Minds behind posting

[ebal]

I'm new here but I'm curious about the general population.

I notice most threads seem to contain posts by some people that don't read the entire thread before they post.

In some cases I could see where, say 10, people are all editing a message to the original poster and they wouldn't see a correction or an almost exactly similar post that might slip in between their's and the original.

But some of the time stamps are 30minuts to hours later on posts...

Do people prefer to not use the "view all" and instead just look at the first post, make a reply and pop out?

Thanks for some insite.

[tompayne1]

1. usually

:)

[seabeyond]

2. i didnt read your whole thread, just posting to you, op

because this si a fast moving board. i may not be interested in all everyone is saying, just want to respond to op (original post) and i dont always have desire or inclination or time to read all replies

[ret5hd]

3. kinda.

[Tace]

4. Hi Ebal -- Either Way Is OK

I've been here a few years and either way seems to be OK. Chrs

[ebal]

6. Thanks

Before I came to that conclusion I was getting pretty frustrated reading the threads. When out of the blue in the middle of the thread that's already either disproved or validated something, someone posts something that is completely contradictory and obvious they didn't follow what was going on further than the first post.

[incapsulated]

21. It's annoying, I agree.

I understand that a thread can be long to go through. But even just a cursory look at the outline of posts can give you an idea of what's been discussed, if the OP has been challenged, validated or even exposed as a troll. It's the least you should do before making a completely irrelevant post. But I guess people will be lazy no matter what, some don't even seem to read anything past the title.

[BlueJac]

5. Well, after not reading the entire thread........I think you are right...

but then again you could be wrong.

:sarcasm: :woohoo:

Welcome to the crazy world of DU.

Flaming is popular too!

[Fleshdancer]

7. depends...

If the original post angers me, I will usually respond right away before reading the other responses. If the thread has 30+ replies already, I don't normally read everything before posting my 2 cents. Threads can get pretty long in here because we're all so opinionated.

Sometimes I'll take a long time to write my response on a new thread and by the time I post, many people have already posted so I'm not able to read their responses until mine is already posted. Does that make sense? lol

Welcome to DU!

[Lindsay]

10. Oh jeez, GloriaSmith, I feel like I am always writing my post

while 10 other people are posting! I am a fast typer but a slow thinker, I guess. ;)

[Fleshdancer]

13. not slow, just wise my friend

;)

[Kazak]

8. Fly high lesbian seagull...

;)

[BiggJawn]

9. And another "DU Tech Tip"..

If a post has more than about 120 or so posts?

It's become a Flame War.

[rodWA]

11. I've also heard some folks don't use spell check

but I've never seen any evidence of that. ;-)

Edit: And idiots reply to the wrong message.

[ebal]

12. Spell check

Spell checker is just there to help the freepers hide.

I'm from GA I say minuts :)

[BiggJawn]

14. And what would the "Spelling Nannies" do if everyone did?

Gotta keep 'em occupied! :P

[JanusAscending]

15. Welcome to you both!!!

Please don't call us idiots, 'cause we'll all be waiting for you to make your first "response to the wrong post" And by the way , i awlays sue sppppel cehk!!!:P :hi:

[TahitiNut]

16. A couple of observations ...

(I'm composing this after having read 15 replies -- all that exist as I begin.)

While "we" (like all "we's") like to think of ourselves as 'enlightened' or on the 'right' and moral' side of the issues, we're just as inclined to behave self-righteously and arrogantly as anyone of "them." Many threads, especially in GD, demonstrate this in abundance.

There's a pervasive inability to distinguish between a post and a person ... between an opinion and a person's innate value. We are becoming habituated in attacking the person rather than discussing the issue. Rarely do we actually take the time to analyze and examine the principles and values underlying our opinions, because it's becoming a Hit and Run Forum of Drive-by One-Liners. We just don't want to take the time to read much more -- and the cute one-liners get the 'votes' of a ROFL or LOL ... and that's good for our egos.

We just don't f*cking LISTEN (read) before speaking (posting). If I had a nickel for the number of times I've seen a DUer go off half-cocked on some ill-aimed rant, I'd be a rich man. Again, it's not noticeably different in that respect than many on-line forums, even FR and LGF.

Even if we do read, many of us think we can say it BETTER - or just want to exercise our egos.

After all, there's a corollary to the rule that "Whomever dies with the most toys WINS!" The corollary is "Whomever dies with the most DU posts WINS!" (With nearly 30,000 -- I'm trying hard.)



In EVERY observation above, I use the INCLUSIVE "we" ... since I do NOT regard myself as free of the above behaviors. Sadly, I find myself doing these things more and more... and enjoying DU less and less. Why? Because we're not acting respectfully. I don't like that. It's adolescent. I'm too old to do that shit again.

[Ksec]

17. Guilty as charged - occasionally

I admit I dont always read every post unless its a fresh new one that doesnt have a lot of replies yet.

[rock]

18. Well, if I make the same reply as someone else

that's MY opinion. The the other post is HIS opinion.

[applegrove]

19. People have different styles of reading posts. Some try and get

through much quickly - I am guilty of that. Sorry.

[troubleinwinter]

20. I don't know about "the general population"

But when someone's very early concern on DU is to criticize what is deemed "the general population" regarding members here, it makes me go "hmmmmm.... WTF?"

[liberaltrucker]

23. Now that you mention it

.....hmmmmmmm

[ebal]

24. I apologize

What number of posts/lenght of time here, do I need before I can do that?

I'll try to be less questioning and fall in line right away.

How high should I jump?

[me b zola]

25. Try this analogy

You can walk into your best friends house after they've painted and make fun of or critique their choice of color. You don't walk into someone's house for the first time and critique the color of their walls. The more familiar people are with each other, the greater license they have to offer observations or criticism.

On edit: is it okay with you if I edit as long as I don't wait a half an hour to do so? Just wondering.

[ebal]

26. I understand

I understand what you are saying.

In my case I'm new in the sense that I have a low post count and recently got an account to actually post, but I've been reading DU since Feb. 2001.

I've read most of what has been posted here about LIHOP, MIHOP, BFEE, PNAC, MEME this, new MEME that, Andy Stephenson, Bev Harris etc. over the years.

I suppose I could go an post a zillion "me too! eom" messages to get my counts up.

[troubleinwinter]

29. Oh, good.

Yes, a lot of folks who have been lurking for years seem to have joined quite recently. You are not alone.

WOW!!! "I've read most of what has been posted here about LIHOP, MIHOP, BFEE, PNAC, MEME this, new MEME that, Andy Stephenson, Bev Harris etc." That is amazing! That takes a lot of dedication and time to have read most of that!

I am surprised you waited four and a half years to join. May I ask what motivated you to finally join DU after lurking for 4-1/2 years?

(Other than wanting some "insite" into what bothers you about the way "the general population" of DU posts.)

(BTW... 'CHECK SPELLING' button is a wonderful tool.)

[ebal]

31. Thanks for the spelling correction

But we already covered it up thread.

[troubleinwinter]

33. Oooops!

Sorry, you are right about DUers not reading every single post in a thread!

But there is so much to read, with "LIHOP, MIHOP, BFEE, PNAC, MEME this, new MEME that, Andy Stephenson, Bev Harris etc."

Let alone Bush, Cheney, Bolton, Rice, Abramoff, DeLay, Frist, Iraq, Enron, Gonzalez and torture, Abu Graib, Gitmo, Iran, Voter Disenfranchisement, Diebold, etc., if you know what I mean.

Still curious what compelled you to finally join after so many years of apparently feeling there was nothing important to post about other than "me too. eom", but the important issue in the original post here questioning "the general population" at DU for not reading every post in a thread.

[me b zola]

32. "A zillion "me too! eom" messages ..." do not translate into familiarity

That would be like going to a club and sitting in the corner every night of the week and expecting to get to know someone besides the bartender. You may observing the different personalities, but you haven't offered them the same opportunity to get to know you.

Some people believe that every post one makes should be profound, most of us do not. We are a community of individuals and mostly free-thinkers. Welcome to our community :hi:

[troubleinwinter]

27. I cannot answer that....

as I have not seen fit to criticize "the general population" of DU.

[chalky]

30. Something else you may have noticed, ebal--we have a tendency to assume

an observation is a criticism right off the bat. The best defense, I guess.

[wildeyed]

22. Depends.

Sometimes, if I read the OP and feel really moved to respond, I just hit "reply" without reading all the other replies. Also, if there are a zillion sub-conversations going on, sometimes I skip through them, especially if they are getting off-topic. Mostly I try to read all the replies, which is why I often lurk more than post. By about #25 I realize I don't have much to add to the conversation and pop out without posting.

[Catherine Vincent]

28. No comment