See here.
I think I can say with somewhat good authority that yes, commenting can indeed result in open dialogue. However, much of that is dependent on how the moderator of the blog or website chooses on running the show.
[Author is] saying that comments can and perhaps to a large degree do result in the opposite effect and are counter-productive to creating open dialogue.
It’s hard to judge because the sphere in large part is open comments. I would dare 200 blogs to simultaneously close comments for one day and see what happens, but no one would do that. Josh is right – it kills lurkers. Literally, the lurker becomes meaningless unless emails are edited into comments: Author isn’t totally comment-free. However, posted emails doesn’t allow for lurker interaction. I think one irony behind Josh’s use of “open dialogue” is that posting without comments actually fosters more “open or unhindered” dialogue because you have a clarity which is supported precisely by that inextricable authority (author-ity?). Literally, comments are directed up towards The Author (pun intended). Response blog posts are directioned horizontally – they counteract the authority of the other blogger or, especially in this case now, negate it, hence The Power of Meta. We know the relationship between words/knowledge/discourse/power and the blog is a very effective vehicle for power.
edit: without even reading omo’s delicious roast beef dinner, this is probably the dumbest thing I’ve said in a while :)
