If you think you’re doing someone a favor by clapping once for an article, just don’t clap at all.

Here’s a pretty picture to go with this essay so that what I have to say has something to make it worth your while, okay?

Did you know you can clap up to 50 times on every piece of writing you read? Did you know there are people, like me, who clap 50 times for most things I read? You’re not going to ask me why, so I’m just going to tell you.

If I like something here or I respect the effort that went into it or I want to encourage someone, I am going to give them the full share of credit they can receive. That’s because this is not my first-year film studies class. I am not grading students and giving them marks that will determine whether they get a scholarship or gain entrance to their first-choice grad school or just maintain the kind of GPA their parents hope to see. I am just signaling appreciation for someone’s effort.

It looks terrible and it is disappointing to spend time writing something, have people read it and leave a pathetic 1/50 score for it. It’s mean spirited. It’s small. I don’t need your pity. I don’t dole out pity to others. When I want to encourage someone or tell them I appreciated what they wrote, I want them to feel encouraged. I want to contribute.