A Terrible Analogy
I have a long and sordid history of using terrible analogies to try and explain something. Today will be no different.
Blog comments are like a handshake.
Some of them are quick, nervous, and a little on the clammy side. That’s okay, we’ve all been there, especially if we’re meeting someone that we respect or are trying to make a good impression on. I’m sure those folks’ve been on both the giving and receiving end of a nervous handshake before. Time and interaction will turn that handshake into a warm, welcoming, and friendly gesture.
Some comments are like a handshake between old friends, loose and comfortable, and perhaps accompanied by a good-natured clasp of the shoulder and a bit of ribbing.
Some comments, of course, are unpleasant. The person giving the handshake has a buzzer in their hand, or maybe they spit in their palm first (and aren’t five years old trying to seal a deal). Perhaps they’ve recently enjoyed some chocolate pretzels (bonus points for the movie reference).
Behaviors
I think that in today’s blog-heavy internet, it can be all too easy to over-analyze commenting. I know I’ve done it. I’ve been guilty of being irritated or hurt that someone didn’t reply to a comment. I’ve waited to comment until I had something interesting posted on my blog, so if they followed my link back, they’d be more impressed by me (the blogging equivalent of “freshening up” before meeting someone famous).
I’ve held my silence in comments because I admire the blogger, and don’t feel that I could possibly comment in a meaningful and amusing enough way to catch the blogger’s attention. I’ve commented in the hopes of getting more traffic to my site.
I’ve commented in anger. I’ve commented in self-defense. I have completely and totally disallowed myself from commenting on my own blog out of fear.
I’ve commented just to let someone know that I read their comment and appreciated it (actually, I do this a lot – it’s part of my personal philosophy on comments).
Summary
If comments are like handshakes, then maybe I should stop with the over analyzing. If someone says something I feel I want to comment on, I shouldn’t stop and run through a thousand scenarios in my head before I decide to say something.
I believe there are things bloggers can do to encourage commenting, but I also believe that, as a commenter, I shouldn’t sweat the details.
I should give that blogger my warmest smile, shake their hand, say my thank you, and consider that to be a meaningful exchange.
Question
How do YOU guys view comments? Do you find yourself with a different philosophy as a blogger than you do as a commenter? Do you over think your comments on other blogs?
Despite having a rather nasty case of the plague take me down for over a week (and having to postpone a scheduled 
