The world is filled with terrific blogs: there are funny ones and smart ones and insightful ones on every conceivable subject. I hop from one to the next visiting new and unknown bloggers regularly, but I rarely tell them I enjoy their posts. Know why? I’m intimidated by comment boxes.
There’s no childhood trauma I can point to as the cause of this irrational fear, no deep-seated phobia, it’s just a weird aberration that defies explanation.
When faced with a comment box, I’m stricken with brain lock; it’s like being tongue-tied or breaking your pencil. And rare is the day when I feel confident or eloquent enough to dash off a wry, witty comment. Of course, it’s only wry and witty in my head; once I click reply? Clichéd and vapid.
In among the bon mots and casual repartee of others, my remark is a sore thumb. The shy little misfit blushing like a stoplight. Commenting is a talent.
On a recent cruise around the blogosphere, one post triggered a memory, a clever anecdote I could share. I zipped down to the comment box, mentally composing on the way, and popped my cursor right in. At the very last moment, though, my fingers stabbed the back button. I closed my laptop and scurried away for the solace of a Klondike bar.
Hours later, like a criminal, I returned to the scene of the crime. I sneaked back into the post, scrolled as silently as it is possible to scroll, looked left, looked right, clicked Like, and took off. I do that a lot, hit Like. The Like button isn’t as demanding. The word alone, like, is sweet and disarming. I like the Like button, it’s my friend, my enabler.
But the best thing about the Like button? No typos. Almost every comment I’ve left has at least one mistake — and it’s usually a lulu. Why is it I don’t see any errors until the thing is posted, never before? Seriously, that’s not rhetorical.
Well, maybe that’s enough of that. Care to comment?
Copyright © Publikworks 2012
the whirly girl 
45 responses to “: no comment :”
I feel this way about blogging itself, not just commenting..!
LikeLike
I saw your post and you have nothing to worry about. It was terrific.
LikeLike
Wow, thank you. (I’m not even gonna try and be articulate in this comment, haha…)
LikeLike
It comes to you naturally.
LikeLike
Like.
LikeLike
Thanks : )
LikeLike
Like. :)
LikeLike
merci, mon ami : )
LikeLike
Like button? There’s a like button? Really?
Oh, and I agree with everything everyone else has said, accept that your not a doofus.
See typos aren’t that bad ..
LikeLike
Hi, Susan! Don’t be too sure on that doofus thing, if you stick around long enough you’ll start to see what I mean. Promise : ) How are things with you, by the way?
LikeLike
I say ignore the pressure to write something witty without typos! I never, ever think “well that was a rubbish comment” haha. I love hearing what people have thought about what I’ve written, even if it’s just something really short. I’m always really grateful that somebody went a step further than just reading and actually spoke to me about it. So yeeeah you should totally comment :) You’ve got nothing to worry about anyway, you’re great at writing!
LikeLike
You’ve made my day, suzy! Again.
LikeLike
It’s nice to see a person who actually carefully considers their comments. Reading YouTube comments is a well known torture that seemed to indicate to me that 100% of all people on the Internet have no problem posting whatever inanities they consider vital such as “ZEP IS BETTER THAN BIEBER” or “9/11 was an inside job! Watch this video, you’ll believe.”
LikeLike
I’ve never understood why people comment on YouTube at all. I mean, isn’t that a Like or Don’t Like proposition?
What cheeses me are the comments on news blogs — they always degenerate into politics regardless of what the topic is. It’s just ridiculous.
Thanks for stopping by, Eric.
LikeLike
Yeah I write for a small town newspaper and I have to read a lot of stories online. Even the silliest things become political.
LikeLike
They certainly do! And they get so nasty with the name-calling and finger-pointing. It’s tiresome.
LikeLike
I hear you. Especially the typos. And when I do leave a comment which I’m actually quite proud of, I go back days later and the blogger will have responded to everyone but me. Everyone. What did I say to offend?!
LikeLike
I know exactly what you mean, Sarah. Although, in your case, I bet they’re just intimidated by how great your comment was and can’t come up with a good enough response.
LikeLike
Worse even than a typo is leaving bad grammar out there for the world to see. Recently I posted a comment about one of our summer employees on the farm’s Facebook page that said we’d “bid” him farewell the day prior. It hit me today that it should have been “bade.” Now I’ll be walking around all afternoon muttering “bade, you idiot…BADE.” Fortunately, I won’t be out in public.
Great post Lisa. As soon as I finish this, I’m heading straight to the Like button.
LikeLike
Jo, you are my hero! Please don’t ever stop ever commenting here. I’m begging you.
LikeLike
Most comments are gladly accepted. The Trolls that leave abusive or nasty comments just get the spam or delete button. I don’t enter into dialogue with them.
LikeLike
I agree with you, Roly, down with trolls! They aren’t worth the time. How is everything?
LikeLike
I find that I’m nowhere as original and free thinking as I’d like to believe. I come to this conclusion when i don’t comment promptly enough, and some other wit beats me to the point i wanted to make. Then my comment, if i make one at all, is along ther lines of “I agree with what So-and-so said”
LikeLike
Trust me, 1point, you’re original : )
LikeLike
Please, you can call me Dave.
LikeLike
You, Dave, are a free thinking original. I love the way you look at things.
LikeLike
I’m glad you enjoy my perspective, ’cause it’s the only one I’ve got. For the record, you can pat yourself on the back, since you were one of my very first followers and I just went over a 100 today (although, the way WordPress goes, I may be back down inthe 80’s before the weekend)
LikeLike
I feel you regarding comments, or the lack thereof. Although I tend to be very opinionated, I generally don’t want to step on anyone’s toes personally. I’m just not a “mean” person, nor am I overly complemenatary of good work.
I used to fear the negative reaction that came from having an opinion, but age and difficult times has left me very calloused. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
Thanks for the well composed post that dragged me away from the like button and into the comment box.
LikeLike
The fact that you a left comment is a huge compliment, kodiak. Thank you. I, too, am very opinionated, but lack the diplomacy to argue effectively. That’s why I avoid politics and religion and all hot button topics and stick with the goofy stuff.
Again, it was great to hear from you : )
LikeLike
Ha! Commenting may be a skill or a innate talent. But I think ANY comments are great ones – it proves that someone is listening…I mean reading….and THAT is a beautiful beautiful thing.
LikeLike
It is. Yay, home tome!
LikeLike
I think this is a good post. Your words are like small feathers that I inhale through my nasal passage, and they tickle my brain. You are right. Comments are hard :D
LikeLike
Too funny, Nicole! I think you’re genetically incapable of leaving a stale comment ; ) Even feathered through your nasal passage.
LikeLike
Sounds like you fear retribution, or a reply you can’t handle? Or perhaps don’t handle being critiqued well. I have the same thing sometimes, but just go ahead anyway. Eventually, it becomes easier.
LikeLike
You’re a brave man, John. I think what I fear is leaving proof that I’m a doofus : )
LikeLike
No way. And you write good stuff man.
LikeLike
Thanks, John! You do, too.
LikeLike
Interesting! But what do you do in real life when you have to complement someone or even criticize for that matter? Do you look to find the “Like” button? It is often good to socialize than not to and same applies in the blogosphere as well! In fact socializing is it’s greatest strengths! Explore it, and you’ll like it when people respond to your comments… specially if you were critical in your comments! Often I find that even if I have liked the entire post, there are a few points where I may strongly agree or disagree… such emotions don’t come out with the “Like” button. So commenting is a far better option – most of the time! It gives the blogger real opportunity to understand your point of view…
LikeLike
See? You made some valid points and presented a compelling argument for commenting. And I, very predictably, have brain lock. But I truly enjoyed your visit, thank you.
LikeLike
If I cannot think of a good comment I always go for the like. It is difficult to come up with witty and charming comments.
LikeLike
You come up with them all the time, never contrary!
In the last year, I’ve left one witty and zero charming. But I’m still hoping things will pick up : ) Someday.
LikeLike
I think it helps that I teach teenagers and have to have quick clever responses to the crazy things they say to me on the spot.
LikeLike
I think it’s because you’re naturally witty, never contrary. And smart.
LikeLike
And now I’m blushing…
LikeLike
Go on …
LikeLike