Signal vs. Noise Indeed

Well, this is disappointing. They guys at 37Signals are turning off commenting on future blog posts. However, for all intents and purposes, I?m guessing the 37 Signals guys are sighing in relief.

It?s not easy taking criticism, you know, particularly ?in your own house.?

Blogs are generally places of comfort, solace, peace. Even if that peace comes at the price of your own ranting and raving, at least you have some place to vent and express your feelings. But it?s not the easiest thing to deal with the reactions you may get.

Over the years I?ve had a few hurtful comments on stories I?ve written, as well as positive feedback via people I consider online friends. The conundrum is this: Positive comments keep you going, negative comments create work; whether that work is cleaning up spam, misconceptions, or emotional baggage, it is work all the same. In the case of big popular blogs like Scoble?s, too many comments create a haze of noise impossible to see through.

I don?t read Scoble?s comments because they feel futile. On popular sites comments are usually on a 4:1 scale in terms of length and complexity compared to the post which prompted them. Some of them are just meme?s, while others provide baseless opinions, and the final handful are actually worth reading.

No one ever writes a comment with the idea that no one will ever read it.

People want to be heard, and blogs give you center stage. Commenters are often like hecklers or fans. They fall on both sides of the aisle, encouraging and discouraging with equal discourse. You would hate them if you didn?t love them so much.

But as sites get popular, their comment quality drops significantly. The Law of the Lowest Common Denominator kicks in, and the assholes peek out. ?Who cares how vitriolic I am?? they must think, bashing away at someone?s latest post. ?No one will ever read this.? Many seem to revel in their ability to tear down and restore what they think is ?the real point? of the post. Which of course falls right in line with their own thinking.

One of the ?Web 2.0? ideas is that we are all connected. That our opinions are all highly valued. Equal and deserving.

However, similar to the Orwellian classic Animal Farm, ?Some opinions are more equal than others.?

People will put more stock into what Scobleizer or Jeff Jarvis say than what those who comment on the stories they provide. It?s not about shooting the messenger, it?s about trusting those who provide it.

The guys at 37Signals realize that discussion links are valued much higher than mere comments. And this is obviously true, because the choice of trusting an insightful response via comment vs. putting merit in a linking blog post isn?t a choice at all. If you devote your time and personal space to talking about a subject, I will give you more authority than those who filled out a 3?field form to discuss their views.

It?s not a bad way to do things, but it sets a terrible example about who is worth listening to. Even if most people never read them, comments are important to a blog, just as public feedback is important in city council meetings. I?m not going to take time out of my schedule to complain about local speeders, but if I wish to, the opportunity is there. I have that choice. And at what level what I put my energy into it determines its effectiveness.

If I would like to share my take on a subject but don?t wish to devote the time and space necessary on this blog to express it, does that invalidate my opinion? Where do we cross the line between what is a valuable retort and what is simply discussion?

The decision that industry leaders such as 37Signals made presents a disturbing precedent, much like the necessity to be approved to comment on sites like LifeHacker. And one is not necessarily worse than another. Picking and choosing voices no matter what the feedback system may be is never a good thing and leads to favoritism and a halting of discussion.

You don?t have to create a post to respond to what I say on this blog. I?m a believer that this should never be a necessity, no matter what the site is, no matter how popular I may (or may not) be. Your two-sentence response is just as important to me as a two paragraph post.

Hopefully 37Signals realizes the mistake they're making here, and why it goes deeper than just trying to shut off the noise from the signal.

When it?s good, it?s so so good
When it?s gone, it?s gone