Confessions Of A Repeat Offender

I dont know if this happens to other people but its been bugging me for some time and i have to get it off my chest.

When posting in threads, i have found that on multiple occasions i have repeated the views and observations of somone who has posted a page or two before. Coupled with the fact that my posts are generally inferior, it looks like i am an idiot making a cringeworthy attempt to copy the previous poster!

In fact, it wouldnt surprise me if a thread like this has been done before and im making things worse for myself.

But i must protest my innocence!

I have never (knowingly) done this on purpose. I have noticed that my little habit is worse on long threads but i cant accuse myself of not reading every post beforehand - because i do. I make a point of it.

Admittedly, if a post in a thread is long, has huge paragraphs and has not been submitted by somebody with a colourful avatar, then i tend to skim over it a bit. I do try and take in the gist of it though.

I need to make the point that i am not intentionally copying anyone - it is more a case of 'Great minds thinking alike'. Honest!

I have also posted something, and then upon reading an older thread, have found that someone has already said the same thing, often to horrifyingly high degree of similarity. It must look awful if anybody reads one and then the other. I have noticed it myself in other members posts.

Am i absorbing the information from other people subconciously as im skipping across the boards, for me to then spew it out as though i have had some inspirational thought of my own?

I dont know, i dont think so, i hope.

reply to post by Silver Star


You are only noticing it so much because it is you. Stop focusing on you and you will see any thread with more than 5 pages will likely have repeat posts written in different styles, skill levels, and nuances in points. If you really feel your posts are inferior then you need to relax. Not having read any of your other posts I simply ask you to keep in mind that we are our own worst critics and you seem to be the only one knocking your stuff from what you say. You probably write just fine and repeat a point or two no more than all the rest of us. Don't be so critical of yourself. It is an internet forum. It does not matter when you get out of your chair.

No need for apologies.

I've read a few of your replies, and you dont' give off the "I'm just gonna agree with what that guy said".

Most people just say that if they want to echo somebody's post.

My opinion? Try to add a little extra to every post, like I'm doing right now lol.

It's not about the lenght or the number of times a specific idea is echoed, it's about the meaning and quality of the thought.

~Keeper

I think we all do that to some extent. What i do is just read the OP then i’ll post on that before reading what others have to say. If its a long thread i might put something like “sorry if this has already been said”.

reply to post by K J Gunderson

Yes, perhaps i am being too self-concious!

Im fairly new, inexperienced and its showing - Right now!

reply to post by tothetenthpower

True,
But it can be a bit disheartening to have a light bulb go on in your head, only to find it had happened to somone else 5 minutes beforehand. Its like your trying to add something constructive but to no avail!

reply to post by kevinunknown

Good idea.

I should try to pre-empt myself.

Thanks for the advice

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
No need for apologies.

I've read a few of your replies, and you dont' give off the "I'm just gonna agree with what that guy said".

Most people just say that if they want to echo somebody's post.

My opinion? Try to add a little extra to every post, like I'm doing right now lol.

It's not about the lenght or the number of times a specific idea is echoed, it's about the meaning and quality of the thought.

~Keeper

I'm just going to agree with what that guy said. He seems like a genuine person. As for you Sir. you have defiled my postings for the last time. I challenge you to pistols at 5 thousand yards.

seriously though with the amount of people and posts on here and half the time the search either not working or to complicated to use. Everyone has probably done this. So no worries. As for you sounding less intelligent, it takes a good man to realise his mistakes, but a greater man to admit them publicly. It is not up to us to judge the intelligence of each other, just the worthiness to call someone great.

Originally posted by Silver Star
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

True,
But it can be a bit disheartening to have a light bulb go on in your head, only to find it had happened to somone else 5 minutes beforehand. Its like your trying to add something constructive but to no avail!

Remember this:

When Thomas Edison went into the patent office for his light bulb invention, somebody came in 10 minutes later with the SAME idea.

~Keeper

Originally posted by anubis9311
As for you sounding less intelligent, it takes a good man to realise his mistakes

That's made me feel better!!

Gosh!

I thought i had posted this on BTS, I didnt realize it appeared on ATS too.

I feel a bit exposed.

That would be why I had mentioned the part of admitting the mistake publicly when I responded

Originally posted by Silver Star


Admittedly, if a post in a thread is long, has huge paragraphs and has not been submitted by somebody with a colourful avatar, then i tend to skim over it a bit. I do try and take in the gist of it though.

There are wonderful topics on ATS, and I have learned though, that if it is already pages, upon pages long, not to even bother replying unless I read it all. I have trained myself to do this, rather than throw something out there that somebody else has already said.

Why? Because every post should matter, and personally I think it's extremely rude to the originator of the thread, and to the other people that have replied not to read all the posts before doing so.

You can claim being innocent all ya want, but you just admitted to skimming.

I have found that some of the most well thought out replies are in the middle of a thread, and a lot of times get ignored.

You're not the only one that does this. There are always lot's of stars at the beginning, and then again at the end of a lot of posts, with none in the middle!

edit typo

[edit on 11-7-2010 by Blanca Rose]

reply to post by Blanca Rose

My tongue was in my cheek a bit with the comment you highlighted.

My point is that i find myself repeating posts even though i think i have taken every precaution to eliminate this problem.

I too feel it is rude to skim over and not read threads properly which is why im always aghast to discover that i have repeated somones post.

Like i say, i THINK i have read all the posts but when i look back in retrospect it is sometimes apparent that i have missed things.

reply to post by anubis9311

Sorry, i didnt mean to sound rude.

Thank you for the kind sentiment in your post

reply to post by Silver Star


IRM's Golden Tip No. 01

Comment on a thread early. Then you will give everyone the impression that others are following you!

IRM

reply to post by InfaRedMan




Yes, ive noticed!

You can post any old rubbish and people will still star it as though it has spouted forth from the font of all knowledge.

A quick look back through my post history confirms this!

reply to post by InfaRedMan

And also the 50 line post saying the same thing that comes later looks silly.

I'll have probably said the same thing much more succinctly in 5 lines (such is the complexity of my posts).

EDIT: (Not that i want to sound too self-deprecating or anything!)

[edit on 12-7-2010 by Silver Star]