I won't put my own time into 'get rich quick' schemes of any sort, neither do i want to see them on Medium, albeit disguised as contributions.

I wonder what percentage of new writers are serious as compared with those who just see, (I think falsely), a chance to make money.

Medium, is not different to any other platform created primarily as a business, i.e. to make profit for its owners. However, at least in my view, it is a platform managed with some degree of ethical application.

So, to me there is another side to those who offer gratuitous one-liner cliche´praise, (or negativity). To me, such responses, show a lack of simple respect for the writers whose work they respond to in this way.

I don't mind negative comment, providing it is apposite and constructive - something from which I can learn and gain a new perspective or idea. Indeed, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, I prefer honest response to my words than empty praise.

Of course, I want what I write to be interesting, entertaining, informative or in whatever way, useful to the reader. Of course, I have an ego and feel good when I receive positive reaction. However, trite, insincere responses, either positive or negative, only turn me off.

Apart from the reasons suggested in the article as to why there is so much of this facile type of reponse, I suggest that the very nature of the ubiquitous 'like' on Internet platforms has, perhaps 'conditioned' people to this sort of trivial response.

I have never been comfortable with having only an option to 'like' a contribution because there is no nuance. Do I 'like' the content, the viewpoint, the writing, the significance of the issue, the humour or what? Often I don't 'like' the argument or the poor expression or the morality of what is written but I may appreciate that the issue is being raised or wish to recognise that author's effort to explain or wrestle with a complicated issue.

So, to me, the gratuitous one-liner is very similar to the ubiquitous 'like' and I don't like either.