Annoyance regarding responses

[Stuttermabolur]

I frequent news sites with comment sections, and one thing which really bothers me is when people do not respond to any points made in the article itself, but rather seem to have a comment ready to send which could go with any article dealing with the topic.

For instance, say you are reading an article on how the Lebanese duvet industry is being affected by Brexit (fictional example). A lot of research went into it, interviews were taken with workers in duvet plants, British importers and members of regulatory bodies, yet seemingly every comment is talking about how useless the government is while completely ignoring all the nuance and subtext in the article. Technically the comments are about the same topic (Brexit in this case), yet you could swap the article with pretty much any other piece of writing on the topic and the content of the comments would not be any less relevant. None are providing further insight or commentary related to the actual unique or informative points raised. This annoys me for two reasons:

1. It feels disrespectful towards the writer who likely put a lot (or moderate) work into the article if the comments don't give any indication that they read past the headline (though most people hopefully did). It is especially rare that a well constructed piece of writing gets praise for its deftness of language which I find quite sad. I think a good and/or well researched piece of writing should be appreciated, and that helps a lot of writers stay engaged without burning out.

1. I tend to be very patient, and can read almost any type of writing with some thought behind it. However, what I do find interminably boring is seeing the same derivative opinions masquerading as some profound insight repeated again and again and again. It might well be an opinion I agree with, but I don't get anything out of seeing it repeated without any further thought following or supporting it. Conversely, I love analysis, debates and considering ideas from multiple perspectives, so ignoring those aspects of written pieces seems like a missed opportunity for a stimulating discussion in favour of stultifying groupthink.

To be absolutely clear, this is not a criticism or this forum or anyone here in particular (I feel like responses are generally pretty on topic, and only tend to leave it if the conversation heads that way). I am mostly interested in hearing if others reckon with the same annoyance and how common or uncommon it is.

 

[Fino]

It sounds like you have an unusual ability to read and respond to information thoroughly and creatively and that you are bothered by normal people being normal. Unfortunately, normal people will always be normal, and getting used to that is the route with the least discomfort.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I stopped buying a paper years ago. No longer take an so called news seriously any more. lost respect for Journalists, talking heads a while ago. If they want me to respect their work they will have to earn it.

 

[VictorR]

To be honest, if a comment is off-target and seems to be prepared, my question would be whether the poster is a bot or someone paid to spam an opinion.

 

[Alaric593]

I frequent news sites with comment sections, and one thing which really bothers me is when people do not respond to any points made in the article itself, but rather seem to have a comment ready to send which could go with any article dealing with the topic.

For instance, say you are reading an article on how the Lebanese duvet industry is being affected by Brexit (fictional example). A lot of research went into it, interviews were taken with workers in duvet plants, British importers and members of regulatory bodies, yet seemingly every comment is talking about how useless the government is while completely ignoring all the nuance and subtext in the article. Technically the comments are about the same topic (Brexit in this case), yet you could swap the article with pretty much any other piece of writing on the topic and the content of the comments would not be any less relevant. None are providing further insight or commentary related to the actual unique or informative points raised. This annoys me for two reasons:

1. It feels disrespectful towards the writer who likely put a lot (or moderate) work into the article if the comments don't give any indication that they read past the headline (though most people hopefully did). It is especially rare that a well constructed piece of writing gets praise for its deftness of language which I find quite sad. I think a good and/or well researched piece of writing should be appreciated, and that helps a lot of writers stay engaged without burning out.
2. I tend to be very patient, and can read almost any type of writing with some thought behind it. However, what I do find interminably boring is seeing the same derivative opinions masquerading as some profound insight repeated again and again and again. It might well be an opinion I agree with, but I don't get anything out of seeing it repeated without any further thought following or supporting it. Conversely, I love analysis, debates and considering ideas from multiple perspectives, so ignoring those aspects of written pieces seems like a missed opportunity for a stimulating discussion in favour of stultifying groupthink.

To be absolutely clear, this is not a criticism or this forum or anyone here in particular (I feel like responses are generally pretty on topic, and only tend to leave it if the conversation heads that way). I am mostly interested in hearing if others reckon with the same annoyance and how common or uncommon it is.

There's more bots and sock puppet accounts that post to keywords in articles and social media than most realize.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

To be honest, if a comment is off-target and seems to be prepared, my question would be whether the poster is a bot or someone paid to spam an opinion.

There's more bots and sock puppet accounts that post to keywords in articles and social media than most realize.

Those are definitely not bots. They never use the exact same comment twice and post on a variety of topics. Some of their posts are long, they just don't address any points raised in the article, but rather address the topic as a whole. It wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for them not really saying anything new (just phrasing things differently).

 

[Atrapa Almas]

I frequent news sites with comment sections, and one thing which really bothers me is when people do not respond to any points made in the article itself, but rather seem to have a comment ready to send which could go with any article dealing with the topic.

For instance, say you are reading an article on how the Lebanese duvet industry is being affected by Brexit (fictional example). A lot of research went into it, interviews were taken with workers in duvet plants, British importers and members of regulatory bodies, yet seemingly every comment is talking about how useless the government is while completely ignoring all the nuance and subtext in the article. Technically the comments are about the same topic (Brexit in this case), yet you could swap the article with pretty much any other piece of writing on the topic and the content of the comments would not be any less relevant. None are providing further insight or commentary related to the actual unique or informative points raised. This annoys me for two reasons:

1. It feels disrespectful towards the writer who likely put a lot (or moderate) work into the article if the comments don't give any indication that they read past the headline (though most people hopefully did). It is especially rare that a well constructed piece of writing gets praise for its deftness of language which I find quite sad. I think a good and/or well researched piece of writing should be appreciated, and that helps a lot of writers stay engaged without burning out.
2. I tend to be very patient, and can read almost any type of writing with some thought behind it. However, what I do find interminably boring is seeing the same derivative opinions masquerading as some profound insight repeated again and again and again. It might well be an opinion I agree with, but I don't get anything out of seeing it repeated without any further thought following or supporting it. Conversely, I love analysis, debates and considering ideas from multiple perspectives, so ignoring those aspects of written pieces seems like a missed opportunity for a stimulating discussion in favour of stultifying groupthink.

To be absolutely clear, this is not a criticism or this forum or anyone here in particular (I feel like responses are generally pretty on topic, and only tend to leave it if the conversation heads that way). I am mostly interested in hearing if others reckon with the same annoyance and how common or uncommon it is.

Yeah! I agree that sleeping properly will help you.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

I frequent news sites with comment sections, and one thing which really bothers me is when people do not respond to any points made in the article itself, but rather seem to have a comment ready to send which could go with any article dealing with the topic.

For instance, say you are reading an article on how the Lebanese duvet industry is being affected by Brexit (fictional example). A lot of research went into it, interviews were taken with workers in duvet plants, British importers and members of regulatory bodies, yet seemingly every comment is talking about how useless the government is while completely ignoring all the nuance and subtext in the article. Technically the comments are about the same topic (Brexit in this case), yet you could swap the article with pretty much any other piece of writing on the topic and the content of the comments would not be any less relevant. None are providing further insight or commentary related to the actual unique or informative points raised. This annoys me for two reasons:

1. It feels disrespectful towards the writer who likely put a lot (or moderate) work into the article if the comments don't give any indication that they read past the headline (though most people hopefully did). It is especially rare that a well constructed piece of writing gets praise for its deftness of language which I find quite sad. I think a good and/or well researched piece of writing should be appreciated, and that helps a lot of writers stay engaged without burning out.
2. I tend to be very patient, and can read almost any type of writing with some thought behind it. However, what I do find interminably boring is seeing the same derivative opinions masquerading as some profound insight repeated again and again and again. It might well be an opinion I agree with, but I don't get anything out of seeing it repeated without any further thought following or supporting it. Conversely, I love analysis, debates and considering ideas from multiple perspectives, so ignoring those aspects of written pieces seems like a missed opportunity for a stimulating discussion in favour of stultifying groupthink.

To be absolutely clear, this is not a criticism or this forum or anyone here in particular (I feel like responses are generally pretty on topic, and only tend to leave it if the conversation heads that way). I am mostly interested in hearing if others reckon with the same annoyance and how common or uncommon it is.

Now the real answer

I agree with @Fino that this sounds as black and white thinking. You think that the world would be a better place if people behaved like you do. Because reading properly before posting (like you do) show respect towards others and etc etc.

Its seems a human feature that ASD magnify.

To try others to behave, think or believe some certain thing that its so important for us.

 

[Alaric593]

Those are definitely not bots. They never use the exact same comment twice and post on a variety of topics. Some of their posts are long, they just don't address any points raised in the article, but rather address the topic as a whole. It wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for them not really saying anything new (just phrasing things differently).

It's hard to tell anymore. I haven't seen the responses so I'll defer to your experience.

This Article Was Written by AI

 

[Misery]

As someone who has been on the internet since there’s BEEN an internet, I’ll give you a very important piece of advice:

Dont read comments sections. Just dont. Seriously. No good can come of it. It doesn’t matter what kind of site it is… just dont do it.

You could use your time to instead do things that are a million times more valuable like, say, staring at a wall, or having an arguement with your cat. Dont waste it on internet comments sections.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

As someone who has been on the internet since there’s BEEN an internet, I’ll give you a very important piece of advice:

Dont read comments sections. Just dont. Seriously. No good can come of it. It doesn’t matter what kind of site it is… just dont do it.

You could use your time to instead do things that are a million times more valuable like, say, staring at a wall, or having an arguement with your cat. Dont waste it on internet comments sections.

I know you mean well, but comment sections are a really big interest of mine. I genuinely enjoy reading them (despite the frustrations which can be gathered from my comment), and though you might not believe me, I have also learned a lot about how people communicate or relate to other people through reading them. If you haven't already, I recommend reading my thread "Reading everything in a thread". The comments (or responses) there were quite informative and helped me understand myself better and might get you to see where I come from in reading comments.

I am quite selective about which comment sections I read, and also which comment threads are most likely to be informative for me. My favourite are "agony aunt" type column comments as people there often relate their own experiences to the thread and can give different perspectives on the topic at hand. I don't really distinguish forums much from comments in my mind, as in both cases, there is an original piece of writing which people then comment on and an interesting discussion can spark. I comment very little (much less even than here, and on some I never comment), but I genuinely find them stimulating, and enjoy getting a feel for the community frequenting the news sites and on which types of articles they tend to comment.

A lot of people could see roguelite games as a futile waste of time, but you know well that you are not just doing the same thing again and again. You are actually making progress, both in the game itself between runs, and also on the meta level in terms of skill. They can be incredibly rewarding if you get a good run going, yet some people are just not into them. I totally understand why you would see comment threads as a waste of time, and it's not for most people (and indeed, I'm sure it can be unhealthy, just like some people can become addicted to games), but I do find it pretty dispiriting when someone tells me that something I like doing is a waste of time. I didn't start this thread as an advice thread, but rather a curiosities thread, to see if other people have the same perspective and frustration as me, but I see now that this doesn't seem to be the case. I appreciate you taking the time to respond, even though I don't agree with you.

 

[Misery]

I know you mean well, but comment sections are a really big interest of mine. I genuinely enjoy reading them (despite the frustrations which can be gathered from my comment), and though you might not believe me, I have also learned a lot about how people communicate or relate to other people through reading them. If you haven't already, I recommend reading my thread "Reading everything in a thread". The comments (or responses) there were quite informative and helped me understand myself better and might get you to see where I come from in reading comments.

I am quite selective about which comment sections I read, and also which comment threads are most likely to be informative for me. My favourite are "agony aunt" type column comments as people there often relate their own experiences to the thread and can give different perspectives on the topic at hand. I don't really distinguish forums much from comments in my mind, as in both cases, there is an original piece of writing which people then comment on and an interesting discussion can spark. I comment very little (much less even than here, and on some I never comment), but I genuinely find them stimulating, and enjoy getting a feel for the community frequenting the news sites and on which types of articles they tend to comment.

A lot of people could see roguelite games as a futile waste of time, but you know well that you are not just doing the same thing again and again. You are actually making progress, both in the game itself between runs, and also on the meta level in terms of skill. They can be incredibly rewarding if you get a good run going, yet some people are just not into them. I totally understand why you would see comment threads as a waste of time, and it's not for most people (and indeed, I'm sure it can be unhealthy, just like some people can become addicted to games), but I do find it pretty dispiriting when someone tells me that something I like doing is a waste of time. I didn't start this thread as an advice thread, but rather a curiosities thread, to see if other people have the same perspective and frustration as me, but I see now that this doesn't seem to be the case. I appreciate you taking the time to respond, even though I don't agree with you.

Hm, I should probably expand a bit, considering all of that.

Usually when I say “comments sections” I dont mean “focused” ones (which I suspect is what you’re thinking of). I guess what I’m thinking of could be called “mass comments sections”.

I avoid news sites entirely (only ever ending up at one accidentally because I’m a freaking space cadet), and the sorts of places I’ve been familiar with for all these years are things like YouTube or truly enormous forums (Reddit being a modern example, though it depends on which section). When you get that sheer number of people coming into something that is NOT focused, commenting in ridiculous numbers, well… that’s when the derp begins. Particularly since “mass” sections often also include lots of people that literally dont even know anything about the topic at hand and didnt even read/watch the main content *at all*. And also often includes genuine trolls, who care about none of it at all and are literally there only to cause trouble at random.

If you’re at a smaller site with a more focused community? It’s not going to be the unholy toxic disaster that YouTube often is. Same with forums too (which is exactly why I’m on this forum). If you’re being selective as you said, you probably are not frequenting the sorts of places I’m thinking of.

After too many years of doing this though, “small” or “focused” ain’t what comes to my mind when I hear “comments sections”. So, that drives my responses on the overall topic, and I’m not good at decoupling from an original concept once it’s burned in long enough (which, after 20+ years, it definitely is).

So, take my responses on things like this with a grain of salt. I’m *very* cemented into certain ideas when it comes to the Net.

Does that all make sense or am I just making this more nonsensical? I can’t tell when I’m just making everything worse.

…Also I’m just inherently sarcastic and spiky sometimes. I apologize if that gets irritating sometimes but I can’t ever seem to stop myself from doing it. If something I say sounds extra unpleasant for no reason, well… that’s typically why. It ain’t really intentional.

Note also that I absolutely will say the same sarcastic spiky things about my own interests, for what that’s worth. Seriously, get me talking long enough about something I like (without allowing me to reread and edit what I’ve said) and I probably sound like I hate it.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

Hm, I should probably expand a bit, considering all of that.

Usually when I say “comments sections” I dont mean “focused” ones (which I suspect is what you’re thinking of). I guess what I’m thinking of could be called “mass comments sections”.

I avoid news sites entirely (only ever ending up at one accidentally because I’m a freaking space cadet), and the sorts of places I’ve been familiar with for all these years are things like YouTube or truly enormous forums (Reddit being a modern example, though it depends on which section). When you get that sheer number of people coming into something that is NOT focused, commenting in ridiculous numbers, well… that’s when the derp begins. Particularly since “mass” sections often also include lots of people that literally dont even know anything about the topic at hand and didnt even read/watch the main content *at all*. And also often includes genuine trolls, who care about none of it at all and are literally there only to cause trouble at random.

If you’re at a smaller site with a more focused community? It’s not going to be the unholy toxic disaster that YouTube often is. Same with forums too (which is exactly why I’m on this forum). If you’re being selective as you said, you probably are not frequenting the sorts of places I’m thinking of.

After too many years of doing this though, “small” or “focused” ain’t what comes to my mind when I hear “comments sections”. So, that drives my responses on the overall topic, and I’m not good at decoupling from an original concept once it’s burned in long enough (which, after 20+ years, it definitely is).

So, take my responses on things like this with a grain of salt. I’m *very* cemented into certain ideas when it comes to the Net.

Does that all make sense or am I just making this more nonsensical? I can’t tell when I’m just making everything worse.

…Also I’m just inherently sarcastic and spiky sometimes. I apologize if that gets irritating sometimes but I can’t ever seem to stop myself from doing it. If something I say sounds extra unpleasant for no reason, well… that’s typically why. It ain’t really intentional.

Note also that I absolutely will say the same sarcastic spiky things about my own interests, for what that’s worth. Seriously, get me talking long enough about something I like (without allowing me to reread and edit what I’ve said) and I probably sound like I hate it.

No hard feelings. I generally really like your responses and find them quite thoughtful. I guess I just found it annoying how the first thing you went to was "stop doing what you are doing" when lots of people here are used to a dismissive attitude towards their interests. I also found it a teensy bit insulting how you included that bit about having been on the internet while it was run by the military, as if I don't know how the internet works. Even if someone is frequenting Reddit and Youtube comment sections (which I am not, for all the reasons you mentioned) they probably have a reason for it and are getting something out of it, even if it wouldn't work for me. From my original comment, I can see how it wouldn't come across that I actually enjoy doing it (similar to your last paragraph).

I have been a news and political junky for a while now, and the quality of the user base varies wildly. I have stopped frequenting sites because their community is absolutely toxic (cough GameSpot cough) while I have stuck with others for many years. News sites tend to have older readers and it is often impossible to post gifs, pictures and even emoticons (quite convenient for me as I have a distaste for meme humor). The good ones also have extensive moderation (like here) and writers who occasionally pop into the comments to respond to questions or engage with people. People sometimes complain about free speech and suchlike, but in my opinion, the more moderation, the better the community. They can turn toxic really quickly.

Reddit is basically the antithesis of everything I enjoy about comments and communities, so I'm really frustrated that pretty much all cultural discourse has moved from media specific forums over to Reddit. You mentioned the gargantuan mass of people, so a real community doesn't form, comments tend to be short and snide, it's mostly younger (less contemplative) people posting, it is chock full of meme humour, it has some of the worst formatting I have ever seen on a comment section (seriously, even Disqus is better. It boggles my mind how that became the premier discussion platform) and most of what gets posted in media groups are fanart and the same fan theory you have heard twenty times over (oh, and it's a total pain to search through posts). I have seriously seen way more interesting and original ideas in Youtube comments (which are also terrible), and I am not being hyperbolic. I can't stand Reddit and avoid it as much as I can. Ergh, sorry I had to went.

 

[Misery]

No hard feelings. I generally really like your responses and find them quite thoughtful. I guess I just found it annoying how the first thing you went to was "stop doing what you are doing" when lots of people here are used to a dismissive attitude towards their interests

Honestly, anytime I say something that bugs you like that…. Just say so. I’m entirely aware that I come off unpleasant to people at times BUT I cant tell when I’m doing so unless someone tells me to pipe down.


As for Reddit, yeah… I agree.

Reddit takes everything I’ve ever liked about the Internet (particularly aspects from the “older” internet) and sort of… corrupts them. Condenses and corrupts.

I’ve been a forum user for a long time. Too long. Been on so many of them. And they were like how you describe the sites you use: condensed and moderated. That’s just how forums were, right? Sure, there were some bad eggs I’d find every now and then, but… that was fine, there were always other forums to check out for any given topic.

But then freaking Reddit came along and ATE EVERYTHING.

What’s that? I’m trying to find a forum for those roguelike games I like so much? LOL NOPE just go to Reddit and DROWN IN BADLY FORMATTED MEMES because it outright replaced everything else. Same with any other bloody topic. Oh, and listen to people insult each other while doing it! What’s that? Dared to ask a QUESTION about a topic? OH BOY here comes the KEYBOARD WARRIORS ready to tell you how much you suck because you didnt magically intuit the answer before you realized you had the question (seriously I dont get why everyone there flips out if you ask about anything).

I always see Reddit as a sort of… occasionally useful resource that TECHNICALLY can provide info I might be seeking… if I’m willing to spend a couple hours wading through a river of toilet mistakes.


Honestly Reddit is a lot like social media to me: I seriously just cannot understand the appeal. I cant. And I hate any time I find myself needing to go anywhere near it. I feel all icky every time.


Okay, there, stupid mini-rant over, sorry, didn’t even realize I needed to get that one out of my system.