Recently, Opinionated Man had a run-in with a man who had left unfavorable comments.
OM’s commenter was not a blogger; however, he and OM went back and forth for some length of time in sort of pissing contest. Don’t bother looking for the OM post – it seems to have been deleted either by OM or by WordPress. I wanted to link to it here, and couldn’t find it today – but I’m sure many of you saw it.
At any rate, after reading the extended comments chain, I entered a comment of my own asking why OM was engaging this particular detractor. Even with my small readership, I’ve had comments to the effect that my writing is poor or my subject matter is boring. Sometimes if a comment is particularly offensive, I’ll just delete it and pretend it never came in at all. But I allow most comments to stay, whether positive or negative.
At the end of my comment on OM’s post, I indicated that when I receive a bad comment, I usually just say, “Thanks for the comment“ and leave it at that.
And thus, the point of this post.
Today, I wrote a comment on a blog I have been following for some time and whose owner I respect and consider a blogging friend. The blogger replied to my comment, and ended his reply with “Thanks for the comment.”
Say what? Even though I knew that sentence was meant sincerely in this case (the blogger in question is a friend, dammit), it still shook me up a wee bit, considering that I had just posted that same sentence on OM’s blog as a way to get rid of bad commenters.
Am I bad commenter? Or just a bad blogger?
Oftentimes, I will end a reply to a comment with “Thanks for the comment” – and 99% of the time I sincerely mean to thank the commenter. Sometimes I receive a comment that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but is from someone new and I want to acknowledge their ability and willingness to read my silly blog, so I simply say “Thanks for reading and commenting.”
Now I’m in a quandary.
Do I stop using that phrase altogether, or do I find a way to delineate my sincere “thanks” from the sarcastic ones? Maybe when I have a negative comment, I should reply, “Thanks for the comment – ha, ha” or something to that effect. Replies to positive comments could then be, “Thanks for the comment – you’ve made my day” (actually, that could work for the bad comments, too, couldn’t it?)
Hmmm. What to do?
Please excuse me while I take a short wine coffee cookies blogging break to ponder this very serious matter.
Thanks for reading – and if you respond, thanks for commenting.
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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com or notcordeliasmom@aol.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom
Thanks for the post. (Sorry I couldn’t exist)
There are a lot of things to worry about, but someone saying thanks isn’t one of them IMHO. I just take it at face value and move on. Sometimes folks want to comment and don’t know what to say. Sometimes their boss just walked into the room. Sometimes they just want to acknowledge your comment. You know if someone thinks you’re a bad whatever (blogger/writer/commenter/whatever)! So don’t go looking for grief (it has a way of finding us without assistance)
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Thanks for the comment, Elyse. Truly. 🙂
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Elyse, you are both witty and smart. I like how you break down the possibilities of mindsets.
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Your turn, Elyse. Care to reply?
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Thanks for the comment. 😈
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Why I oughta…
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You’re welcome!
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Ha! That’s a comment I didn’t expect. Thanks. 🙂
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🙂 Surprise!
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🙂
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I’ve often wondered why some bloggers pre-approve all their comments. Maybe that’s part of it ? I use “thanks for the comment”, usually when someone posts for the first time. Now…I wonder ????
Oh…and thanks for the post ?? Someone beat me to it ! ☺
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Thanks for the comment, Van. 🙂
(It makes responding very easy if that’s all I say – maybe I’ll do that for ALL my replies!)
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I have a few odd commenters who when they do write, I really rack my brains on how best to answer. Sometimes I answer with frankness saying in a nice way I really didn’t appreciate the critical nature of the comment. Or I avoid what was not appropriate in the comment and instead focus on what was. Another tactic I use is humor. Humor goes a long ways but you really have to be careful with that because humor could “sting”. Ahhhh … my friend, Life is too short to be biting nails over “what should I or what should I not comment?” If I really don’t like the tone at all, I delete the comment when I get to answering it. I hope this helps. 🙂 >3
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I’m with you all the way, Amy. I’ve done all of that. No need to overthink everything, but it did make an interesting post, eh?
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LOL It did at that!!! Tee hee …… ❤ 😉
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Ah ha. Your strategy for dealing with negative or unfavorable comments backfired when you felt “dismissed” by another blogger who used it on you. You could not discern the intent of the line. Is that karma?
I think your strategy is okay. But, you may have to ask some people to clarify their opinion of your words.
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Ah, you’re new here, at least as a commenter. Thanks for reading and commenting.
(Sorry, simply couldn’t resist.)
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Now you’re asking for it. 🙂
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Thanks [again] for the comment.
[snicker]
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Just remember those snickers when something written stings or sticks under your thin skin.
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I love it. Thanks – you just gave me an idea for a post for the mirror blog.
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Yea, why do I get the feeling I should never have stopped by your post?
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And you keep coming back. If nothing else, thanks for increasing my view count the last couple of days.
BTW, by now you’ve probably seen the post on the mirror blog (and re-blogged on this site) which was inspired by your comment. It’s silly, as most of Not CM’s posts are, but I [she] did appreciate our comments interactions.
I hope you’ll continue to read both blogs.
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Gah!!!!!!!!! I struggle with that phrase, too. 🙂
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Funny how such a simple phrase can be taken so many different ways. Too much of our language is like that.
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Too, too true. 🙂
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Don’t stop using your catchphrase 🙂 I tend to say “Thanks” when someone posts on mine, I can see why it jumped out at you though. It seemed like it was a rip-off or piss take of what you had just said on the other one.
I was going to say thanks for the post, but so many others beat me to it 😉 So I’ll say
Thanks for the blog
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Ah well, at this point I’ll take whatever thanks I can get. At least I know yours is an honest thanks.
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I just like the comment ( realise I wrote in singular, as I’m a newbie) :p
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Newbies are always welcome. Thanks for the comment [chuckle].
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Pingback: Thanks, But No Thanks | Not Cordelia's Mom
I think the punctuation at the end of the sentence can differentiate the two meanings. If you are genuinely thanking someone for the comment, put an exclamation mark. If it was a negative comment, just put a period. A single period has so much power and disdain built into it.
Thanks for the comment! (Positive)
Thanks for the comment. (Negative)
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Or the ! could mean I’m yelling at the commenter, probably with a snarl in my voice. Definitely not good.
But thanks for your comment … 🙂
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I thank most people for their comments because I am so happy to have them and I want them to know that. Sometimes, I’m in a hurry and I can’t really respond the way I’d like to, but I always, at least say thanks. It’s always genuine, because I delete crappy comments or I respond without engaging. I do not thank them.
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And to you, my blogging friend, thanks for your comment. I’m glad you’ve never deleted any of my comments, Dan.
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You’re golden! Your comments stay regardless 🙂
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I have to admit, I have been very lucky with my interactions. Nothing too contentious so far.
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I think I’ve really only gotten one bad comment, but I have received a number that didn’t quite make sense,
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*gasp*! You mean people HAVE to make sense?!? 😉
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Of course not. I don’t even make sense half of the time. I don’t even think that post made sense, but everyone seemed to like it anyway.
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I think you’re overthinking this. Really.
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Noted. Thanks for the comment, Marilyn.
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I use thanks all the time! Sincerely! If someone was to send a comment negatively to me, I’m not sure what I would do… Just a big smiley face??!!
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A big smiley face might be a good solution – it would definitely send the FU message to a negative commenter, without offending your other readers.
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Exactly!
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There’s really nothing wrong with “thanks for the comment.” Taken at face value, it means exactly what it says. Anyone who would object to the words is reading into it. I haven’t received any bad WordPress comments that I can think of, but if I do, I wouldn’t respond with “thanks for the comment” because in fact I would NOT be thankful for it. Instead, I’d say something like, “I’ll give your comment all the consideration it deserves,” which is nice and polite, yet insulting at the same time. And with all that being said, I wish to thank you for the reblog the other day. Much appreciated!
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I like your way of handling it. I think I’ll adopt your language.
You’re welcome for the re-blog. I only re-blog posts that I’ve enjoyed myself. Your post about dental visits was very amusing.
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Now I really want to stalk your previos posts and check whether you’ve said, “Thanks for the comment” to me!
I won’t though 😀
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I think I’ve said “Thanks for the comment” at least once to everyone who has every written anything on my posts. Usually, I meant it sincerely – if I said it to you, be assured it was because I truly appreciated your comment.
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You could say, “Thanks but no thanks for the comment.” …But then again they may respond.
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Ah, Adam, you need to jump over to the mirror blog and see what Not CM published yesterday. I may or may not repost it here in the next couple of days, but go there now: https://notcordeliasmom.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/thanks-but-no-thanks/
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O’tay! ~going over there~
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I must be a dope. I would have just thought it was real. You can thank me anytime. I’ll probably smile. If you want to insult me, you’ll have to tip me off.
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Somehow I don’t think it’s possible to insult you, so I won’t even try. You’re light-years ahead of me on humor.
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Thanks for being my friend, CM, and for never, ever chiding for not putting Not in front of CM.
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I would never chide you for anything, Mark, and I try really hard to keep the evil alter-ego under control. 🙂
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I have never used “Thanks for your comment” in a snarky way. I always mean it. I ignore the comments I don’t like, usually bait. There are times I’d like to freak out and rant and tell commenters to go fly a kite, but I don’t.
I will heretofore be suspicious of people who thank me for my comment. O_O
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Well, in that case, I won’t say thanks for your comment. 🙂 Personally, I think it’s sometimes fun to get snarky with commenters, so long as it doesn’t get out of control, or too personal.
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I am an expert on comments… I have one post with more than 44,000 comments… I answer them all…
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I know you do, Art. That post was the one that got me following you, and we had quite a little back-and-forth going that evening (comments wise, I mean). That’s also the day I found Trent because he was part of the same set of comments and replies.
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I miss Trent… sniff…
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It’s strange though a blogging friend that you’ve known for some time just replied, “Thanks for the comment!” (`・ω・´)”
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Not strange at all. We all use that phrase when responding to commenters.
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Yeah! It’s an overused phrase. ( •⌄• ू )✧
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