Never said they didn’t, now did I?

Nope, you simply pretended that they (including the OP) didn't, something I thought worthy of pointing out :)

... Certainly not gonna self-censor the thread for worrying about such things.

Maybe you should? Write one of your meditative comments but don't publish/post, come back to the thread a week later, and ask yourself if you're really adding something ?

I’m never commenting on anything to hear myself talk ...

You kinda are.

You're not writing to the OP, but to some unknown reader dozens of years in the future, but you're not acknowledging this in any way, you're simply ignoring the OP yet still talking at him.

I imagine at minimum you should make explicit whom you're addressing, so as not appear more rude