Another Pair Of Eyes

Comments

May 11, 2009 on 9:58 am | In Inspired by Others | 4 Comments

I like to have comments on my blog, and when I feel it is necessary I like to comment on other people’s entries as well. It reduces the feeling of talking into the aether, and it lets you discuss things and consider things and read other people’s ideas on what you have written. These are collectively good things, and as such I have no restrictions as to who may comment on my blog. Spam gets dead, the rest anyone of any place can scribble what they wish at the bottom of every entry.

As such, it annoys me when I cannot comment on somebody’s blog because I don’t have a Blogger account, or a Google account, or whatever – I don’t use blogger and don’t need a google account so I see no need for me to sign up to yet another thing just to express my thoughts on something. Ironically, I also can’t comment to tell people to loosen up their comment restrictions, so all I end up doing is leaving: unsatisfactory for me and the person whose blog it is has no idea I was ever there, let alone that I agreed with them and think they are writing well or similar. I know it feels like a good idea when you check that box, making you more secure or private or in control, but all you do is stop people who don’t belong to your blog service from speaking.

As such, here is an idea – everyone stop limiting who can comment on their blogs. Just install a spam filter and all will be well. Who are you trying to avoid who is avoidable simply by not letting them comment before they sign up to a blogging service they don’t use? If people are desperate to malign you they will do so anyway, and meanwhile voices like mine are lost by the wayside.

Think before you block.