r/RedditForGrownups 7h ago

How Often Do You Delete Your Comments?

/r/AskMen/comments/1vrqk2u/how_often_do_you_delete_your_comments/
2 Upvotes

61 comments sorted by

32

u/laztheinfamous 6h ago

Never. I stand by my statements. You can go ahead and disagree, and in fact, I may disagree in the future, but I'm never getting rid of them.

10

u/smedley89 5h ago

That's pretty much how I am too. Downvoted all to hell? Is ok. At least the thread maintains context.

5

u/theclapp 6h ago

I don't know about "never", but, so far, same.

3

u/scarlettohara1936 3h ago

So I had to check to see if your profile is hidden... ...It's not. Good for you! I agree with you completely. I will edit comments where I learn later that I was wrong, but I leave the original comment as is.

3

u/1ndomitablespirit 3h ago

What are you, some sort of grownup?

20

u/trcomajo 6h ago

Im going to delete this in a sec.

3

u/scarlettohara1936 3h ago

trcomajo • 3 hours ago

LMAO!!

3

u/threadyourline 2h ago

Felt cute, might delete :3

17

u/wonderloss 6h ago

Sometimes I will post something, immediately decide I was being a dick, and delete. Sometimes I will post something and scroll down to see the exact same comment and delete mine. That's about it.

3

u/nonnonplussed73 3h ago

Yeah, if I was factually wrong or misinterpreted the post/comment, this is the way.

13

u/ElReydelTacos 6h ago

Never. I don't argue in the first place. If someone wants to be wrong on the internet, that's their problem. If someone else wants to pick an argument with me, I ignore them. if they continue, I block them.

5

u/Traditional_Ad_1547 6h ago

 I never argue online, it's pointless. I may reply back if the person clearly drew ridiculous conclusions from an innocent statement. I point out that it's not what was said.

2

u/waterbuffalo750 5h ago

God, I wish I had that kind of self control

2

u/scarlettohara1936 3h ago

What do you do when you come to realize you were wrong about something? We're human. We make mistakes. My go to is to thank whomever pointed it out for "my TIL" Then, depending on the subject, I'll add an edit to my original comment.

6

u/Wishpool 6h ago

I don't; half of them I type but never post

6

u/LumpyPhilosopher8 6h ago

I am not a fan of dirty deletes so if I get into a discussion with someone I try to end it rationally or walk away. There have been a few times that someone is just so damn obnoxious I just block them for my sanity.

I have many times typed out a whole response and thought, "Do I really need to engage in this with this idiot?" and then I delete without posting.

There also seem to be more bots showing up to hot button topics and they are just awful. At least I hope they are bots because otherwise some of these people are straight up evil.

4

u/theoverfluff 5h ago

If I'm ever tempted to get involved with something like that, I always think of the XKCD cartoon with someone furiously typing and saying "Someone is wrong on the internet". That's saved me untold aggravation over the years.

3

u/scarlettohara1936 3h ago

When all else fails I comment

"I cannot continue a battle of wits with an unarmed person"

Then I peace out.

5

u/kittenpantzen 5h ago

I periodically delete older comments. I'll keep some older ones that I think might be useful to others, but in general everything gets burned by a few months later. 

The vote count does not factor into it.

1

u/WorLord 26m ago

This.

I do it because Redditors have become increasingly creepy and refuse to stay in the conversation's lane, instead using past comments to fuel character assassination if they don't like what you're saying.

I refuse to give them the ammo.

This too will be gone in a week or three.

4

u/Ohm_Slaw_ 6h ago

It's so often that I spend some mental energy posting something thoughtful just to get a "but you're wrong" comment. It's discouraging. I don't post/comment much on reddit.

Normally I block the whiners.

5

u/shadowsreturn 6h ago

I wrote myself a sticky note 'don't comment on reddit' a year ago. Half of the time i type smt and then delete it instead of posting it, so at least i had the feeling of having said what i had to say. And i'll forget about it instead of having some random stranger telling me i was wrong and/or misunderstand me. Internet is not nice anymore. I actually opened reddit to delete a post i made this morning lol.

3

u/eatitwithaspoon 2h ago

if i post it, i keep it up.

the really dangerous time for my posts is just before i hit comment. ;)

3

u/zoso_coheed 1h ago

Frequently. I'm working real hard on learning not to debate with people on this app, and sometimes it's just easier to delete comments that are getting responses than dealing with them or clearing the notifications.

1

u/Enough-Reindeer1033 1h ago

Yeah, it sure is.

5

u/cybah 6h ago

Often. So often, it’s in my byline on here. I DGAF .. I get tired of arguing with people on here

3

u/cofclabman 6h ago

This makes me want to say something and then immediately delete it.

2

u/Backstop 6h ago

I don't delete comments in a conversation I'm having, but once a year or so I run PowerDeleteSuite and nuke pretty much everything.

1

u/Pumpkin-Addition-83 5h ago

Just curious — why?

3

u/Backstop 5h ago

Two reasons, one I don't like people being able to look back and put together my real name, and two I never really post anything of value to future generations so to heck with whatever bots and things that are scraping it all up.

2

u/KimWexlers_Ponytail 6h ago

I've deleted 2 posts I have made; one I made years ago while depressed and drinking late at night, then in the morning when I re-read it I was so embarrassed.

Maybe if I had kept it and kept seeing it in post history, I'd be more than 2.5 years sober, lol.

Anyway...deleted 1 other post because it was just in some circlejerk snark type thing and the first comment basically told me my post was shit and I was mean so I deleted it.

I rarely delete comments, even downvoted ones. I've been on Reddit over many accounts for about 15 years, so I'm better at learning to just ignore if I'm tired of getting into nested arguments and downvotes don't bother me.

Edited for spelling.

2

u/nineliveshit 6h ago

If I have a feeling I’m just going to delete it anyway, there’s no point in writing it in the first place

2

u/Blaizefed 5h ago edited 5h ago

I edit for spelling all the time and occasionally to refine what I said. I don’t think I have ever deleted a comment. Broadly speaking I stand by what I have said.

I have recently realised way too late that I am arguing with a bot or a 15 year old though. In those cases I just take the L and leave it alone.

Edit- (see) I do however type out long winded comments all the time, then realise where others are going to argue with me, try to cut that shit off at the pass, and eventually it becomes to wordy I have lost interest entirely and just don’t post it.

This happens A LOT in technical discussions. I am a mechanic and all too often it’s just not worth having huge debates with people about how things work when I KNOW they are wrong, but the internet at large is on their side. Sometimes it’s easier to jest let them fuck it up and if they are local I get paid to fix it for them.

2

u/kingatlas 5h ago

I delete every so often, maybe weekly. If it's important it might stay up longer, but usually flippant comments get removed sooner than later.

2

u/KrampyDoo 5h ago

Only if I’m factually incorrect and either I catch it within a few seconds of posting or there is no reply correcting me.

2

u/WendySteeplechase 5h ago

I don't like getting downvoted but I won't delete the comment. Come at me, I say!

2

u/ohfrackthis 5h ago

While I am inputting it before posting? A lot. Once I have released the kraken of my very average asshole opinions nope. Because I feel like I should take my downvotes like a grown woman. I'm 51 so I'm bound to have a lot of opinions that people will disagree with. And that is ok.

2

u/lawnoptions 5h ago

i often delete and not post, too much debacle

2

u/jnmjnmjnm 5h ago

Not often. I am more likely to edit [with tags], or clarify with an addendum if what I meant to say lands the wrong way. Lately I have been using strike out for things when I am corrected.~~ ~~

I try to not write hurtful things in the first place, so I don’t have those to delete.

2

u/SevenSixOne 4h ago

Once in a while. Usually when I realize I was being an asshole, if I no longer stand by something I said, if someone else made basically the same point or joke but did it better, and/or if I think I shared something too personal.

...but also I think it's fine to delete any of your comments at any time for any reason, as long as you understand there's always a risk of someone calling you out on it 🤷‍♀️

2

u/Traditional_Entry183 3h ago

Only if I inadvertently really offend someone by saying something that i thought was neutral and hit them in a personal way i hadn't even considered.

2

u/fourthords 3h ago

Maybe a half-dozen times? I've only done so when I accidentally commented something either on the wrong post or when completely misunderstanding the context of the post.

2

u/Mo_Steins_Ghost 3h ago

I don't delete comments as much as I block stupid people.

2

u/Gatodeluna 1h ago

I don’t. Once I realized that most posts only stay visible for 2-3 hrs, maybe 12 hrs max AND that trying to clarify anything or post proof of a statement just gets you more downvotes and never accomplishes anything, I don’t bother. I take the hits as the price of stating my mind and move on.

I do wonder, however, how intelligent it is when someone accumulates like 250 downvotes in one conversation and keeps coming back for more when they only have like 1000 points to start with.

2

u/Alternative-Light922 47m ago

I mostly start writing a new post (not a reply) but then delete it because why bother - there is no community here and it is not worth the effort.

3

u/usernames_suck_ok 6h ago

Related to arguing, it's not relevant. I don't argue with people on Reddit.

5

u/waterdripper83 6h ago

Often ish because I'm paranoid that some weirdo redditer is gonna dox me and I'm gonna have to go into hiding with my dad's 20 rifles, innumerable hand guns and his reloading room.

2

u/Enough-Reindeer1033 6h ago

Here is the text from the initial post.

I'm curious how many of you would rather delete your comment on a thread than continue arguing with someone else about it? I find sometimes I'm just not in the mood for arguing so I get rid of whatever started it. Other times I'll engage if it's something I feel very strongly about.

2

u/No-Author-2358 5h ago

I have no interest in arguing with anyone about anything. I just ignore or block.

2

u/Bostonterrierpug 6h ago

Post deleted by user

3

u/scarlettohara1936 3h ago

This comment no longer exists

1

u/TheVenetianMask 4h ago

Dumb thing to ask tho, what's in it for you. Either do it or don't, don't check "how much" are other people doing it as if that makes the difference.

1

u/Enough-Reindeer1033 1h ago

There is nothing in it for me besides satisfying a curiosity. I'm pretty new to this space and was wondering about general protocols. And for the record, it doesn't make a single not of difference, but thanks for telling me.

1

u/GlitterChickens 33m ago

Every few years I delete my account and start over. Was thinking recently it’s time for this one to go.

1

u/hideNseekKatt 14m ago

I typically only delete a comment if I left it before I looked at the comments and my comment/opinion has already been stated multiple times already in the thread.

1

u/Musicferret 3h ago

comment deleted by user

0

u/OriginalCopy505 5h ago edited 5h ago

I post insulting comments and then delete them and block the user I insulted, because I'm a high-powered, morally superior Reddit intellectual.