How often to you bail on a half-written post or response?

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?

Rentlar,

Yeah, I’d say it happens fairly often (~15% of the time). I try to stop myself from being too snarky at people when it’s not warranted. I try to save that for internet assholes, not confused people or people making a small mistake.

Another instance is if I’m 2 replies into a back and forth convo with an individual, I might write a 3rd reply but often just cancel it, because most times by that point the discussion isn’t worth me continuing.

PS you will find I often edit replies right after publishing to fix stuff, add stuff to fully answer the question, or change my tone if it sounds too aggressive. Sorry about that.

Tolstoy,
@Tolstoy@lemmy.world avatar

Aborting short ones like this, maybe every third. Longer ones 9/10

Timecircleline,

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.

Eonandahalf,

Right?! Same, Lemmy feels more human, probs because the big ones are mostly bots now.

… almost didn’t send this 🙃

Timecircleline,

I’m glad you did, friend.

weariedfae,

Hahaha I saw this after bailing on another post. Like 80% of the time I think better of it. My comments tend to actually get posted when I’m in bed half asleep. Apparently I’m more willing to share when I’m mentally impaired from tiredness

xc2215x,

Rarely I will do it.

ricdeh,
@ricdeh@lemmy.world avatar

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,
@franklin@lemmy.world avatar

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.

papabobolious,

I wanna say half the time. Lot of times I catch myself posting about something not worth my time and energy.

SomeoneElse,

This is something I started doing fairly recently and it’s really cathartic! I’d say 90% of the replies I write to people who are rude or looking for an argument, get deleted without sending.

ViscloReader,

I even do this in real life. I do this thing where I say my whole next phrase between my teeth and only then I say it out loud and almost 50% of the time I don’t repeat it out loud.

liztliss,

I cancel a lot more lately. As I’m writing my response I’m also thinking about what they might respond with to my response and as I’m doing this I realize this discussion is going to take more energy and engagement than I really initially cared for or than it’s worth and at that point I’m like… why even bother, nevermind

XbSuper,

Constantly cancel. It’s rarely worth arguing with people here.

sbv,

Entirely this. Social media debates are usually public grandstanding. It takes a tonne of time to research and compose a response that few people will see.

spittingimage,
@spittingimage@lemmy.world avatar

You’ve summed up the problem nicely.

WookieMonster,
@WookieMonster@midwest.social avatar

Or I realize I’m over sharing with strangers.

ohlaph,

I beg to differ.

jacktherippah,

I wrote out a comment to answer you but halfway through I decided that my opinion wasn’t worthy of sharing on Lemmy so I deleted it and wrote this instead.

MigratingtoLemmy,

I do it sometimes, when I realise midway that I was wrong/don’t care enough (usually when I feel that someone hasn’t done enough research, but I should likely tell them that instead of just stopping my reply).

_haha_oh_wow_,
@_haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works avatar

More often than not, I hit publish, but I definitely hit cancel sometimes. Sometimes it’s because it’s not worth arguing, but sometimes, I realize I don’t really have anything worthwhile to contribute and should probably just stfu

Bakkoda,

I write a response. Reread to make sure it’s exactly what i usually write, first 25% on topic, rest completely off. Then i delete 75% and hit post lol

_haha_oh_wow_,
@_haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works avatar

“Brevity is the soul of wit.”

spittingimage,
@spittingimage@lemmy.world avatar

I still catch myself in the process of replying to someone who is Wrong On The Internet, but for the most part I just let it go. It still bothers me, but I’ve accepted that nothing I say on a webforum is going to change any hearts or minds. Nowadays I mostly post to try and give people a cheap laugh.

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