What's better?

[ellenmillion]

In the interest of maximizing my limited time... which do you prefer? A reply to your comment? Or a comment in return, on something unrelated?

I do generally try to reply to direct questions, but don't often get through all the comments I get. I think myself, I'd prefer a thoughtful comment on something else over a 'reply' comment, but I'm curious if others feel that way, too.

Comments

[mckenzee.livejournal.com]

Don't force it. I appreciate a reply but only expect answers to questions. "Courtesy replies" lead to a downward spiral of banality.

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way you do... and it mostly has to do with my own issue with replying to comments. Often I find myself saying a lot of variations on "Thank you" and having trouble coming up with something else thoughtful to make it different from the "Thank you" I just wrote.

[gymnopedie.livejournal.com]

if there's no real reason to reply, I never bother. I do try to answer questions, or if I have a point to add...

[chamois-shimi.livejournal.com]

It's cool to know someone's read what you've written in reply to what they've written, but a reply to something of your own is perhaps more meaningful, in a social aspect. I dunno. I've seen things on DA devolve where someone comments on an artwork, the artist comments back, and then the original commenter feels obligated to comment again ... etc etc etc. I don't see that too often on LJ, though.

Feedback

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I suggest answering if ...
1) someone asks a question,
2) a post sparks a nifty idea for you,
3) you can elaborate usefully on a point, or
4) there's a misapprehension afoot and you can halt it.

Thanks are in order if someone does you a favor, writes or draws something especially for you, or otherwise does something notably worthy of encouragement.

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Between the two? I think I'd rather have a return comment somewhere else.

It's ironic because I tend to maximize my own time in the opposite direction, by trying to respond to people who post comments in my journal, even though I don't really expect replies when I comment on people's entries.

One thing about that, though ... I do find myself less likely to comment on posts for people who *never* respond to comments. I'm not trying to push you in a certain direction, just saying this is how it works for me -- if I comment a few times on someone's posts and never get a reply, and I notice they don't ever reply to anyone else, I eventually conclude that they're not looking for a dialogue and end up going into lurker mode. Once again, I'm **not** trying to make you feel guilty about anything (in fact, I've honestly never noticed if you reply to my comments; I've been so much of a lurker lately that I haven't a leg to stand on when it comes to the whole social LJ cycle). But while, in theory, I don't think a reply is socially required, in practice, I seem to sort of subconsciously *want* one, if that makes any sense. Though I suspect it's not rational.

I do think it's neat that you asked that. I don't think I've ever seen the question specifically put out there before. And, honestly, if I know that someone has a policy of "comment on my post, and I'll comment on one of yours later", it pretty much would do away with the "... but you never answer my comments!" angst. What the return comment does, I guess, is let me know that my comment was read and noticed. Which doesn't really matter if the comment was "Word!" but does make a difference to me if it was six paragraphs long. And if that reciprocation works in some other way, then that's just fine, but there's sort of an animal hindbrain down there that wants some sort of reciprocation (irrational though it might be).

[ceosanna.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what they said. Hee!

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

I'm a freak and reply to EVERYONE's comments...but if you only save yourself for thoughtful comments only...that should be good enough for everyone else. You're so busy who could blame you?

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

Uh... (people get stressed over this kind of thing, don't they. *wishes otherwise for them*)

Comment if you are moved to comment. Reply if you are moved to reply. If you have nothing to say, don't.