Commenting on Instapundit
Ann Althouse is guest blogging at Instapundit and has enabled comments on one post. Many people seemed surprised to be commenting there but what I am most surprised about is that for the first 400 comments, there is no anger, mudslinging or trolling. It is a testament to Glenn's fine readers or maybe the shock just hasn't set in yet.
posted by Helen at 8:00 AM
10 Comments:
Given the vituperative content of some of the posts from the DrHelen hubby clan when he links to a post here, I am surprised by how the comments are going over there.
So far, I think it is your second hypothesis, the ugly folk are just shocked.
Will they recover?
Trey
A month or so ago, the local paper had a column (in their online version) about civility, and the credited author was Michelle Obama.
A couple hours later, the paper corrected the mistake and credited the correct author with the column.
It's amazing how the tone of comments, mostly from the left, but some from the right, changed almost instantly when they thought the article was written by Michelle Obama than when they thought it was written by Michelle Malkin.
Probably normal. When people read something they disagree with written by someone they respect, they chalk it up to disagreements or misunderstandings. Yet, when written by someone they already think the worst of, they blame it on person's mean or evil character or nefarious intentions.
I, too, and surprised at the tone of the comments. I hope it does not change.
I think it is a little of both. Still, even if you could somehow exclude the trolls, and as fun as it would be to be able to talk back to the great one now and again, commenting would not be an improvement on Instapundit. Like the original Coke, you just don't mess with success.
Agree with TRO. One of the things I prefer about IP is its lack of. Keeps it clean and rapid. There's a gazillion blogs with comments, let there be a couple without.
Someone is approving every post, so I doubt any trolls will get though.
I dislike approve/dislike so won't post approach. Usually if a commenter gets nasty and continues to do so, others will pounce and denounce--self corrects.
I do note that so many on the right keep trying to find every little thing to knock our president about:
example: he is doing too much/look he took time off to go to NY (did not go to Texas weekly though)...He is doing too much/ he is taking time out. He goes to Egypt and should have gone to ....(you name it) and on and on. Fact is, he remains well admired by the public and continues to make important changes...Govt can not run auto industry? Did car makers do it right? For progressives he is too wishy washy; for conservative he is crazed with power...there is no middle ground it seems, so take your pick.
@ fred said... I do note that so many on the right keep trying to find every little thing to knock our president about"
_____________
I would rather be treated the way the right treats Obama than the way the left treated Bush. He gets far more respect from his opposition (and that is not to say there are no people out there who are far out of line with him).
Of course, most the left thinks that it is completely appropriate. When the right does it, they are disrespectful. When the left does it, it is deserved.
Oppenents criticize, often over the insignificant. Nothing new there.
Best way to keep out trolls is to force the first comment to need approval -- and to delete (and ban) commentators who are [expletives]. A good naughty words screen helps as well.
Just my lame advice.
Personally I love the lack of comments on Instapundit. They work for Althouse because her page is conversational.
Instapundit? What's that?
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