I’ve always agreed with this: “I actually care more about the comments on a post than the post itself many times.”.
In fact, that’s where the real value of a story lies – in the reactions from those caring enough to respond.
I can see it from both sides but I do think the commenting-enabled sites will ultimately win. We just need to find a better way to manage them so it stays productive for both the commenter and the writer.
I still despise the no-reply emails though, especially when there’s no direction given on how we’re supposed to respond.
Thanks for your thoughts.

> Commenting on blogs was one of the best things that happened on
the Internet in the past few years. [...] It signified the end of the “broadcasting”
media, where “experts” got to tell you how to think, while being unchallenged.

Yes, I too love to read about how the International Jewish Conspiracy orchestrated 9/11, how global warming is a liberal hoax, how vaccines cause autism, anOH Wait, no I don’t.

Because what I wrote up there is the tip of the iceberg on unmoderated comment boards, the sad products of the “Web 2.0 revolution”. You see, there’s “experts” and then there’s actual experts, and on user-moderated comment boards, you will never see the opinions of those in the know unless they conform to the site demographic’s preconceived notions of reality. On such comment boards, things like credentials, sourced facts, or valid arguments become meaningless. If you have an opinion that people disagree with, guess whose comment is going to get buried into oblivion?

Moderated boards are not much better. The notion – that allowing comments means you’re open to criticism or challenge – is frankly naive. The administrator can filter out dissent with a flick of the wrist. He can cherry pick with whom to argue and who to ignore. He can outright remove or even edit comments, and silently ban people on a whim. He can do whatever he pleases, so such comment boards can only offer the *pretense* of debate and dialogue. Far better then to challenge him on websites he does not control.

> I guess MG Siegler wants that – to be unchallenged. His style of writing certainly invites many people to challenge him on his posts, and apparently he doesn’t like that too much.

How entitled do you have to be to think that your opinions deserve to be unconditionally published on someone else’s dime? Never mind the fact that moderating comments on blogs is time-consuming; Lucian Armasu has something to say and he will imply that you’re a coward until you publicly allow his words to stand defiantly under your own. Lucian is not content with challenging the blog author directly through email and have a real dialogue. No, he wants everyone else to see it too. Cultivating your own readership is hard, so let’s just mooch off of someone else’s.

Repeat after me: Commenting on a website is a privilege. Indeed, I should be grateful if the owner allows comments. If I want to challenge a post that has comments disabled, I can write it somewhere else.

> [...] Sites like Hacker News and Reddit are based on the whole idea of comments. Google+ is also one of the best places for engagement and feedback thanks to its real time commenting system and the culture of the community.

Well then go post there then. Again, why do I or anyone else have to take some time out from our already short lives, maintaining pulpits for your opinions? Why can’t you accept that sometimes, *sometimes*, people just don’t give a fuck what Random Joe Internet thinks?

> The point is ideas SHOULD be challenged, and it’s for the best if thousands or millions of people don’t see just the point of view of the author.

Oh god… How are we ever to challenge other people’s ideas if we can’t retort on their own websites???? How are we ever to exercise our faculty for critical thought if we can’t impose our own opinions oh god help mfdhjjfdshgkfdh Wait I got it, how about this; I can write on my site; you can respond on yours. Boom, done.

You are not, and will never be, entitled to a soapbox on other people’s personal websites. In fact, the author of this blog has every right to remove my comment, just like I have every right to enable or disable comments on my blog if I feel like it. Quit imposing your “revolution” on people with better things to do.