I have had a tendency since my earliest days on social media where I will get halfway or more through a response, and end up just cancelling it. Sometimes I feel like I’m just being to over the top with snark or otherwise don’t want to be that kind of person, but a lot of the time I’ll decide I just really don’t care enough to finish it. Sometimes I just know it’ll be an argument and I know what the person is going to say, and just have no interest in continuing the discussion. I did it on Reddit, I did it on bulletin boards, I even did it in my teens and twenties on Usenet - and I’ll probably go on doing it for as long as I continue using this medium. I probably do it a bit more than half the time. I know that lemmy benefits from more content and I have had some great discussions, but sometimes it’s just not worth it for me.

How about you? Do you hit publish or cancel more often?

  • TehBamski@lemmy.world
    49·
    2 years ago

    The irony is that there might have been a fair amount of replies to this, but people bailed on them. I guess we’ll never know.

  • shadowSprite@lemmy.world
    31·
    2 years ago

    I cancel more often. Because who cares what I have to say? And sometimes I realize it’s been more therapeutic to just type a comment out than it is to hit post and deal with people’s potential responses.

    • Sparky678348@lemm.ee
      16·
      2 years ago

      I care what you say ❤️

      You, yes you reading this, have a valid perspective and a unique insight and the world is enriched by you sharing your thoughts with other strangers.

    • Thelsim@sh.itjust.works
      5·
      2 years ago

      As @sparky678348@lemm.ee already so nicely said, I too would love to hear what you have to say. Whether it’s something profound, something nice, or just that you like or enjoy someone else’s comment/post.
      It is always so nice to hear from someone else, so don’t put yourself down. Let yourself be heard and join the fun :)

    • can@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      2 years ago

      I realize it’s been more therapeutic to just type a comment out than it is to hit post and deal with people’s potential responses.

      Yeah, but on Lemmy if you get sick of the replies you can delete yours and take theirs down with it.

  • Quazatron@lemmy.world
    15·
    2 years ago

    Here I am writing my opinion, only to realise that many of you have already posted most of the valid points I was going to make. So now my comment is pretty much worthless and adds nothing to the discussion.

    I cancel most of the time, but today I’ll open an exception to prove my point.

    Have you somehow become more enlightened by my post? Yeah, should have cancelled it.

  • notannpc@lemmy.world
    12·
    2 years ago

    It’s a good 70% of the time that I’ll cancel instead of post. As I’ve gotten older my desire to be right has greatly diminished when it comes to random people on the internet.

    • haysupdood@sh.itjust.works
      5·
      2 years ago

      This is how I feel, but it’s closer to 95% of the time for me. I’ve been on the Internet since its inception and I don’t have it in me to deal with people’s bullshit anymore.

      I don’t need to be heard. I don’t need to be right. I only post for help I can’t get elsewhere or to help others. On the rare occasion I deviate from that rule, I usually get a reply that makes me regret engaging.

    • Facebones@reddthat.com
      3·
      2 years ago

      Agreed. Plus, these days, most people just want to rile you into wasting your time compiling an argument and sources to back it up so they can go “fake lul!”

  • dsemy@lemm.eeEnglish
    11·
    2 years ago

    Like 95%. Almost cancelled this one before I erased most of it.

  • kaffiene@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    2 years ago

    Absolutely. Sometimes you know your post isn’t going to do anything worthwhile. Sometimes you’re just being a dick. Sometimes the other person is clearly not going to listen to you. Sometimes your post adds nothing of value. That kind of self reflection is a good thing IMO. I wish more people did it

  • tierelantijntje@feddit.nl
    9·
    2 years ago

    There’s a high barrier for me to even start typing a comment, but I try to contribute more on lemmy. Haven’t really participated on social media in years. I guess about 20% of the time when I think I should comment I actually do it.

    • Thelsim@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      2 years ago

      I know how you feel, I’ve had that same problem when I joined lemmy and really had to force myself to comment. But you know, I’ve told myself that in the end it’s more about just saying what comes to mind than worry if you’re really contributing to the conversation.
      Even if it’s just agreeing with someone or just saying you like something, I prefer to write it out in a comment instead of clicking on some arrow. I like to think that whoever wrote the comment/post I replied to appreciates a personal response instead of an upvote. I know I do :)

  • SmokeyDope@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    2 years ago

    40% I’d estimate, I tend to write very long and in depth comments and will realize either I dont care enough about the subject to finish my statement or argument point, or I’m likely being baited by someone who doesnt care about having a genuine exchange of ideas and just wants to be “right”.

  • lseif@sopuli.xyz
    8·
    2 years ago

    im so glad you asked this question. i cant tell you how many times i-

    actually never mind

  • Richard@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    2 years ago

    For me personally it’s when discussing controversial topics, I know I’m right but I’m too lazy to get into an argument to elaborate on my points in detail.

    • Franklin@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 years ago

      It’s hard for me to self evaluation how often I’m right but if I’m asserting something with confidence I hold myself to rigorous proof.

      If I’m just chatting about beliefs it’s a bit different but if I’m asserting something as fact I try not to say anything I can’t show the receipts for to check myself for misinformation.

      If this process is too much work I just say nothing.

  • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
    7·
    2 years ago

    I do it fairly often. Usually when:

    • It’s pointless to submit the content, for the others and for myself.
    • There’s a high chance that someone will misread it and whine.
    • It would help someone whom I don’t want to.

    In Lemmy it’s usually the first thing.

    • Nepenthe@kbin.social
      3·
      2 years ago
      • It would help someone whom I don’t want to.

      …explain? We’re…silently and maliciously watching people eat shit when they don’t have to? And this happens often?

      Y tho

      • Lvxferre@lemmy.ml
        1·
        2 years ago

        Dunno about “we”, but “I” do. I got plenty malice to watch them suffer! MWAHAHAHA [/evil villain laughter]

        Serious now: if the person can’t be arsed to help themself, or if their request for help sounds like a demand/whining/passive aggressiveness. A noob saying “pls help how do i shoot web tnx” is 100% fine in my book, a “waah, why isn’t this community helping me? [insert easy-to-websearch question]” is not.

        And this happens often?

        Can’t recall doing it in Lemmy. But I did all the time in a certain other platform.

  • Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works
    7·
    2 years ago

    Funny enough, I almost replied to a comment here and then deleted it.

    I’ve been trying to do it less since migrating to Lemmy because I recognize that the smaller userbase means that my interaction is more valuable, even if it’s scary.