You've mentioned this approach before and I think it's very interesting. I don't usually have the diligence to circle back around and see how the discussions are evolving, but I'm glad that's something you're doing.

I've definitely prematurely zapped someone and regretted it later when they said something dumb.

I totally agree, "Zap wisely". I'm trying to get people to think about what that means, though, because I don't think it's what they're doing and I think SN will be better if they start.

Undisciplined

Many stackers will zap smaller amounts if they see a post getting large amount of sats from the beginning. I studied this behavior and that's why sometimes I zap let's say 100 sats if I like that post, then I wait to see others reactions. If more people are engaging and is a nice discussion, I would zap even more sats to the same OP.

Why this?
So if I am also the first one in commenting, they will not see how much I zapped initially.

People tend to have the "sheep syndrome" and following others behavior. Also they will zap because x zapped, but sometimes they don't even read what was written.

You are a SN Rewards System

I will tell you another aspects:
1. If somebody is zapping 100 or 10k sats to a post, how much would you zap? 100 or another 10k? 

Many stackers will zap smaller amounts if they see a post getting large amount of sats from the beginning. I studied this behavior and that's why sometimes I zap let's say 100 sats if I like that post, then I wait to see others reactions. If more people are engaging and is a nice discussion, I would zap even more sats to the same OP.

Why this?
So if I am also the first one in commenting, they will not see how much I zapped initially.

People tend to have the "sheep syndrome" and following others behavior. Also they will zap because x zapped, but sometimes they don't even read what was written.

2. What if you zapped initially 10k sats and later in the comments the OP says something stupid that even contradict the original post?

That's why I said "zap wisely"....