DO Read the Comments

By Allison K Williams

We’ve all heard the common wisdom: don’t read the comments. Because when we write that unexpectedly viral essay, or even just one that stirs up some feelings, the comments can get mean, even unsettling. Readers with axes to grind want to sharpen them on a writer they don’t even know—someone whose life they’re removed from, on a high, judgmental ledge.

Not reading the comments protects our feelings. We’ve had our say, and really, there’s no need to defend our point—...