One doesnt want to appear as an encroaching toad eating lackey and overstepping the bounds of propriety by overly commenting on each posting.

..or pushy, or stalkerishy, or any of the bad manners.

Well, I don't mean to imply that people should comment when they have nothing to say. I'm merely noting that, over the last couple of years, there has been a general drop-off in the overall number of comments, indicating a change in behaviour (though of what sort, or why, I can't say).

And, again, I really wouldn't allow comments if I weren't interested in seeing them.