Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine · 3 minuta. vrijeme za čitanje · ~100 ·

Bloganje
>
Lada 🏡 blog
>
Many Layers of the Commenting Onion

Many Layers of the Commenting Onion

 

ZScG7.jpeg


From my first step into the world of social media, I was fascinated by people who regularly inhabit comment sections. I still wonder what drives someone to become a regular commenter but also why many never participate by commenting.  Some of the beBee regular commenters engage with almost every post. Unlike them, there are many who never offered an opinion online but regularly push the Relevant button. 

I have seen a wide range of approaches to leaving comments on blogs over the last three years on beBee. My approach is - don’t comment for the sake of commenting, which is in line with my writing philosophy. As seen on this platform, many would disagree with me. 

An onion with its layers is an appropriate metaphor for personal social networks and circles of friendships. Social media interaction through commenting is wrapped in many layers. As circles differ in the quality and quantity of relationships, the commenting onion layers differ in the quality of comments. Each layer reveals comments which differ in interpretation, meaning and purpose.

The outermost dry layer represents meaningless, throw-away comments that are completely irrelevant to the topic. I have one piece of advice to the authors of such comments -  scroll past if you are not interested in real engagement. 

Peeling the next layer away reveals comments which don't say much that builds on the conversation. I call them 'great-post comments' in which commenters don't say why the post is actually 'great.' Some even put 'extra effort' into their comments and simply repeat what the author already said. It is okay to show some appreciation to the blogger, however, when you opt to engage in this form of communication, then don't make a comment for the sake of commenting.

As we approach the core, layers reveal comments that are more thoughtful and relevant. Commenters have obviously read the post, they ask questions, give examples, personal stories, or put another point of view that provides value to the author and the readership. Their comments may be short, but they add to the discussion. 

At the core of a metaphorical onion, there are comments that stand out. Several commenters/writers definitely deliver value. They stir the pot and generate discussions. Their comments serve as fuel for more comments by bringing others into discussions. I don't mean two-person threads where a commenter and a writer lead their endless dialogue, but threads where more people discuss and make the conversation interesting enough that others want to join. 

These top commenters are also regular content contributors. We all know who they are. Some of them are far less engaged lately, but their contribution always enriches discussions. Their comments helped me grow as a blogger.  

 

S3loc.jpeg

Unfortunately, peeling layers away sometimes reveals rotten and smelly layers.  
 

Even in our small community, there were people who deliberately provoked others online to make them upset and angry. Don't mix such comments with negative comments. Negative comments discuss a matter, while provokers and haters attack a person’s character. 

Thanks to the beBee management, as well as a positive and supportive community, this platform is not a fertile ground for those who behave in a rude and disrespectful way. 

On the other side, peeling commenting onion also reveals slimy comments. These are comments that are sugary to an excessive or servile degree. I wrote about it in one of my blog posts

Peeling the commenting onion is also a metaphor for a learning process. Blogging is considered a tool for sharing knowledge, but a comment section may also be a fantastic learning resource. Often, conversations in the comments are more valuable than the post itself. Many new thoughts and ideas were born in the comments exchange. I am thrilled that some of my comments also inspired other bloggers, and gave them ideas for their posts.

Comments benefit the commenter, the author and readers as well. Also, commenting on other people's blogs is a great writing practice. 

Please, put more effort into your comments next time. It will add value not only to your online reputation but also to someone else's post. 

All of you who feel too shy to engage with the comment section (I  was one of you), assume it is a place when friends gather together to discuss interesting ideas. You have time to think before participating. For me, commenting was a starting point for blogging. Give it a try. Take that first step and make someone's day by commenting on their post! 

 

 


 

 

 

Komentari

schuppe mckenzie

prije 3 godine #51

This is simply outstanding and nice information I stumbled upon https://bubbleshooter.io/

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #50

#78
Thank you for commenting, my friend. I think the post fulfilled the purpose. This comment section clearly shows different layers of the commenting onion. :) Engagement through commenting is the key element of social media, and beBee is indeed an engagement-based community - although recently shows a decreasing tendency.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #49

#75
Roberto, my previous question was based on what you said. You mentioned that "if you feel limited, it would be better not to comment anything." That got me thinking because there were times I felt limited, in a way, to comment on someone's post - limited by my English, or by a lack of knowledge on a particular subject. I hope that I understood your words correctly. :)

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #48

#58
Harvey, thanks for pointing out one more aspect of the engagement with someone's post. The strength of relationships between the group members affects engagement with each other posts. You may feel obligated to comment on a post of the friend of your support clique circle, at least as a sign of support ("great post" comments). You may also try to become a member of someone's sympathy group by commenting on all his posts and make him/her obligated to comment on yours and thus join your group, which by the way often doesn't work. Such attempts may result in excessive comments. Or you may stay true to yourself and express what you think honestly, although it may hurt feelings (and ego) of an author. But how many of us do that actually? I've learned that written communication, such as commenting is very tricky, especially when it comes to expressing polarised opinions. There were times my comments were understood differently than what I meant to say, and I had to explain that in personal messages. Interaction through commenting is indeed wrapped in many layers.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #47

#72
Roberto, your comment got me thinking. What makes you feel limited to comment on someone's post?

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #46

#68
Didn't know that saying. Thanks for enriching my vocabulary with one more quirky English phrase. When it comes to concise and on point comments, you know your onion, John.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #45

#66
#67 David, I am glad to see your comment on my post. Your approach to commenting and your thoughts on the guest/host relationship is pretty similar to my way of thinking. The "guests" you mentioned whose only intention is to promote their own "gift" are the spammy self-promoters of the outermost layer. There's a big difference between shameless and tactful self-promoters who respect the "host" and add value to the discussion. Great comment and thought. :)

John Rylance

prije 4 godine #44

There is a phrase knowing your onions, which means being knowledgeable about a subject. Here we are trying show we know our onions about onions. Incidentally a similar phrase in French occupez- vous de vos oignons means mind your own business.

David Navarro López

prije 4 godine #43

In the other hand, my personal choice is never reading the comments of others before writing mine. In my very particular point of view, a post is like if the author is inviting me to a party, so he/she is my host, I am the guest, and I have to honour the hospitality of the host above the gifts of other guests, because they are not intended for me, but for the host. If the host wants me to participate in a gift of another guest, it is the host who will tell me to do it. Unless the gift is offending my host, obviously. I have seen another type of commenters though, whose profile I missed to see in your post. The "guests" that attend the party with the only intention to promote their own "gift", and using a named "host" to profit of the host party. Disgusting, unrespectful, sneaky practice. Those profiles will never be followed, red or commented by me. Above all, I am happy you made this post. Somebody had to do it.

David Navarro López

prije 4 godine #42

Sorry about the other comment, couldn't help myself. Now seriously, peeling an onion can/will make you cry, in one way or another. For most of us, these tears are unwanted, whilst we don't understand they are good for our eyes, as the onion vapours are the best cleaning and disinfecting natural remedy for our eyes and breathing system. Some comments can be as well helping us to see and breath better. Normally I get quite a few comments in my posts. And I only comment on posts when I have something to add, which usually doesn't come right after the reading, but after some thinking about it, which I consider respectful to the author, as he/she has taken the time to think and write, so do I. Whether you are author or commenter, I believe it is (or should be) a matter of generosity, as you are sharing some thoughts you consider can be useful for others. Taking out this human value from the equation, it only converts your words in an impertinent mosquito, an echo you would be willing to forget. 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

David Navarro López

prije 4 godine #41

Great Post

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #40

#5
Michael, you've touched the issue of digital media comment sections. I never participated but often read un-moderated comment sections of several Croatian online newspapers. You can read really toxic comments, and politics is the most hated issue. I'm always for freedom of speech but not for hate speech and trolling given by people hiding behind fake names to attack other people under the guise of “freedom of speech.” Comments that provide an opinion, set up the discussion and influence readers are in the minority relative to abusive (mildly said) comments. Despite all that, I think media platforms should be open for commenting to allow democratic exchange.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #39

#2
Jerry, your comment makes me sing, as our friend Ali often says. :) Thank you for contributing to my blogs. Your feedback makes my blogging journey worth all the time and effort.

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

prije 4 godine #38

#57
Here is an interesting tutorial of sorts for this feature of gab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYsdpKfe0w4. I'm not entirely convinced whether posting comments on dissenter is meaningful, but it's good that there exists an alternative to silence for the various topics online, even if this alternative is heavily criticized lately. Anyway, just thought I'd put some feelers out there...

Harvey Lloyd

prije 4 godine #37

I would imagine the understanding of group dynamics would aid in sorting out the proverbial onion. I am not a member of your group but haven't been rejected, if i comment i might get rejected. I want to be a member of your group but i don't agree with all you say so i will try and get you to join mine. These are just two perspectives of engagement, of which there are many more, as we define ourselves within group association. I too like this platform based on its limitations. Too much noise on other platforms, it's like going through my inbox all over again.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #36

#9
Zacharias, thanks for reminding me of Minds. After I joined Minds I haven't spent much time on it. I think that beBee is right SM for me despite the fact that the platform is going backwards in terms of engagement rates. Comment sections on every SM are full of comments of the two outer layers. I've read it on Minds too. I must admit that I haven't heard of the dissenter feature you mentioned. Can you provide more information? Thanks for your valuable contribution to this comment section.

Randall Burns

prije 4 godine #35

#51
Well Thank You my friend Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee, will take a look

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #34

#20
Debasish, thank you for not commenting for the sake of commenting. :) I appreciate it. Thank you for your kind words and sharing.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #33

#50
Yes Conrad, this is a whole different kind of layered model. It's the onion model which has many applies. Onward to the next onion. 😂 Thanks for commenting.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #32

#44
I published the buzz that I dedicated to you dear Randall Burns https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ali-anani/underground-feelings

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #31

#46
I am rejoicing because I am talking to you dear Praveen.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #30

#44
I will this time fulfill my promise Randall Burns and my next buzz shall relate to the chemistry of cooking and our hidden feelings that we need to release as tears sometimes. I shall try to publish today even though it is feast here (post to the fasting month of Ramadan).

Ken Boddie

prije 4 godine #29

I haven't got much more to say on this subject, Lada, that I haven't already covered in my earlier post here: https://www.bebee.com/producer/@ken-boddie/is-commending-the-commenter-a-matter-of-a-pinion I do, however , like your onion layers analogy. It reminds me of that old Bee Gees song about two onions conversing ... or perhaps it was just “Chives Talking”. 🤣😂🤣

Randall Burns

prije 4 godine #28

#43
#42 You can Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee says, tears are good sometimes, they cleanse the soul...

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #27

#40
Randall, tears are good when slicing commenting onion. It's a sign that the author of a comment stirred emotions in readers. :) You can always keep a piece of bread in your mouth while cutting an onion. I heard it works. :-)) Thank you for engaging with my post. I appreciate it.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #26

#40
Do you soak the onions in water first Randall Burns?

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #25

#35
Praveen, you are the Master of Stirring the Conversation. :) Your witty, thoughtful and on the point comments extend the thread's lifetime. Thank you.

Randall Burns

prije 4 godine #24

#10
You do know how to cut an onion without crying right Pascal Derrien? Don't form an emotional attachment

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #23

#37
I am digesting the comments dear Lada. When my mind comes with a novel idea I shall do. The comments and the buzz are worthy of expanding on.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #22

#35
You are the master of appreciation, or better, the doctor of appreciation dear Praveen Raj Gullepalli

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #21

#11
Long gone are the days when I was able to respond to comments promptly. :) With the best will in the world, I have to deal with my family matters that comes first. Early morning, before work is the best time for me to write and respond. Dear Ali, I like the idea of Zacharias that you would create a diagram to illustrate the commenting onion 'concept' with its many layers. Between "great-post comments" and core comments there are several layers of relevant comments, each more intense than the previous. As you said in your presentation, the author has to stir emotion to get comments. It reminds me of the Latin root for the word emotion, which means “to move.” Indeed, emotions move us to act. I comment on posts that stir my emotions.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #20

#31
Dear Praveen Raj Gullepalli to this suggestion, if it makes any sense.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #19

#16
Gerald Hecht, there is nothing "wrong" with you, and there's no protocol for commenting on posts. :-) With all due respect to my beBee friends, I don't comment on their posts if I have nothing to say about certain topics. I always wonder how one can have an opinion on something if never experienced it. On the other hand, I may comment if I am able to relate to the underlying universals of that subject. For example, is a priest able to give advice about marriage?

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #18

#27
Phil is one of those top commenters whose contribution always enriches discussions but, sadly, he is far less engaged on beBee lately. I think he holds the record for the longest comment thread. Several days ago, I searched for some older posts and noticed how longer comment sections were two years ago on beBee. Engagement rates were also much higher.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #17

#10
Pascal, commenting is indeed a hard thing to master. Responding to comments, which will fuel even more comments is art in itself. Like you, I am still struggling with it. Yes, (commenting) onions sometimes make you cry :) Thank you for sharing.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #16

#3
Franci, like you I also appreciate comments that give me a chance to respond and continue the conversation. I'm doing my best and respond as much and as often as I can. It is hard to find a reason to respond to "nice post" comments although I appreciate those comments too because of the commenter's good intentions. But I agree with Ken Boddie that after we hit the publish button, we are in a way duty-bound to commenters on our posts when they are sincere and show respect. Thank you for your kind words. :)

Bill Stankiewicz

prije 4 godine #15

Great job here congratulations

Bill Stankiewicz

prije 4 godine #14

Great job

Randall Burns

prije 4 godine #13

Great post Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic I'm hard pressed to add anything that has not already been commented by our astute fellow Bees. I think we're lucky here on beBee in that the majority of interactions here are sincere, positively interactive, educational and entertaining. I agree with your point of commenting being the first step towards writing, it is a logical beginning.

Debasish Majumder

prije 4 godine #12

Great insight Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic! not for the sake of commenting i am commenting. you have contributed rich ingredients with your fascinating buzz and you too glow as an imperative of paramount in social media, a nuances which teach many to become adept in social media. lovely buzz. enjoyed read and shared. thank you for the buzz.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #11

Thanks for all the comments and great discussion. I'll respond after working hours. :)

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #10

#14
I appreciate your honesty in expressing your points with so explicitly Gerald Hecht upon commenting on her buzz that we need an imaginative author to express how a pregnant man would behave! Thank fotr the mention as well. I highlighted Cyndi's name to draw her attention to your comment as well.

Bill Stankiewicz

prije 4 godine #9

I LOVE the posts here on beBee, so many wonderful friends I have met

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #8

#9
Luckily, I read your comment dear Zacharias \ud83d\udc1d Voulgaris because my name isn't highlighted. I thank you for your trust. I wish comments would allow the use of images so that I could share one here. I accept your challenging invitation though I shall wait for more comments before I do. That is with the permission of our good friend Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic and if it is granted. You reminded me of my presentation titled "Comments with no moments" https://www.slideshare.net/hudali15/comments-with-no-moments In this presentation, I Introduced the CIPP Factor consisting of (Confidence, Integrity, Pride, Passion). An author or a commenter (who is an author once he/she contributes a comment) should write comments that satisfy this factor so that the comment may fall in the core of comments' onion that Lada introduced.

Pascal Derrien

prije 4 godine #7

Commenting is a hard thing to master I think, some people on this platform are brilliant at it but I frankly struggle with it. Depending on the day time and mood one may be brief or willing to engage further deeper or lighter . Those bloody onions are making me cry again Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic :-)

Zacharias 🐝 Voulgaris

prije 4 godine #6

If this article was published on Minds, I would have boosted it! Thanks Lada for sharing this insightful approach to commenting. At one point I was about to stop blogging altogether because I'd receive lots of comments of the outermost layer. So, I decided to not allow any comments on my blog unless I'd approve them first! Anyway, I'm curious to hear your view on the dissenter feature (from the gap SM), which enables people to comment on any site on the web, effectively turning every site into a forum, for all those who have this feature on their browser. Also, perhaps Ali Anani can create a nice diagram to illustrate the main points of this article and make it stand out more :-)

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #5

#6
Thank you dear Lada. I mentioned four layers as outlined in your buzz. These are: 1-The outermost dry layer 2- Peeling the next layer away 3- As we approach the core 4- At the core of a metaphorical onion I am glad I helped in making your day joyful.

Lada 🏡 Prkic

prije 4 godine #4

#1
Dear Ali, thank you for commenting and sharing. You make my day because it's the first comment I read this morning. :) I like the onion metaphor although it is not always understandable. It can be used to describe a journey towards important something, as I use it here, but is applicable to explain other concepts or relationships. Commenting onion has many layers, not just four. I specifically mentioned the first two, but there are more layers as we approach its core, and each layer is more intense and juicy than the previous one - metaphorically speaking. Thank you for being a discussion generator.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #3

#3
Thank you dar Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, beBee Brand Ambassador. Mostly, his comments are one line or less, but they stir the mind.

Jerry Fletcher

prije 4 godine #2

Lada, I like the distance you have traveled in your comments and your blogging here since we first met on beBee. Your thoughtful sharing of the engineering behind some incredible buildings was the first clue I had to a wide-ranging intelligence made stronger by solid technical training. T hank you for your contributions in blogs and comments. You are one of the people I make time to read. And so it goes.

Ali Anani

prije 4 godine #1

Dear Lada \ud83c\udfe1 Prkic- I am sorry I can't make your day right now because you wrote "Take that first step and make someone's day by commenting on their post! " However; I shall try to make your night. I agree with your four -layers analysis. This means that 25% of comments belong to the core. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Maybe the onion has a small core and heavy layers. Even if the number of good comments is 5% this is still good because as you said they enrich the discussions and we learn from them. Moreover; they inspire new ideas. I have many of my buzzed resulting from good comments (one of them was inspired by you). It takes effort to write a comment and share a good buzz. This is what I am doing exactly.

Članci od Lada 🏡 Prkic

Pogledaj blog
prije 3 godine · 4 minuta. vrijeme za čitanje

I am a civil engineer and love everything about engineering and architecture. I love watching shows ...

prije 5 godina · 8 minuta. vrijeme za čitanje

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Split, enjoy drinking coffee as the · Splitians · (Split ...

prije 3 godine · 1 minuta. vrijeme za čitanje

This short buzz is inspired by a comment by · Phil Friedman. He commented on LinkedIn on the share o ...

Vezani profesionalci

Možda će vas zanimati ovi poslovi

  • Tokenmetrics

    Crypto Growth Hacker

    Pronađeno u: beBee S2 HR - prije 17 sati


    Tokenmetrics Zagreb, Hrvatska Puno radno vrijeme

    Token Metrics is looking for an experienced Growth Hacker to join our team. The ideal candidate will drive awareness and sales of our products and services. In this role, you will work with our team to determine key pain points, bottlenecks, and opportunities for our business. Yo ...

  • Transcom Croatia

    Network Engineer

    Pronađeno u: beBee S2 HR - prije 1 dan


    Transcom Croatia Zagreb, Hrvatska Puno radno vrijeme

    Welcome to Transcom's Network engineer description page · Since you have made it this far, we are happy to share some information about our great company and our amazing Tech Hub · We are a global network of 28,000 local specialists, across 25 countries, passionate about providin ...

  • Transcom Croatia

    Global Database Administrator

    Pronađeno u: beBee S2 HR - prije 1 dan


    Transcom Croatia Zagreb, Hrvatska Puno radno vrijeme

    The role of the Global Database Administrator is part of the team responsible for globally supporting the company's infrastructure. The main essence of the role is to support and maintain existing platforms through proactive and reactive maintenance, investigation into solution i ...