While no one is obliged to read an entire blog post (No one needs to read a blog at all), I believe someone should read the whole post before commenting. Particularly in cases when a reader wants to debate the blog post’s point, one should make sure they read the entire post so they know what the point really is. A blog post’s title can lead people to believe various things and those beliefs might not reflect what the post is saying.
I’m so appreciative of all the people who do read my posts and understand the point. These are my core readers and I will always make every effort to treat every blogger the same. I will try my best to fully understand the point they’re making before commenting and not engage in debates or shaming for no reason.
Why debate about a point that isn’t being stated? You can stop this from happening by reading the entire post so you know exactly what the point is. I’ve had people try to argue with me when their point was exactly what my post was saying. If you’re someone who likes to debate and/or critique a lot, why not go the extra mile and make sure you fully read the article? You might find that the point you thought the blogger was making was just a projection on your part, and their beliefs are more in line with yours. I’ve noticed when I’ve clarified the meaning of my post, the debater types don’t return to acknowledge it. I don’t know if it’s because they want to be right, or if they felt bad for wrongly assuming.
Recently, I wrote two posts about how a balance of being busy and relaxed is generally the best way to be for most people. I also explicitly said there are some times where you will have to work a little harder. I mean, I’ve published 16 books in 10 years on top of working full time and stay fit – do I really look like someone who is against being busy?
I couldn’t have been more clear that balancing busy-ness and relaxation is the best way to be. Unfortunately, I still got people debating the point and believing that I was pro “slow living” and “anti busy-ness”. One could say “Why write about something that is so touchy?”. Well, this is a blog, and I write about different topics. If people don’t like, they don’t need to read it. Being balanced and fair is one of my deepest core values, so when people don’t recognize that and accuse me of being polarized, it can be disappointing, especially when the point was made so clear in my posts.
Some commenters ended up debating something that wasn’t being said, because they only read the title or maybe read three sentences. Maybe a lot of readers don’t have the time to read a post fully, but if that’s the case, maybe it’s better not to leave a comment. You could try saving the commenting for when you have time to fully read and understand a post.
** For further reading on this matter, you’re welcome to refer to this study. If you’ve ever been a little disappointed by commenters getting your point wrong or making wrong assumptions about your beliefs based on the title of your blog, science explains the issue involved.
The main point to take away here is: please read an entire post before commenting. The title/intro of a post may not be what you think it is.
Thanks so much for reading today!
Sara Flower Kjeldsen Writes 
Well said! Thank you for choosing to follow my blog! I appreciate your support and look forward to reading more of your posts!
Love this post! Thank you.
Thank you, Rachel. I really appreciate you reading. ❤
You too! 🙂 ❤
Thank you for posting this because it is so true. It hasn’t happened to me quite yet but i’ve seen it and heard of it and it is always frustrating and i feel bad for those people who are given a hard time for no reason…great post!
Yes it kinda sucks like I know sometimes the commenter isn’t intending to be abrasive, but it’s not very nice to debate something that wasn’t even being said in the first place.
I am glad to hear that you haven’t had this happen yet. I’m hoping it won’t ever happen to you.
“The main point to take away here is: please read an entire post before commenting. The title/intro of a post may not be what you think it is.” I agree 🙂
Yes. Like it’s so easy to assume what someone might be writing about, but it’s always better to confirm first.
So true!
Thank you. 🙂 I always feel bad posting stuff like this, but it’s honestly the truth and I don’t want to be an enabler to the type of people who want to create drama and strife online.
❤️❤️❤️
What is the use of commenting on a blog post before reading it? If a person so comments, they expose themselves. Most importantly, it is against the ethics to discuss something or pass judgment on it before having gone through it. Such type of people are nothing more than the trolls, and their comments are nothing more than the spam comments. It’s better to ignore them than indulge in any debate with them.
That’s a good point. I mean, you’re really hitting the truth directly on the head here. If they want to comment before reading the whole post, then they’re probably an argumentative person – in real life, too.
Absolutely true. And arguments for the sake of arguments, without any meaningful debate.
True! It’s quite upsetting. It would suck to live like that.
Very true! I find myself writing smaller posts now for this very reason!
Yes I like to keep mine pretty short and even then a lot of people skim read. LOL It’s definitely better to keep them shorter.
I’ve been pretty lucky and haven’t had many of these commenters on my blog. It must be frustrating to be misinterpreted when you know you’ve articulated your thoughts clearly.
We’re obligated to read an entire blog post if we’re going to debate or even comment. It would be like reading one chapter of a book or watching a snippet of a movie and commenting on their virtues.
Yes you make a very good point!
I remember a newspaper doing an experiment on Facebook. They published an article with a title that did not go with article. They did that intentionally and even stated at the beginning of the article that the title was intentionally misleading and had nothing to do with the article. About 2/3 of the commenters gave their opinions on the title, clueless about what the article really said. About 1/3 pointed out the mismatch, which was often enough that you could easily notice the situation in the comment section too. Most people did not read the article and they did not pay attention to what other commenters said, thus missing the entire story. It is very tempting to want to state your opinion regardless of what’s going on.
That’s very true right? Very interesting, too. And it explains why some people write comments that don’t seem to go with the point – they might have just skimmed or read the title.
I always comment after reading the full blog 👌👌
Yahoo!!! You rock. 😊
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Great Post Sara. It’s sad that some people want to jump on a bandwagon without being aware of the full facts too. I suspect there may be some who think they’ve read in full, but already made their mind up and were looking for an argument.
That’s a good point! It probably happens alot.
Yeah, good stuff Sara Flower. I agree with you… I think, but I didn’t read all the way to the end. Haha
Hahaha XD It’s all good. It’s only a suggestion, after all.
Very true, I think to be critical you definitely need to consider the article in its entirety as you say. Many congrats on all that book writing and this thought-provoking article. I think sometimes the realisation that someone has made a point which isn’t actually true, may lead to embarrassment on their part, which is maybe why they don’t return. I think for those short on time, If they enjoy aspects of the post, then there is no shame in praising the post. I do this at times if I see something I like. Of course, this is a different argument to being critical.
Yes that’s very true. I completely agree with you. Thanks so much for reading!
Very welcome 🙂
Happens A LOT! One blogger argued with me about my own post and then I asked, “did you read my entire post”?
Yes that’s the worst. It’s the best thing to ask in that case.
Good advice. I don’t agree, however, with what you said about golden retrievers. (Just kidding.)
LOL I see what you did there.
Actually there’s a golden retriever in my book, Marie. But this was my character’s perspective on the breed, not mine. 🙂
Hahahaha that’s funny. We have a mini-golden doodle named Maggie.
Aw that’s sweet!
I love this post! But, wow! I’m surprised that the blogging community should even have to be admonished about something you would think is common blogging etiquette. After all, it would seem that a reader should be considerate enough to read a post before commenting. Hands-down. But, I guess that doesn’t jive with all readers. That’s a shame, too. Because there could be so much life-impacting content a reader could be missing out on because he or she decided to skim over the written word instead of gleaning the knowledge from the golden nuggets of wisdom provided. How unfortunate. Well, I thoroughly enjoy your content and read to the very end. Wouldn’t know any other way to conduct myself as a follower of yours but to read your posts fully. And see, now that I’ve read this one all the way through, I can appropriate respond and say . . . “You go girl. You were spot on with this post.” Have a blessed rest of your week, Sara. And, keep your words of wisdom coming.
That’s a really good point! I really appreciate you checking out my post. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words. Have a blessed week, too!
Nice
This is so well done. Thank you. The issue you and so many of us have is that there seems to be an epidemic of people that want to debate thinking that is how to effect change. Perhaps at one time it did. Conversation is what I look for when I am speaking to or reading someone or something that does not jive with what I currently know or believe. Kudos to you for creating the opportunity for conversation here with your post. It will be interesting to see how the western view of “busy-ness” changes in the coming decades. With the amount of research that is being presented to show how being idle can help to improve creativity and productivity. Thank you again. I enjoyed reading, “the entire post” HAHA
Yahoo I’m glad you enjoyed reading it. 🙂 And yes conversation is key. It leaves more of an open dialog.
Reblogged this on lastrites24608 and commented:
Reading All Of The Blog Post
I wholeheartedly agree, that as a blog commenter, I ought first to thoroughly read and understand the thesis of any blog before I respond either in support or in disagreement. For me that is a discipline that I ought to practice in my reading.
However, having conceded that point, I also believe as a blog writer I ought to structure my blog argument in such a way, that the modern reader with all the attention deficits they bring to the written word. cannot help but capture my central argument even if they skim that last few paragraphs of my missive. Note, to be perfectly clear, I am not at all saying that any Sara’s blog posts suffer from this deficiency. I am merely stating that as a complement to thorough reading, I always want to practice best writing practices in my blog posts.
Why the complementary focus on blog structure? In 2011, I read William Powers’ book, Hamlet’s Blackberry. It was either while reading the book itself, or hearing some excellent lectures on Powers’ book by Pastor Bruxy Cavey, that I realized that the age of emails had modified both my own and many other people’s reading habits.
In my case, feeling the pressure of reading and responding to many, many emails a day, I found, as Powers predicted, that I would read the title and first paragraph and then, without thinking, skim the rest of the text. This modern proclivity of skimming, does not at all excuse the blog commenter from reading the blog carefully before responding, but it did signal to me as a blog writer that I should do what I can to mitigate this reading defect. In essence, I resolved to use the title and first paragraph, as much as I am able, to communicate a succinct version of my thesis, so that even those who read no further can grasp my argument.
At least one commenter attributed inappropriate responses to Sara’s blog to trolls who presumably are deliberately misunderstanding her argument since they write using uncharitable criticism to inflame passions and provoke heated responses. No urging for them to “read the whole blog” nor any effort on my part to make the thesis apparent in the first paragraph will curtain their activity, since the whole mechanism of trolling is to miss the point.
However, there are likely many readers who miss the point inadvertently because of time pressure. True they should not comment without a thorough reading, but I think it would be of value to structure my blog in such a way that they get the general idea of my thesis or point despite their rushed perusal.
Same 🙂
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