Why do some threads go on and on ?

[Tiggeroo]

Like the peanut butter thread for ex. What keeps people's interest in something for days. I'll look at a thread and think, nah doesn't seem like anything interesting. Then two days later I'll see it at the top with 32 pages of comments and wonder, what did I miss. Should I think about skimming all that stuff now? I usually don't. Most threads hang around for a few hours or maybe pop up for a bit during the busy time the next day. I can almost never stay involved in a thread for more then an hour or two. I guess I have a short attention span.

 

[Kitty 34]

I wondered the same thing earlier especially when wasn't there a thread similar to that one (peanut butter and other allergies) posted just recently??

 

[okeydokey]

Because everyone wants the last word. It's the same six people posting over and over.

 

[Kitty 34]

Seems like it would get old....I know the reading of replies does.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I think my attention span is short too. I started going through it and gave up.

 

[monkeyboy]

I post....thread dies.

Glad to be back

 

[Kitty 34]

Sorry, I posted......thread didn't die.

 

[mousehockey37]

There's hot spot topics that go around. The main ones that you will see, in no particular order...

ECV's
Allergies
Strollers
MDE
FP+
Disabilities/GAC
ADR's

Most other threads people will have good spirited debates and/or play nice, but there are those topics, some I just listed, where the polar opposites come out and it's a fight to the bitter end (or the thread gets locked).

There are great threads that never take off, there are threads that get taken over and go a completely different directions and then there are ones where it's something like the peanut butter thread where the claws come out.

 

[phorsenuf]

I think sometimes threads morph so the discussion goes off in another direction and that contributes to the longevity. In the peanut butter thread for instance, I found it pretty interesting when flygirl weighed in with her first hand knowledge of how airlines handle it and such so it kinda started going in that direction with questions being asked and answered (which I found interesting).

Some posters are more prolific then others on some threads, and sometimes it just goes around and around in circles. And then of course it's always fun when you get the poster who just chimes in at the end of 25 pages, not reading the previous posts so they have no idea of the turn the thread had taken, and it starts all over again. Then there are the pot stirrers who love the train wrecks because they thrive on the drama and will purposely start a hot topic up.

It does make for some interesting reading though on a Saturday night.


ETA: I thought the peanut butter thread was pretty civil compared to most of them that pop up.

 

[tvguy]

It is a discussion board, and just like a discussion over a couple of beers at the bar, it can take some strange twists and turns and carry on from one day to the next. Always amazes me when people get upset when the posts several pages down aren't directly related to the first post. That is how bulletin boards are supposed to work.

 

[Lisaloo]

It's usually the same old crowd. I posted a couple of times on the peanut butter board and then unwatched it. Lots of "experts" on these threads. Lol!

 

[undertheradar]

Threads have a way of living longer when the OP keeps updating the thread with more information. Happens all of the time.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Just takes a couple people who will never agree with each other (but believe otherwise) to keep it going infinitely.

 

[Kitty 34]

Threads have a way of living longer when the OP keeps updating the thread with more information. Happens all of the time.

I remember on the "old" DIS we could click on something and see who all replied to the thread including the author. We can't do that now, correct?

 

[fly girl]

Like the peanut butter thread for ex. What keeps people's interest in something for days. I'll look at a thread and think, nah doesn't seem like anything interesting. Then two days later I'll see it at the top with 32 pages of comments and wonder, what did I miss. Should I think about skimming all that stuff now? I usually don't. Most threads hang around for a few hours or maybe pop up for a bit during the busy time the next day. I can almost never stay involved in a thread for more then an hour or two. I guess I have a short attention span.

Isn't it crazy what sparks a debate! Sometimes I read a post and say wow, this is going to go wild and it's dead after 12 posts.

Never in a gazillion years thought the peanut thing would last this long. Although, I think it was me who brought it back to life this morning. Not my best day on the Dis. Never debated that hard on here, I typically stick with fun topics. Lesson learned. I seriously thought I was done yesterday afternoon with it, but hopped back in to answer a quote directed my way. That started the ball rolling again, oops! And after I repeated the same stuff for the third and forth time I lost it. Not gonna lie, I want that thread to die.

I think sometimes threads morph so the discussion goes off in another direction and that contributes to the longevity. In the peanut butter thread for instance, I found it pretty interesting when flygirl weighed in with her first hand knowledge of how airlines handle it and such so it kinda started going in that direction with questions being asked and answered (which I found interesting).

Some posters are more prolific then others on some threads, and sometimes it just goes around and around in circles. And then of course it's always fun when you get the poster who just chimes in at the end of 25 pages, not reading the previous posts so they have no idea of the turn the thread had taken, and it starts all over again. Then there are the pot stirrers who love the train wrecks because they thrive on the drama and will purposely start a hot topic up.

It does make for some interesting reading though on a Saturday night.

Thanks, I hope I helped shed some light. I tried, God knows I tried.

 

[sam_gordon]

just like a discussion over a couple of beers at the bar

This x100. I think the bar analogy is dead on how a message board works.

The PB thread has been pretty civil compared to others. There have been some very informational posts (IMO). I have learned the air on a plane gets recirculated more than in most buildings and (thanks to @fly girl) that FA do keep some extra snacks if someone doesn't want to utilize their peanut butter (or whatever allergen) snacks they have brought.

 

[undertheradar]

Some threads that will get a lot of activity are the ones that begin........Long time poster, new user name....

 

[low-key]

I dont know, why dont stray cats realize I am there friend when I pick the up

 

[sersee05]

I think it might be because we are all addicted to the boards ..and then when the vacation is over..what else is there to do? lol I can't give up the dis boards! When its new to me, I have to reply. They just had a banning thread that threw me for a loop. I ended up having to respond, then someone quoted me and I had to respond to them. I was going back and reading because some of the responses were hysterical and I had to throw a like the person's way. lol I think more and more people see it and have to comment like me.

 

[scrapquitler]

Like the peanut butter thread for ex. What keeps people's interest in something for days. I'll look at a thread and think, nah doesn't seem like anything interesting. Then two days later I'll see it at the top with 32 pages of comments and wonder, what did I miss. Should I think about skimming all that stuff now? I usually don't. Most threads hang around for a few hours or maybe pop up for a bit during the busy time the next day. I can almost never stay involved in a thread for more then an hour or two. I guess I have a short attention span.

Because this is the Dis We like to nitpik and beat dead horses.