Comment responsiveness
One of my resolutions, I think, is that I'm going to respond less frequently to the commenters on this blog who don't add much constructive to the discussion.
Before you pile on, hear me out.
I believe in the value of the conversation and exchange of ideas. I've tried to be active in the comment field here, talking with those who venture in. I don't back away from that. But some commenters sound the same theme over and over. I acknowledge those comments tend to be negative toward the paper, this site and me. That's not what this is about. I can take that and am not banning anyone, short of a violation of our terms of service. But I'm not interested in having the same conversations time and again, with little hope or expectation of minds changing.
Some commenters seem to be needy and interpret no response as rejection. It is sometimes, but not all. Your comments are read, but if I don't have anything to add and if I feel we're going down the same road we've been down before, I'm not going to waste my time. So don't read my silence as assent, either.
My thinking is that the bar will be even higher for anonymous commenters, too. It's easy to swing in and drop a bomb when you hide behind a pseudonym and fake e-mail address.
I don't want to discourage commenters. I want to raise the level of discussion and keep it moving forward. Constructive comments are helpful and result in informed conversation and learning. They have helped me and this site and this paper get better. Feel free to be critical, too. We're not anywhere close to perfect. But if we've beaten this horse before, don't expect me to join you.
Comments (8)
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Mr. Robinson,
I agree with your stance. Let's all work to make things better in 2007. I can't wait to start! Mr. Robinson, I am not sure if you know this but I have a blog. It is called the troublemaker. I have posted a some documents and video on it that show that Mitch Johnson lied to his bosses regarding the use of over $30,000 at the most recent council meeting. I would love for you, if you have time, to read it and hopefully give it some attention. This Mitch Johnson fellow is out of control. Will the N&R help?
Posted on January 1, 2007 2:51 PM
Good point, Ben. Let's do that. Mr. Robinson, I too appreciate your stance. I'm not sure if you know this, but I have a blog. I'm a Pediatrician who fulfilled a public service commitment down in my hometown of Asheboro (I hear you cover that area), and I was treated very badly. It boils down to I got fired for saving a baby's life. Now I've taken black and white evidence to the local DA that "non-profit" hospital executives perjured themselves during discovery and treated the court with contempt . . . ulitmately defrauding me when litigation was settled in my favor. But the DA won't even talk to me, and won't refer the matter to state officials (who license hospitals) for a full and proper investigation. My local newspaper (the Courier Tribune - I don't know if you know them) - won't report the story.
The legal system did not work. With all of the talk about open government and ethics (not to mention that mess with a DA in Durham . . . I think his name is Nifong), do you think the N&R could possibly help?
Posted on January 1, 2007 5:32 PM
I think that's the funniest thing I've read this year!
Posted on January 1, 2007 8:52 PM
Pass it on , John, to some of your staffers;
Real Men Enable Comments
Posted on January 3, 2007 11:13 PM
What an imaginative way to weasel out of answering the tough questions that get asked over and over because you never answer them satisfactorily.
Posted on January 5, 2007 11:36 AM
"Satisfactorily" being defined, of course, by those who are never satisfied until everyone agrees with them.
:-D
Best regards,
Posted on January 5, 2007 6:10 PM
Satisfactorily being defined by a substantive answer to a legitimate question.
Posted on January 5, 2007 6:57 PM
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Posted on January 23, 2007 3:04 PM