Suggestion Box

Elliot at From Where I Sit makes a nice, pithy point about how comments are an integral part of blogs.

Personally, I think it's a blogger's right to do with his or her (or their) blog as they please. If they choose to not allow comments, so be it. But like Elliot, I believe that in doing so they eliminate the discourse blogs create. Face it folks, we're all throwing our own ideas and opinions out there for the world to see, and none of us is right 100% of the time. All the facts in the world, all the logic there is, all the quoting of philosophy, is nothing unless you understand how other people react to it. And unless you want to spend your days browsing millions of other blogs to see how someone reacts to what you write, comments allow your readers to provide the most immediate feedback.

So in the spirit of discourse, I invite all those bloggers who allow comments to stand tall and display your open-door policy to your readers. Encourage their feedback. Welcome their voice. Show that you're ready to be challenged, validated or just plain screamed at by the crazies with nothing better to do!

And for those of you not allowing comments, like I said, it's totally your right.

I just think you're missing out.