Thing #7: Creating Community through Commenting

Being given the opportunity to make a comment in reference to a survey, blog, or etc. is a great way to involve readers. However, not all individuals who comment do it with tact and respect for the writer. When making comments we need to keep in mind that we can "agree to disagree." Not taking another persons comments personally also helps when you are asking for comments. I am sure that more than one comment has stirred an interesting topic of discussion for the readers. Writers want their readers to enjoy their blogs, think about and process the blog, and see if they can relate the blog to their own personal beliefs or lives.

Sometimes people think that they have a sense of anonymity when it comes to making comments to a blog. Unless you know the person who is writing the comment personally, more than likely, you will never meet the person. People tend to forget that they need to use etiquette when posting comments. The Golden Rule; "do unto others as you would want them to do unto you"; always comes to my mind when I think of making comments. Do you really want everyone that reads a particular blog to read an inappropriate and negative comment? Would you really want a comment posted on your blog that was inappropriate and negative? People are human and do not all think alike. That is what makes us unique. My mother use to always say "unless you can say something nice; don't say anything at all." That is true when making comments. Ask yourself if the writer of the blog inspired you, gave you things to ponder,
or do you have a different viewpoint that really needs to be told? I think some people comment on things because they think that they have to. Not everything written needs to be commented on. Do you really think that the writers of the Constitution wanted to know what everyone thought before it was published?
Not everyone is comfortable in speaking with other people in a public setting. Being able to read a blog and make comments from the "safety of your own home," is a lot more comfortable for some. The bottom line is that we all need to "agree to disagree" with the comments and to remember that it is just an opinion. I have enjoyed reading the my fellow classmates blogs and the comments that they receive. Commenting makes me think of the television show "American Idol." Last season there were four judges to critique the singers. Simon Cowell was the one judge who would not sugar coat things and at times would be brutally honest. I would rather have someone give me their honest comment than say something that they think that I would want to hear.