and ideas. On the other hand, when I think about why I felt compelled to respond to your post which found via Twitter… Well, I think you are genuinely interested in collecting opinions and feedback in a more ‘research based’ sense. I don’t detect the baiting that goes on and generates knee jerk (sometimes regrettable) comments. I also commented because I know you, respect you and knew a visit to your blog would enlighten me in new and unexpected ways. My own blog seldom elicits comments but it doesn’t stop me from logging my own ideas and opinions. It helps me to think more clearly about topics or to retain a record of the passion I have for a topic, person or cause. In short it helps me with self reflection. Perhaps I am not bold enough to elicit the kind of reflection one gets when they delve into controversy or engage in finger pointing. That being said, I do like the drama of this kind of verbal engagement as long as people don’t get nasty. I love a good intellectual debate. I think a blog can spark conversations that never appear in print. Does that kind of comment count?

]]> By: Langwitches http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25986 Langwitches Sat, 10 May 2008 17:35:15 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25986 @Greg- I am in complete agreement with you "Says who?" That is why I added the word "supposed" to the sentence. Every blogger will need to find, decide and learn to be comfortable with his or her intent to blog and not feel pressure by comment numbers or technorati rankings. You wrote: <blockquote> I don’t think that people who are not intending to have conversations are failing to blog </blockquote> It think that it is perfectly OK to blog for your own pleasure and even disable commenting if you are getting your conversation "fix" and connections through different venues or if you <i>choose </i>not to be part of a conversation. A blog is after all an online journal/diary too and not everyone expects or wants to have other people's opinions or graffiti on their pages. It all comes down to the blogger's intent for their space. @Greg-
I am in complete agreement with you “Says who?” That is why I added the word “supposed” to the sentence.
Every blogger will need to find, decide and learn to be comfortable with his or her intent to blog and not feel pressure by comment numbers or technorati rankings. You wrote:

I don’t think that people who are not intending to have conversations are failing to blog

It think that it is perfectly OK to blog for your own pleasure and even disable commenting if you are getting your conversation “fix” and connections through different venues or if you choose not to be part of a conversation. A blog is after all an online journal/diary too and not everyone expects or wants to have other people’s opinions or graffiti on their pages.
It all comes down to the blogger’s intent for their space.

]]> By: Lihonda http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25985 Lihonda Sat, 10 May 2008 17:21:40 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25985 It's always nice to be acknowledged for your thoughts, whether people agree with them or not. It's the difference between talking to yourself or to a friend or 10. Comments are an acknowledgement that someone is "listening" and perhaps expanding their own thoughts, just as you have expanded yours through blogging. Is it necessary to have comments? Probably not. But it is nice to know that people think that what you have to say is worthy enough to respond to. You can find out if people looked at your page through site meter, but to really have read and to have taken the time to respond, that's just plain old courtesy and acknowledgement of your efforts and ideas. I love the commenting feature. I don't always use it as a consumer of blogs but as a producer, I thrive on comments. Love them. Wish more people would use them. It’s always nice to be acknowledged for your thoughts, whether people agree with them or not. It’s the difference between talking to yourself or to a friend or 10. Comments are an acknowledgement that someone is “listening” and perhaps expanding their own thoughts, just as you have expanded yours through blogging. Is it necessary to have comments? Probably not. But it is nice to know that people think that what you have to say is worthy enough to respond to. You can find out if people looked at your page through site meter, but to really have read and to have taken the time to respond, that’s just plain old courtesy and acknowledgement of your efforts and ideas. I love the commenting feature. I don’t always use it as a consumer of blogs but as a producer, I thrive on comments. Love them. Wish more people would use them.

]]> By: Greg http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/05/10/day-9-should-we-be-commenting-on-blogs/comment-page-1/#comment-25984 Greg Sat, 10 May 2008 16:58:36 +0000 http://langwitches.org/blog/?p=1358#comment-25984 Hi Silvia. I appreciated much of what you said here, but want to play the contrarian on one statement: "On the other hand blogging is supposed to be a conversation." Says who? There were blogs well before there were commenting systems, much less trackbacks. The first weblogs were mostly link dumps and chronicles of people's discoveries on the web (i.e., web log). Sure, that's evolved and diversified considerably, but I don't think that people who are not intending to have conversations are failing to blog. They just have a different intent to their blogging. Of course, I say this as someone who is all about conversations. But to each their own. Hi Silvia. I appreciated much of what you said here, but want to play the contrarian on one statement: “On the other hand blogging is supposed to be a conversation.”

Says who? There were blogs well before there were commenting systems, much less trackbacks. The first weblogs were mostly link dumps and chronicles of people’s discoveries on the web (i.e., web log). Sure, that’s evolved and diversified considerably, but I don’t think that people who are not intending to have conversations are failing to blog. They just have a different intent to their blogging.

Of course, I say this as someone who is all about conversations. But to each their own.

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