Observation

[gothwalk]

When you post something small and silly on a mailing list, or on LJ, or on a blog, you get responses. But if you post something meaningful - or, in some cases, meaningful to you - it sinks like a stone. I surprised myself a while back by being used to this and thinking "Excellent, no responses."

Comments

[toratigris.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yes, I have noticed this phenomenon, although it isn't true in all cases, of course (sometimes serious or meaningful stuff does get responses). But I have yet to successfully adopt your attitude. I can rationally tell myself it's ok to not get responses, but I'm still unable to take it as a good sign. *g*

[maida-mac.livejournal.com]

You and me, both. :P Always feel like I'm sort of being ignored. :(

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

People have told me it's because they really dont know what to say *sigh*

[eudaimonia.livejournal.com]

I know how you feel, quite often my serious posts don't get a response. But I'm hoping that doesn't mean people aren't reading it, it just means they can't think of a good response to write. I was touched by your entry about your childhood. I'm sorry I didn't write something earlier - I've been a bit distracted today.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I know people are reading it, y'see. I look at my behaviour and that of other people I can see, and I know that most of them read *everything* that comes up on their friends list. And if there are no responses, that means either they don't know anything about the subject, or it's hit too deep for them to respond quickly. So by and large, if I post something about gaming and get no responses, I know that people didn't know anything about it, but if I post something like the thing about Christmas earlier, and get no response, I know there are people going "Cool" and "I like that" all over the world. Nice to know, and weird to know that I now know the no response is positive.

[podling]

I've noticed that people often reply to my things only if they're totally stupid. Take the telephone message one. I'm an idiot!!! People like to read about me being an idiot??? ('cause there's no shortage of that (incidentally, I still can't breathe water)) Is that the message I'm supposed to take away from this? Hmmn... Thought to ponder.

But I like the stunned silences as well. I even managed it in real life at turkey day dinner! Score!!!

Excellent

[cheerfulcynic.livejournal.com]

I'm really profound then. Or something.

[nisaba.livejournal.com]

My paranoia levels depends on what mood I'm in. Because I know in my own experience, sometimes I don't post a comment because I'm not sure what to say (because it's out of my experience, or I don't feel I quite know the person well enough to phrase things right) even though I want to say something, and sometimes I don't post comments because, well, the post itself is just boring.

So applying the same logic to my own posts... means I've either opened a whole new world of thoughts to people, or I'm just plain dull.

Maybe we should all just make an effort to say "Wow, that's beautiful/thoughtful/etc" or say "*hugs* thinking of you/hope it all goes ok/good luck/etc". Then we'd all know that our commentless posts were just boring :)

Actually, occasionally I mean to post but then work interferes and I just plain forget (which is what happened with inannajones' post with her health concerns - I didn't have anything useful to say, but did want to express sympathy. Sorry).