I think reactions can absolutely be done away with, if only one reaction option is available, such as ❤️ or 🤙. A zap already tells me that you "like" the post, and even tells me how much you like it, based on how you zapped.

However, if there are a wide range of reactions available in the client, then reactions can still have value and provide additional context. They can tell me you found the post to be humorous 🤣, surprising or mind-blowing 😮 🤯, or that you found it to be an astute observation 💯 🎯. This is all context that the zap alone does not necessarily provide.

There is also no way to give a negative reaction as a zap, such as 🤮, 😡, 😭, or 🙄. There's an argument to be made that taking out negative reactions is a feature, not a bug, but I think we also lose quite a bit by not having the wide range of positive reactions, too.

The zap is the reaction!

😮

Sometimes I just don’t feel like zapping, but want to express something. It’s nice to have that choice.

Boo

I like 100 posts for every 1 I zap 💯

I like that

reactions are lazy and stupid

First response that comes to mind is, cos not everything is transactional. I might walk into a store to check things out, I might not buy anything but I still might smile, exchange eye contact and say hell and may e even have a little conversation. I may not wanna zap every si glenof the thousands of notes passing through my feed. only a few that capture me... But I also feel it in my heart to make a few lonely nostriches not feel entirely alone and isolated and send a reaction as a signal - you are not alone, we are just still early and there is barely anyone here, but I see you, I just saw you, hi! 🫶🏻 Thanks for, being here.