For several years, I dealt with the worst of trolls in an online comment system. You know the type, full of bile and hate, just trying to ruin everyone’s day.

Then a third-party was brought in to handle things, and I was freed! What a blessing.

As a life-long writer, especially online, I often yearned for wonderful comment exchanges, with the authors or each other, where more light was shed, support offered, enlightenment given freely – sometimes better than the original article itself, which can spark one’s imagination and bring new ideas and feelings to light.

This all came to my mind as I’ve had wonderful exchanges of late with one of the best (IMHO) writers on Medium, Muhammad Mudassar Saeed.

I love his writing, his way of thinking and … he just seems like a really neat guy. So I tell him so, and the add-on thoughts he inspires in me.

And in return, he’s wonderfully appreciative (claps all around, Medium-style).

I usually just offer my own perspectives on the things he writes about, always mixed with supportive compliments.

In a world where content creation is almost too easy and there’s way too much content for any one person to consume without rushing and falling down rabbit holes, true interaction in supportive ways is a godsend one should never, ever take for granted.

We all know the dopamine addiction and “doom-scrolling” (awful term) dissing of these fractured, atomized days.

But as I told Muhammad in a comment on one of his latest pieces today, the balancing act between content consumption and creation can be tricky – but it’s so crucial to conversation, connection and a rewarding time spent on screens large or small.

I think we sometimes blow off or don’t think about the super-positive impacts of those who prefer to spend as much or more of their time offering insightful comments on others’ work as on creating their own, rather than adding to that infinite pile of “who has that much time?” content frustration.

Connections – true friendship, yes albeit in digital form, but still – are oh so valuable. And in today’s world, they can happen from near or very far, as in halfway around the planet – another miracle we take for granted way too often.

So many have noted the irony of the amazing devices in our pockets or purses that provide the world’s knowledge and ability to connect with anyone – but the greater feeling of disconnect we can witness and experience amid all the ads, come-ons and People Having More Fun Than We Are.

It’s one of many things I love about platforms such as Reddit, where a well-done comment can draw more thankful up-votes than the original posting – for bringing more to the table, but sparked by the original poster.

As for Medium, it’s wild that a comment I posted on someone else’s article has gotten way more claps than any article I’ve written. (Hopefully it’s also gotten a few folks to go over and read my work!)

Sure, it’s all measurable in the world of metrics as “engagement.” But beyond the spreadsheets and algorithms, it’s at the core about human connection, and cheering that is what we should feel really good about, and do more of.