OMG when did “Recommend” change to “Claps”?

What an idea! New Or newfangled?

But it’s funny. And hilarious.

I like it, and don’t like it.

Oh, I’ve already clapped five times for one of Medium’s most brilliant writers who never get more than one or two recommends. I’m going to avail of this option to promote him with more and more claps in the coming days.

But truth to tell, I’ve never before clapped for any writer. Never, in fact, thought of clapping for their writing.

In my naive young days I’ve clapped for singers, actors, and even for demagogues. They were all on podium when I did that. But do I remember any writer on a podium? Joshua Cohen once went live on web writing a novel, and I found it really exciting. But then the trolls began to appear from every nook and corner, and they started dancing around with their expletives, comments and all. But Cohen being Cohen continued his writing until he was done— in seven days or so I don’t exactly remember.

The point is, nobody clapped for him.

Because writers are not clappable. They don’t work on a podium. They are not performing artists. They deserve a sublime and aesthetic reaction from their readers.

Claps are a cheap, momentary reaction, more a group activity than an individual one. They are never right for a writer.