Meta: There’s a really cool point in here about HOW TO EXORCISE DEMONS FROM THREADS, without ending the thread. But people may miss it because the bolded text and first few sentences mostly seem to be about technical ideas on commenting. Recommend reading this comment if you skimmed it previously.
Non-Meta: I too have noticed a certain tone that’s factual, friendly, and non-combative that can seem to take the wind out of demon threads because it somehow disables everyone’s defensiveness centers. I think this is probably the best solution to demon threads, and also reflectively useful in that if people get great at this tone, demon threads are less likely to happen in the first place.
Oh, I too had read the first three things, and I think read the paragraph after “reddit style commenting” and then sort of thought I was done reading and apparently stopped.
I think having a fourth bold title highlighting the exorcising comment concept would have helped.
Meta: There’s a really cool point in here about HOW TO EXORCISE DEMONS FROM THREADS, without ending the thread. But people may miss it because the bolded text and first few sentences mostly seem to be about technical ideas on commenting. Recommend reading this comment if you skimmed it previously.
Non-Meta: I too have noticed a certain tone that’s factual, friendly, and non-combative that can seem to take the wind out of demon threads because it somehow disables everyone’s defensiveness centers. I think this is probably the best solution to demon threads, and also reflectively useful in that if people get great at this tone, demon threads are less likely to happen in the first place.
Agreed with the tone-thing.
Re: meta:
Oh, I too had read the first three things, and I think read the paragraph after “reddit style commenting” and then sort of thought I was done reading and apparently stopped.
I think having a fourth bold title highlighting the exorcising comment concept would have helped.
Thank you both for the feedback. I’ve taken the liberty of adding underlining in a second pass edit.