The Politics of No Comment: Don’t Take It Personal
Bloggers live for comments. Bloggers love vibrant comments!
You check the stats like a fiend on the daily. This living breathing thing holding its own corner of the online universe is your baby and probably your first at that. Some may call it paranoia, telling you to be easy in that particular voice that grates. But what kind of mom (or dad) would you be if you didn’t check that pulse as often as the instinct arises.
And so, you’re aware of the feet that trek through. That there were feet (even without a voice) gives you pause and takes you through a slew of emotions. And then, and this could very well just be me, but for a moment there you forget the miracle of folks finding you, whether by accident or upon invite, and you wonder at the lack of a hello or hi.
Did they like what they saw, read, would they return, would they bring friends…?
Does anyone even really care?
If the proverbial tree falls in the forest does anyone hear it?
If you believe what you read (and there is so much to wade through and digest) there is such a conflagration of details/events that must occur for proven success, that you should probably just take your mom’s advice, and simply put your best foot forward.
Beyond this post, I have no intention to ponder this further. And even if I had a mind to, Google Analytics does not do intuitive, at least not to my knowledge.
- “A ‘No comment’ is a phrase used as a response to journalistic inquiries which the respondent does not wish to answer. Public figures may decline to comment on issues they are questioned about if they wish to avoid having a stated opinion about the matter on the record, or if they simply have nothing to say about the issue at the time.”
The Criticism according to this same source:
- “Some public relations professionals have argued against the use of “no comment,” stating that one of the goals of working with the press is to resolve issues before they become hot topics. Offering no comment allows the press to fill in the blanks, diverts the focus of the publicity, and sacrifices an opportunity to communicate key messages.”
So then what it boils down to is the reason YOU’RE writing.
No one relishes talking to the void. At least I can’t comprehend the notion of simply having an open online door/journal that you hope no one enters and reads.
I, for one have never been in love with the idea of being a starving anything, even and especially a creative.
I write for art. I write for love. I write for discipline. I write to open a door by way of a window.
My friend and fellow writer/blogger Mariah Williams of One Thread that Winds sends out the following after a comment:
“Thanks for subscribing to One Thread That Winds! Welcome to the madness that is my thought stream. Feel free to comment/advise/rebuke to your heart’s content… this is, afterall, a conversation with the world and I want to know what the world is thinking!”
There is nothing like writing that has moved from the realm of art into discipline. You see art has an inkling, but discipline not only gets you results, but it gets consistent results.
A friend who I love to volley Dasheen thoughts by, told me sometime in the beginning of this journey that she’s always been nervous about commenting on people’s blogs. I will never hold that against her.
For me blogging is an easy conversation. But then even in a full-frontal online universe, there’s an art and a discipline to good/great conversation.
First you write—You say what you feel—You say what you mean—You own your thoughts. Then you listen—you read what you’ve said—you read what others are saying even if it has nothing to do with you. And finally, if you’re moved to a response you say something.
There are unique politics and philosophies behind every ‘no comment’ or absence of comment.
I understand.
I won’t take it personal 
Related Posts
9 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Tweets that mention The Politics of No Comment: Don’t take it personal | DASHEEN Magazine -- Topsy.com - [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Angela Davis, Tynisha Leon. Tynisha Leon said: It's just one of them ...
It’s just one of them things. Don’t take it personal.… http://fb.me/FvW44D4E
Great piece! My thoughts…
1) I might be really into whatever blog or article that I’m reading, but then I see the flashing link on the other side of my screen, and I’m on to the next thing. It’s not necessarily a reflection of any lack of interest, but a symptom of the “ADD society” we live in. However, most websites have now made it fairly easy to share on FB/twitter, so I tend to express my interest that way, as opposed to stopping to leave a comment. It’s a little bit of a cop-out, but it’s still better than nothing right?
2) I love to write and I’m toying with the idea of trying out my own blog again, but to be perfectly honest the thought of writing an awesome article and not getting any sort of feedback is a little disheartening to me. I do take it a little personally. It’s kind of like online dating, when you see that somebody checked out your page but didn’t send a wink or email — no matter how much you try to shrug it off, the self-doubting barrage of questions that follows is almost inevitable. I love the idea of writing for myself, but I would rather write for others and initiate a dialogue with like-minded people…so this is where I get scared and run the other way. How do you get past that?
Angela,
Now this right here is the beginning of a great conversation and I thank you for engaging me.
I always liked what Eryka Badu said just before introducing “Tyrone” — “Now keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my …” I so got her, but I really get how as a blogger/parent you just gotta let go. I’ve always believed that you may own the work but not the discourse. You may lead it, but you don’t own it.
How did I get past the thought that no one might want to hear my thoughts or accent. Truly, I haven’t. I worry a page to death, but you know what I’m too old for that mess and so every day I just challenge myself to speak into the void, to say something different or maybe the same thing in my own way. To trust myself enough to know that even if no one was looking I was a hot commodity. Every day I just let go and some days are more challenging than others, but I still let go—Even the days when I myself have nothing to say.
And why is it that when you started that “It’s kind of like online dating…” comment in your 2nd thought I wanted to delve deeper. When I read you in 140 or less on Twitter, I read your passion about everything under the sun. Please blog again. Maybe it could just be a Tumblr a/c, but whatever it is… I’ll be at the head of line, and you can be sure the social butterfly in me will be trying to start a conversation.
@picklendem Good read. PS: I suck & haven’t told u I luv your blog! RT @DasheenMagazine The Politics of No Comment: http://bit.ly/9RHDFD
RT @DasheenMagazine: It’s just one of them things. Don’t take it personal.… http://fb.me/FvW44D4E
You are so right, T. Comments, or lack thereof, can’t be taken personal.
I think as writers, or any kind of artist really, we must constantly encourage and reminder our fellows (and ourselves) that it’s about the art… When I believe that and feel that what I’ve created is so intrinsically me, I can’t help but send it out into the world.
Mariah!
You are so on the verge lady! Your feedback is much appreciated. ‘Sides you know a sista be looking for it
Well this is the first post I read and I commenting. I love the post. Girl I used to think about this stuff alot still do and I duz feel a way when I dont see any comments. Like you say you dont want to be just blogging into the void what is the point. I also wish more people that read would comment but what ya gine do, ya cant force them to.
Blogging is a real interesting topic though cause who is the audience and do you write to please people or please yaself an hope somebody like it. And then if ya want to do something indepth ya duz find that people dont comment but do something frivilous and ya duz get nuff comments. Oh and dont let me start pun length of bogs cause since this whole tweeter ting come pun the scene you cant write four paragraphs and expect somebody going tek the time an read it. lawd ave mercy.
Jdid!
We’re going to be very good together you and me lol. I feel you. There’s probably a happy medium. In the meantime, we’ll figure out something.