Online Comments - The Sweet and Not-So-Sweet
75There is always a fair amount of discussion around online comments and how to best deal with them. Most online writers will leave an open comment box on their articles so that they may have a dialogue with their readers.
General consensus seems to be that online comments are useful because it helps to expand the writer's work, and perhaps even take it in directions that were originally not thought of by the author.
When considering an online comment, there are always two sides to the story - the reader's perspective, i.e. the reader of the online article and the one leaving the comment, and the writer's perspective, i.e. the author of the online article and the recipient of the comment.
We discuss both sides of the equation, as well as what constitutes good online comment etiquette.
Types of Online Comments
1. Compatible Comments.
These are comments that agree with the author's point of view. There is generally praise given for the author's writing, and specific support for some or all of the author's viewpoints.
2. Incompatible Comments.
These are comments that disagree with the author's point of view. There are usually a variety of incompatible comments corresponding to the manner in which they are expressed. Some may be expressed very civilly, but still be in disagreement, others may agree with some of the author's viewpoints but disagree with others, and some incompatible comments may contain crude language and personal attacks.
Personally, I have learned a lot from the people who disagree with me most. I have had many valuable discussions with people who disagree with me when it comes to dog training styles, and have deepened my understanding of the area as a result.
3. Spam Comments.
These comments are usually short (e.g. "Nice hub") and are used as an internet marketing strategy. In particular, the spammer is using comments to quickly generate high quality back-links to their online articles.
Since one good turn deserves another, some spammers may also get reciprocal comments from the recipients of their spam. Sadly, many of these spammers do not even read the articles that they comment on.
4. Malicious Comments.
Finally, there are malicious comments, which have the purpose of doing harm to the author of the article. Some examples of malicious comments include plagiarized comments, i.e. comments that contain plagiarized passages from other websites, comments that link to disreputable websites, and comments that contain keywords that are against the content guidelines of Google AdSense.
As a reader, do you like leaving online comments?
See results without votingOnline Comments 1
"Thank you" is always very nice to hear.
As a reader ...
As a reader, I comment on most of the online articles that I read. I know that as a writer, I really appreciate someone calling in, and giving words of encouragement.
I think we can always use some words of encouragement, so if I like an online article, I will definitely say so, as well as give a thumbs-up if one is available. Sometimes, the thumbs up information is hidden, as in HubPages. Therefore, the comment will let the authors know that they have at least touched one of their readers.
As a writer ...
Show your readers that you care and appreciate their comments by at least responding to them. You like hearing "thank you" from your readers, and they also like hearing "thank you" from you.
There is nothing more discouraging than feeling like you are speaking into a void, which is how a reader may feel if you disregard their commenting efforts as being not even worthy of a reply.
If a reader has left a comment that you enjoy, consider visiting their articles and leaving a comment of your own. Nothing says "thank you" better than a return visit.
Online Comments 2
Do not agree, just to be agreeable; but disagree in an agreeable way.
As a reader ...
The longest comments I leave though, are on high quality articles that I disagree with.
When I agree with someone, there is less to say simply because it has all already been said in the online article. On the other hand, when I disagree with someone, I will usually state my differences in opinion and give supporting reasons for my position. I always try to express my viewpoint using neutral language, and stay away from online negativity including personal attacks and sarcasm.
I made such a comment on one of girly-girl's excellent hubs, Virtual Addiction: The Hidden Dangers of Online Gaming. While I did not agree with girly-girl's viewpoint, I thought the hub was very well written. Girly-girl being the class act that she is, was very comfortable with receiving and responding to my online comment, even though it expressed an incompatible viewpoint.
As a writer ...
Always try to be civil and polite to your readers even if they may not be so agreeable. The way to encourage agreeable behavior is not by being disagreeable, but by showing civility in the face of chaos.
Depending on your written topic, the disagreements may be philosophical in nature, and as such, may not have a clear or ultimate truth. When there is no longer an exchange of information, and the conversation is no longer going anywhere, you may just have to agree to disagree.
Continuing to participate in a dialogue that is a tit-for-tat type personal argument will only waste your time, your reader's time, be very frustrating for everyone involved, and create bad-will with one or more of your readers as a result of unprofessional conduct.
Do not forget that you have the power to end disagreeable dialogues, simply by withdrawing your attention.
"Being a true believer in the old adage "By your actions you shall be known", anyone who posts something derogatory or malicious only shows the true content of their character." ...
"And, of course, keep in mind that one can always choose to end the discussion by not responding to such people. Once you stop playing their game, the nonsense soon stops." ~~[ledefensetech]
Online Comments 3
Censorship of civil comments is like a slap in the face.
As a reader ...
Sadly, some authors will censor all viewpoints that may not exactly match their own. That is indeed their prerogative, given that the online article is theirs. However, as a reader, censorship of my civil comments is a big put-down. I feel that if a writer does not wish to have a normal dialogue with her readers she should just remove the comment box.
Some writers may only want to receive validation from their readers, which is also their prerogative, but I wish they would specify that in their online article.
What many writers may fail to consider, is that their readers put a good amount of effort into not only reading their articles, but also constructing a well thought-out comment. Censorship of such comments is close to a slap in the face, and will definitely discourage me from future visits.
Good news is great to receive, but it is usually through disagreement, that we learn the most about ourselves and the world around us.
“You will find that the truth is often unpopular and the contest between agreeable fancy and disagreeable fact is unequal. For, in the vernacular, we Americans are suckers for good news.”
~~[Adlai E. Stevenson]
As a writer, do you enjoy online comments?
See results without votingAs a writer ...
Show your readers that you care about what they say. The only thing worse than ignoring their comments is to censor their comments.
Only censor spam comments and malicious comments. Try to keep an open-mind so that you may refine and update your own viewpoint based on new information.
If after consideration you still disagree with your reader's viewpoint, then publish the dissenting comment as well as your own response.
Confident thinkers are never afraid to publish viewpoints that may differ from their own, and they do not dismiss differing viewpoints without consideration. Censorship of incompatible but otherwise civil comments is often a symptom of self-doubt and a weak mind.
"We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavoring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still."
~~[John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859]
"Censorship reflects society's lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime." ~~[Potter Stewart]
And here is a beautifully written comment that is the hallmark of a truly confident and independent thinker.
That's when I had my Zen moment and realized that it doesn't really matter what others do or think. What matters to me is that I live my life according to what I see as natural law and the natural order of things. Other people will have to make that decision for themselves. So I no longer argue or fuss, I just put information out there knowing that the people who will truly get something out of it and learn from it will find it.
That is enough. I am content with that. ~~[ledefensetech]
I Welcome Your Comments
Comments are a great indication of the type of articles your readers enjoy. They also help you, the writer; improve your writing techniques… Good article!
Hey there shibashake!! This is a much-needed hub and you worded it so nicely. I always enjoy your smooth style and while I'd love to engage in a civil disagreement, I agree with your sentiments here. I guess I'll have to wait. ;) Thanks for another top-notch hub.
I love to leave comments on hubs I've enjoyed. I'm always disappointed, however, if those comments are never responded to, even if it's just a general 'thank you' where there are too many comments to attend to individually. I know some hubbers prefer to conduct their social hubbing on the forums, and that's a personal choice, but I tend not to leave a comment a second time once I've realised there will be no response.
@Tom - LOL ... Just LOL
@Nancy - I think so too. I think most people are really good about it since in my whole year of commenting on HubPages, I only got censored once (that I am aware of). Still the one time stings a little bit :)
@RooBee - Love that profile picture! You look mucho sexy. ;) lol - civil disagreement - Bring it on! And thanks for pointing out my error. I have reorganized the article and think it is better now. Loves ya too, ya hawl owl!
@Amanda - I definitely agree with you Amanda. Sometimes when I am talking with my SO at night, he falls asleep. But even then, at least I get a snore in response - lol.
Hi Shibashake -
Ok, I won't say "great HUB" - even though I really enjoyed reading it - -
Praise can be as valuable as criticism - it validates, at least for that person, something that you said in your HUB - - Hopefully, the comment comes from someone who actually reads the HUB - but, praise is still praise!
Well I did read your whole hub and you sum up the situation nicely.I don't mind critical comments as it helps you try harder next time. Thanks for bringing this subject up. I have to say that sometimes (foe example Hal's hub about quackery) the comments are as interesting as the hub itself
"I have to say that sometimes (foe example Hal's hub about quackery) the comments are as interesting as the hub itself"
lol - yes I agree. There is usually much more emotion and truthful, unfiltered expression in the comments section.
I love this! The first hub I ever did I had to delete most of the comments because they were outright horrible attacking and arguing between two comments back and forth! Nothing related to my article at all! Terrible! Thankfully they haven't popped back up on my hubs lately.
You have been Mooned. :-)
(a compliment without saying too much)
@rchicaferro -
"Praise can be as valuable as criticism - it validates, at least for that person, something that you said in your HUB "
I agree. I certainly appreciate praise as much as the next guy or gal - which is to say quite a lot :)
"Hopefully, the comment comes from someone who actually reads the HUB - but, praise is still praise!"
Usually I just get annoyed by spam comments, but you are so right - they can actually be a sincere form of praise. Making it "big enough" to be spammed, I suppose, is a kind of achievement. Didn't someone once say that "Spam is the sincerest form of flattery?" :)
You are a very wise man and I thank you for always making me think :)
Hello Isabellas - Sometimes these arguments are purely manufactured by sock puppet behavior. Glad that 'they' have gone away for good :)
LOL Paper Moon. This is my first online Mooning :) I love it!
Comments also create a sense of community, and I quite enjoy that! :)
Good hub shibashake. You have nicely put the details about the comments. Life at HP can be boring without comments and as FP said a sense of community is available
well i've had plenty of spam, only one not so nice one and lots of great ones. I think most people are kind enough (right? no? maybe? lol) I have heard stories though...
Lovely hub...... I always appreciate it also when people leave messages on my hubs, especially constructive criticism, without it how would we ever improve....
@FP - Hello my favorite cat. You look yummy, and are very wise - as usual :) I must say that I also very much enjoy the community and comments at HP.
@jayb - "Life at HP can be boring without comments" - lol - Reminds me of when I first joined HP :) But it got a lot better after a couple of months. It is strange, but I can't quite recall what really caused the change.
@Janetta - "I think most people are kind enough" - I think so too :) Which is a really good thing. Really rude comments can sometimes be very tiring to deal with. I really wonder what the motivation is to be rude in comments - because rudeness will never sway people to a different point of view.
@Brenda - "I always appreciate it also when people leave messages on my hubs, especially constructive criticism, without it how would we ever improve" - What you say is very true. My only wish is that people would focus more on the *constructive* side and less on the *criticism* aspect :)
I always allow comments and never censor them. Being a true believer in the old adage "By your actions you shall be known", anyone who posts something derogatory or malicious only shows the true content of their character. Since such action is detremental to them and offers the writer an opportunity to respond in a reasoned, rational manner, there really is no ill effect from those few who like to fight and slander others.
And, of course, keep in mind that one can always choose to end the discussion by not responding to such people. Once you stop playing their game, the nonsense soon stops. Or as I like to say, "Don't feed the trolls". Great hub Shibashake.
Shibas, this was great! Many people wonder about the whole comment thing, and this really sums up the whole process perfectly from both the reader and writer's points of view! Excellent job!
I've read this twice, now, and just realized that I didn't leave a message the first time around -- so I'm remedying that now. Comments can be helpful; but I think that, over time, we can become aware of who is really engaged in the content of a hub and who is simply leaving a comment for form's sake. Sometimes, indeed, lively discussions can erupt in the comments section, and I've seen folk having great debates just like in the forums. Thanks for this sensible -- and sensitive -- hub.
@LDT - Those are two extremely excellent points. I am thinking I may include them in the hub.
"Since such action is detremental to them and offers the writer an opportunity to respond in a reasoned, rational manner"
I cannot agree with this more. I am still working on my "don't take it personally" kung-fu though. Sometimes it is difficult not to be hurt by personal attacks. Need better online comment armor :)
"Don't feed the trolls"
Again, an excellent point. You have really good online comment kung-fu!
I certainly agree with you on all of this, Shibashake, especially the last in which you say how censorship of civil comments can sting! This happened to me just last week.
I wrote a comment, even complimenting the author, but politely disagreed with one section of her article. She wrote back that she was "pumped" and "refreshed" to write me and made several remarks that made me know she jumped the gun and didn't really read my comments, and I was shocked over what I considered an attack (and unwarranted at that!).
I wrote her back saying that I don't think she read my comments, that I was glad she was "pumped" and "refreshed," but that I was a bit puzzled over why she was so adamant about her issue (a silly television thing, not a real issue). When she deleted my comments, I was stung by the whole thing. I wrote a hub about it, decided not to publish, but it was very therapuetic!
@cindyvine - Thanks Cindy!
@Teresa - "who is really engaged in the content of a hub and who is simply leaving a comment for form's sake"
That's a very interesting observation Teresa.
It reminds me of this conversation that I had with one of my bosses. We were at this gathering, and all kinds of people were coming up to him and basically doing the "praise the boss" dance. He is a very clever man, so I am sure he sees it for what it is. After a bit, I ask him if he enjoys this "boss ritual" - and he answers "Yes!" :)
I think many people are the same way. I like how rchicaferro puts it -
"Hopefully, the comment comes from someone who actually reads the HUB - but, praise is still praise! " :)
Goodness Connie! What did you say that made her pumped and refreshed? The mind boggles!
You're welcome. I learned most of that here on Hubpages. What it took for me was exhaustion at the stunning amount of dogma I found here. You can try to educate and you can try to enlighten, but it really is up to the individual to decide if they are receptive to such information.
That's when I had my Zen moment and realized that it doesn't really matter what others do or think. What matters to me is that I live my life according to what I see as natural law and the natural order of things. Other people will have to make that decision for themselves. So I no longer argue or fuss, I just put information out there knowing that the people who will truly get something out of it and learn from it will find it.
That is enough. I am content with that.
@Connie -
"When she deleted my comments, I was stung by the whole thing. I wrote a hub about it, decided not to publish, but it was very therapuetic! "
LOL - Ok - I must confess that close to exactly the same thing happened to me. And this is the hub that I wrote and published. And you are definitely right - it is very therapeutic. :D
Cindy: She said she was happy alone and wasn't looking for a relationship. I responded that she was attractive, in a good place since she was happy, that I am a firm believer that you need to be happy with yourself before attempting a relationship, and since she was, I hoped she didn't totally close hersself off to one. That made her pumped. I disagreed about celebrity and it made her "refreshed" to tell me I was wrong lol.
Shiba: LOL, I know I recommend it.
Jeez, she was looking for a fight and you walked into it. She's probably not getting any sex and is a frustrated cloth-eared git, so don't worry about it.
I had my therapy so I am fine. It was just a bit shocking to be attacked like that (for no reason). Now that this therapuetic hub has been written, I predict that Shiba will be fine too. Who knew hubs also had medicinal value? lol
Not so sure about the hubs, Connie, it's the writing that's the therapy! I am getting more and more hooked on writing as time goes by!
"Now that this therapuetic hub has been written, I predict that Shiba will be fine too."
lol - It definitely helped a lot. By directing my angry energy into a hub, I turned it into something positive. And now, I have an additional hub that I would not have had otherwise!
I think Cindy is definitely right. Must use this 'writing' strategy more often.
I agree with Cindy also, I am busy at work writing my next therapuetic hub. Good luck with yours.
I'm with ledefensetech and others that I never censor a comment, even one full of nasty words or sentiments. I often disagree with others but my disagreement is always with the intent to open a dialogue, never to put down. I may at times be adamant about my views and I expect others to be so also, otherwise what use is a good discussion?
I enjoyed your hub extremely and hae seen great patience both in writer and reader for some controversial hubs and topics.
"I love online comments and try to reply to most of them." I voted for that so I don't need to leave a comment.
:) :) :)
@IVT - "my disagreement is always with the intent to open a dialogue, never to put down"
I think that is a very good policy. One thing that I have noticed, is that comments in the Forum seem to be more negative than those left on individual hubs.
I wonder if that is mainly due to the fact that individual hubs have a referee (the author) or is just a function of the topics posed. Probably a little bit of both :)
@QS -
""I love online comments and try to reply to most of them." I voted for that so I don't need to leave a comment."
lol - But I am very glad you did so anyway. Always good to see you. Hugs to Watermelon Cujo :)
Well, shibashake, sometimes I fail to live up to my own goals, but I try!
I leave a lot of comments. If it is a Hub by a veteran Hubber who already has a thread full of compliments, I might just hit the "Thumbs Up" unless I haven't left them a comment in a while; then I will to let them know I am reading their work. I try to always leave a encouraging comment to new Hubbers (unless they are spouting nonsense, of course) because when I started, those encouraging words the first few weeks really meant something to me.
I respond to every comment I get and never delete them no matter what they say. As you note, that's why the box is there. I enjoy getting to know who's who in the comments section, especially when it is a first-time commenter.
Besides general encouragement, I respond with more for a piece that really moves me with longer, more specific remarks so the writer knows why I enjoyed it so or what it was about it.
When I disagree, I have been known to leave sharp comments if the Hub features one of three things: Outright falsehoods (Obama is not a leftist; millions of women died every year in America from "back alley" abortions before Roe v Wade); Outright denigration of others (anybody who believes in the Bible must think the earth is flat; Sarah Palin is stupid; anybody who is a Social Conservative hates everybody); and if the tone of the piece is just downright nasty overall. Otherwise, I will disagree politely with rational reasons.
One thing I don't like is Hubbers who screen their comments because it precludes the chance to read your own comment for grammar and to spell check it, as it disappears.
This is a great idea for a Hub and you presented your ideas very well. I enjoyed it and the comments were an excellent read, too. Thanks.
ps That looks like TheMindlessBrute's Avatar!
Hi James,
Thanks for your great thoughts on this issue.
"the tone of the piece is just downright nasty overall"
Yeah - I generally avoid those hubs. I get a fair amount of those comments on my own hubs so I try to avoid them when I do reading elsewhere :) It can sometimes get tiring dealing with really negative rhetoric.
"ps That looks like TheMindlessBrute's Avatar!"
lol - you are right! I just looked him up.
Thanks for dropping by James. Always good to see ya!
Tom Rubenoff 2 years ago
A complete overview of the issue, Shibashake. And may I say, "Nice Hub" LOL