Are the Compliments You Receive on Your Posts Always Sincere?

I want to believe they are.

I have no good reason to think someone would write nice things to me without truly believing what they write.

I’m referring to the comments on our posts that we receive every day on Medium and other platforms

However, it's important to distinguish between public and private compliments.

For the former, the ones attached to the content that everyone can read, I might have some small reservations about their genuineness.

There's nothing wrong with complimenting a post or some concept within it, even if it didn't really blow us away when we read it.

We've supported a friend and colleague with a few kind words, perhaps returning the same courtesy they extended to us a few days earlier.

What's wrong with that? It's just a matter of quantity. Maybe we've just exaggerated a bit with the adjectives. But we'll surely restore balance by sincerely commenting on their next post that will truly be amazing.

I strongly believe that there is always an element of sincerity in the compliments we receive.

I have some doubts about messages coming from profiles that appeared out of nowhere, merely expressing a positive judgment mechanically, just to stand out and gain visibility.

Aside from these extreme cases, I consider everything else to be genuine, something to appreciate and reciprocate in the same way.

As for the compliments we receive in private, I don't want to believe they're given for reasons other than what they appear to be.

I find it hard to believe that someone, even someone we don't know well, would take the time to write to us and speak well of our work without expecting something in return, other than a thank you.

By nature, I avoid all kinds of controversies, and when I don't like something or don't agree with it, I prefer to remain silent rather than fill the space with opinions and remarks that I know in advance will bring nothing to anyone .

It's also true that it's not sustainable to respond to every post I like, so a selection becomes convenient. I usually prioritize profiles with which I have greater affinity.

My lack of comment doesn't mean I didn't appreciate it, but perhaps simply that I'm trying to distribute my resources fairly to all friends over the week.

Here, reactions serve their noble purpose in showing my presence even without words.

It's a controversial point, but one or more applause reactions are better than nothing, especially if they're directed at someone who knows us well enough.

Friends always accept us. They never ask where we've been and who we've talked to.

That's it.

With this post, I'm not trying to add any valuable content.

I've just shared how I interpret the comments I read every day under my posts and those of the profiles I care about.

And now tell me about yourself, if you feel like it. How do you perceive the comments you receive from your readers?

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If you liked this article, you will also like my The Quite Page. I write every day about writing, about how writing can change your life for the better, and I also write a little about life.