Do people even read threads anymore?!

They’re easy to spot: members who post while ignoring key points in the OP, or key posts in the thread. They give themselves away by posting redundant or irrelevant information. Sometimes their post is almost verbatim to an earlier post or point that has already been made, making it easier to notice them. Sometimes it’ll be a “good thread. S + F” type comment that has already been posted to serve this purpose. And sometimes said poster just misses the point entirely and rushes headlong into the “reply” button without a discernible reason for doing so.

Such posting behavior is usually indicative that threads are not being read. How many times have you posted in a thread only to see a near-identical reply crafted several times right below yours? How many times has a point in the OP been needlessly reiterated by someone who failed to acknowledge that it was already stated?

It’s even more vexing when such posters plant their flag on your own thread and post with merry abandon giving credence only to a few choice lines in conjunction with a title. We’ve all come across posts that appear totally inspired by a thread title alone and none of its subject matter. (Not to mention those who don’t read links or watch videos for essential information. Oops, I guess I just mentioned it!)

I realize that it is difficult, and unnecessary, to sift through numerous pages checking the intricacies of every post before making your own comments—I usually don’t do this either (unless it is a particularly engaging topic for me.) But such “redundant posting” behavior seems to plague the 1st and 2nd pages of any given thread. Most of the time the tone and content of a thread can be sufficiently summarized by the first few pages, and these are the pages that need to be read (but aren't by many.)

It makes threads tiring, taxing, and ultimately uninteresting (even worse when a well-crafted and exciting OP is hit hard by redundant posts.) And all it takes to spruce up these threads is for everyone to take the time to fully read the OP, read the posts and comments, and then decide if you have something to add or if you’re just rehashing previous comments or points of information.

I see too many posters rushing to get their comments on the thread—sometimes evidenced by the fact that no one can possibly read a lengthy OP and comment in such a short amount of time between the OP’s post and the member’s post. An onslaught of redundant posts is another clue that people are simply not reading threads.

I'll even be the first to admit that I've been guilty of these behaviors as well, but I'm also determined to change this. Are you?

I see far too many members simply not reading, but rather, playing a game of musical “reply” chairs. This hurts the site and impacts the quality of threads and their ability to engage and retain readers.

Remember, ATS asks of us to make every post count!

It’s such a simple solution to fix this problem, but oh so impossible to expect everyone to actually read through threads before posting..

..A man can dream though, a man can dream.

good thread. S + F...

Seriously I couldn't resist, but I know what you mean...

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


Sorry hon, sounds more like a rant....but I get what you are saying....I have often felt the same way. Just have to take the expectations out of the equation...unfortunately....some have an agenda...some have a different level of intelligence...and it is an anonymous internet web site...we think we know who we are conversing with....we do not...anyone can pretend to be something they are not...i could be a 19 year old kid pretending to be a 50 year old woman...just let it roll off the back like ducks in a pond.

Soul

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


Guilty as charged. I know it can be annoying but It takes quite some time to read a long thread and sometimes I want to have a say in case no one says what I have in mind yet I have no time to finish reading and make sure it has not already been said.

I am sure the many users who try and glance through at work or elsewhere do this as well. personally i would rather have a repeat post then not hear from all those people on a thread of my own.

Originally posted by Char-Lee
personally i would rather have a repeat post then not hear from all those people on a thread of my own.

Well, I wouldn't. There's no reason why member Y has to repeat what member X has already posted. They can still make use of the "star" function or U2U instead of making a repeat post.

Admittedly, there are times when repeat answers can serve an important purpose for a thread, like when the OP is gauging for a general opinion or seeking advice etc. but this is an exceptional case.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha



Like you said, I think we've all been guilty of this...and victims as well. All I would like to say is sometime you only feel the need to respond to the OP. Why bother with the rest of the thread? If your views happen to correlate with someone else's what does it matter. I understand it can be a little redundant to read through though.

If I read a title that I know an answer to i'm just going to go for it and not even read a damn thing.

If it's more of a personal thread then yeah I do read them most of the time.

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha
I have been guilty of such at times, but usually because I have "too many pans in the fire". I would add to your complaints the people who automatically attribute the thread title to the OP and complain when if they had clicked on the source link they would know that the title was the title of the news article, and also people who "hijack" threads- basically taking them over in an attempt to present themselves as "experts" whom the other participants should condescend to (at least in their minds).

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


What gets me about what people post from time to time is the good ol' deflection of a question in a post. Then you see a bunch of these type of comments.

"Cool story bro. You didn't answer the question" or "...and what's your point. Please answer the question".

It's posts like these and posts like what the OP is talking about that can really derail a thread and pretty quickly. I am guilty of doing it once and while but I do my best to keep on topic and on track with the comments.

Just what I have observed. Star and flagger.

-SAP-

Sorry but I couldn't read all of your OP. If you want me to read all your OP, make it one sentence Darn, now I forgot what the thread was about.

Actually I remember, and you are right in the rant. Something serious gets buried in tribble once in a while. I am guilty of this Actually maybe I am the reason you made this thread Now I feel bad

S&F

reply to post by JohnnyJohn4578


Me too. What are the odds. But don't you hate it when other s don't read the thread.

On the very rare occassion I will post without reading every page of a thread. For instance, when the thread requests a personal take on a scenario, there is no need to read all of the thread, because there is literally no chance that someone elses circumstances or reactions to stimuli are going to be identical to mine, because I am bouncing off the walls mad to put it bluntly, so I can be relied upon to have a different take on things more often than not.

But where what I call cold topics are concerned, those involving science and technical terminology, I tend to carefully read the thread. There are two reasons for this, one is that I like to be sure that I am singing from the correct hymn sheet, and have fully understood the subject that everyone in the thread is discussing. Sometimes it turns out that members are not discussing the topic really, just dilly dallying about in the general area in which it can be found, but thats by the by, and to be totally fair to ATS, thats what I have come to expect over the last few years.

However, generally speaking, I read on, and join the actual conversation which is being held between people who have an attention span longer than a mosquito's reproductive organs. Another thing I like to try to do, although I am not always successful, is I try to comment on relatively new threads, when they are only three to five pages long. Although I do LOVE to read the longer threads (especially if they happen to be jam packed with awesome thinking), I work during the day, so I am usually prowling for some breaking news or new advances in science and tech and so on, and brand spanking new threads on those topics.

This means that I get to interact with a whole thread, but it also means that I do not use an awful lot of work time commenting on the thread/topic before me. During the night of course, if I happen to be indoors, I will be on the boards, reading massive threads.

Interestingly, large threads are very hard to comment on. The reason for this, is that when a thread goes past say fifty pages, depending on the subject matter, it could almost be said that anything that was worth saying has been said already, although I do love to come into a thread of that size and find that I have managed a relatively unique thought on the subject.

A word on THIS thread if I may. There are an awful lot of threads a little bit like this on the site, and it seems to me that the remedy for all these gripes, rants, and issues expressed by threads like this, is precisely the same. Be the change you want to see, take control of the only part of this website that is yours to police, your own contributions, posts, threads, and conduct. When others fail to take your sterling example to heart, and change thier ways, just clobber them over the head constantly with your masterly grasp of your own talents. Wave it in thier faces like an ape in a phallus waving contest.

Either the terrifying weight of your intellect will crush thier spirits, and they will comply with basic use of intelligence, or they will become bored with your consistency, and have no choice but to leave, or else face the stone wall of your mind, and be unable to scale it. Either way, its the only chance you have of effecting the ways of others.

I for one understand your position.

Guilty as charged. Imho part of the attraction/seduction of ATS is the idea that our opinions are golden pearls falling from our wise and intelligent fingertips. So we rush to opine our pearls. I am often nothing if not redundant. I will also answer rhetorical questions on here and in real life too.

On the other hand, I have taken the time to do research and give an answer that contributes content to the thread only to have the thread die immediately after and a stony silence follow from the OP.

ATS asks us not to 'me too', but our egos say 'yes, yes yes'.

The need to belong, to feel a part of something, to feel we matter is what drives this site, imho. The really powerful, good, informative threads are the exception. It does not help that they created a system driven by how many comments are made, thus keeping a thread floating towards the top to garner attention for it. I often make pithy comments just to keep a thread going, because I really like it, but have nothing real to contribute.

I think Cameron is a tool and I wish Putin would....wait a mo I didn't read the title nor the posts..

So what thread is this exactly ::stumbles through the invisible door:: What's that??? You say people don't read threads anymore??? ::Check watch:: We ain't got no time to read threads~ Specially when your thread title states the whole content in a single sentence....

You are right. I'm guilty of this too. Sometimes you want to circumvent a thread and just speak right to the OP'er or just blatently state your case and leave as fast as you came...

I've just learned to title my response, unlike this post here.... Who am I talking to... Where the hell am I???

Nathan

Hi OP and Everyone,
Okay...I feel like Miss Goodie Two Shoes here (lol)...but I do in fact read an entire thread before responding.
I find that I can initially get upset (depending on the topic)...but after reading all the posts I have a better grip on what I want to say.
I do sometimes agree with someone else that a thread is good, but I wouldn't expect an OP to get upset...if people are complimenting them.
I'm actually surprised that so many people said they didn't read everything first ...lol...different strokes!
jacygirl

Originally posted by jacygirl
I wouldn't expect an OP to get upset...if people are complimenting them.

Oh, of course not. But the fact remains that such "back-scratching," minimal posts are discouraged here on the site that aims to make every post relevant and contributory to the discussion.

Padding a thread with compliments just makes the thread boring to read through--and there is nothing to be learned from it.

Originally posted by jacygirl
Hi OP and Everyone,
Okay...I feel like Miss Goodie Two Shoes here (lol)...but I do in fact read an entire thread before responding.
I find that I can initially get upset (depending on the topic)...but after reading all the posts I have a better grip on what I want to say.
I do sometimes agree with someone else that a thread is good, but I wouldn't expect an OP to get upset...if people are complimenting them.
I'm actually surprised that so many people said they didn't read everything first

...lol...different strokes!
jacygirl

Well there are people with a lot of time, some don't have it, but there are many 25 page threads, that is almost a book to read before having an opinion about the OP that you did read.