Yes, the comment sections are not something I dip into because it's a minefield. The baby gets thrown out with the toxic bath water in that instance but it's much better for mental health.
I’ve been on the creator side with 1M+ followers and the amount of times someone has dropped a kind note like that can be counted on one hand. It’s such a breath of fresh air compared to the hate, criticizing and general unpleasantness that is so pervasive when dealing with online communities - even my own.
As a result, I make it a point to send notes to anyone if I’ve enjoyed their work, because I know how much its meant to me, that I hope to pass along those kind, appreciate feelings.
I've been doing similar: analog-ish for deep thinking and its been akin to the 'measure twice, cut once' adage and I've noticed the projects have improved outcomes. PS. If OP sees this: How are you liking the Pentax 17?
That's really fun. I like the quick snippet, but would like a 2nd tier of interesting facts about the thing instead of just the quick ironic bits (after looking at 'Inventors Killed by Their Inventions').
Would like to be able to skip items/stories without having to x or heart. Feels like a left or right swipe on the main cards should go to other topics. It doesnt feel right 'voting' on them without having read them.