Responding to a thread without reading other responses.

[ajk912]

I agree, and it bothers me too. As an English teacher, I teach my students to read and process what they read. I also teach them how to properly take part in conversations or discussions.

Discussions or conversations should be shared amongst participants; therefore, if I have an opinion, I can state it, and then I should respect that the other participants will also have opinions to share, so I need to listen to them as well. Most people I know don`t come into discussions, state their opinion and just leave.

Expressing opinions is one thing, but when people don`t read through the entire thread, and continually answer the question, or, ask the same question that has already been answered, this just clutters the thread for the rest of us who are actually keeping up with the conversation.

This way of discussing here on the DIS is rude, IMHO. If you don`t have time to read the entire thread, then you shouldn`t post to it. It`s not respectful to the rest of us who are actively participating in the discussion. Taking part in a discussion by reading through all entries, is not so that others will change your opinion, but it`s part of common courtesy and the rules of conversation.

Tiger

Every message board that I have ever posted to works like the DIS. You will get some people who read the whole thread before responding, you will get some people who read a few here and there, and you will get people who read just one post and want to say something to put their two cents in. I am a college student as well, and even the college message boards work like this.

I think few of us have time to follow threads that can grow to be many, many pages. Especially the clique threads, can you imagine reading all 200+ pages before responding? If you have something to add, add it. If it's repeated, so what? People take what they'd like out of any discussion, so some read it all, some skim a page here and there, etc. It's what makes discussion boards interesting that there are so many differences.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I didn't read the other posts, but if someone is asking for others thoughts then it doesn't matter if someone else has already said it. It's my thought and that is what the person asked for.

 

[ajk912]

It is a message board and people are giving their opinion on the original topic.

I did not read the other responses.

Now I will go back and see what others have said.

Frankly if you are having a heated thread put an update in the title esp if it is LONG.

This is a discussion board pet peeve of mine. I hate when people don't put updates in the OP. I am slightly less annoyed when they say, "Update page 6 post 100", but IMO if you are going to the bother of updated the OP to state that, you might as well just put the update there so I don't have to look for post 100. I really hate when people update and say "update further down". Or "update on last page". Where's further down?

Obviously, if you are just answering questions those wouldn't be updates in the original thread.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I agree, and it bothers me too. As an English teacher, I teach my students to read and process what they read. I also teach them how to properly take part in conversations or discussions.

Discussions or conversations should be shared amongst participants; therefore, if I have an opinion, I can state it, and then I should respect that the other participants will also have opinions to share, so I need to listen to them as well. Most people I know don`t come into discussions, state their opinion and just leave.

Expressing opinions is one thing, but when people don`t read through the entire thread, and continually answer the question, or, ask the same question that has already been answered, this just clutters the thread for the rest of us who are actually keeping up with the conversation.

This way of discussing here on the DIS is rude, IMHO. If you don`t have time to read the entire thread, then you shouldn`t post to it. It`s not respectful to the rest of us who are actively participating in the discussion. Taking part in a discussion by reading through all entries, is not so that others will change your opinion, but it`s part of common courtesy and the rules of conversation.

Tiger

Well, first, it's not like we're sitting around a table discussing things. That's not how this works.

And I do not think the rules of conversation apply to message boards. As long as no Disboard rules are broken, people can post however they like. I don't find it disrespectful.

 

[Jex]

I see now that I was mistaken in thinking that this was a discussion board and not a message board.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I see now that I was mistaken in thinking that this was a discussion board and not a message board.

Did someone offend you and that's what started this thread? You seem to be really offended and taking this seriously.

I'm sorry if that happened. I guess each one of us sees things differently.

 

[just4today]

Why do people do this? I have a few therioes, but am curious as to others thoughts. I mean whenever someone post "I didn't read the other responses but my thought/opinion is blah blah blah" it has usually already been said.

Pretty much everything has already been said on the DIS at one point or another, including this.

 

[Tiger926]

That is different from the OP's concern. She wondered about people posting before reading everything, not about posting and then never coming back. I can't speak for anyone else, but although I don't always read a whole thread before I post (since I am usually just responding to the OP,) I almost always check in to read posts after I post.

If we are comparing to real conversations, then I see it as walking up to a conversation already in progress. If I have something to add, then I add even though I didn't hear every single comment before mine.

Sorry, didn`t mean to confuse, as I kind of took it as the same thing. People who don`t read through the entire thread and just posting, is pretty much the same thing, as those who post their opinions, without reading the entire thread, and then maybe not keeping up with the thread.

Every message board that I have ever posted to works like the DIS. You will get some people who read the whole thread before responding, you will get some people who read a few here and there, and you will get people who read just one post and want to say something to put their two cents in. I am a college student as well, and even the college message boards work like this.

I think few of us have time to follow threads that can grow to be many, many pages. Especially the clique threads, can you imagine reading all 200+ pages before responding? If you have something to add, add it. If it's repeated, so what? People take what they'd like out of any discussion, so some read it all, some skim a page here and there, etc. It's what makes discussion boards interesting that there are so many differences.

I don`t doubt that many message or discussion boards work this way, but I don`t care for this style. If people actually read through threads, there wouldn`t be so many repeat messages, so the thread wouldn`t be as long. It actually would work to keep many threads shorter, and then you wouldn`t need to read through 200 pages.

Well, first, it's not like we're sitting around a table discussing things. That's not how this works.

And I do not think the rules of conversation apply to message boards. As long as no Disboard rules are broken, people can post however they like. I don't find it disrespectful.

Interesting...didn`t realize we weren`t discussing things. Hmmm...seems I`ve been going about it all wrong for the past 10 years of being a DIS member.

I see now that I was mistaken in thinking that this was a discussion board and not a message board.

Exactly. Not sure how and why people are making a distinction between a message board and a discussion board, as they are one and the same.

Tiger

 

[Liberty Belle]

Sorry, didn`t mean to confuse, as I kind of took it as the same thing. People who don`t read through the entire thread and just posting, is pretty much the same thing, as those who post their opinions, without reading the entire thread, and then maybe not keeping up with the thread.



I don`t doubt that many message or discussion boards work this way, but I don`t care for this style. If people actually read through threads, there wouldn`t be so many repeat messages, so the thread wouldn`t be as long. It actually would work to keep many threads shorter, and then you wouldn`t need to read through 200 pages.



Interesting...didn`t realize we weren`t discussing things. Hmmm...seems I`ve been going about it all wrong for the past 10 years of being a DIS member.



Exactly. Not sure how and why people are making a distinction between a message board and a discussion board, as they are one and the same.

Tiger

I didn't say we weren't discussing things. I said it wasn't like we were sitting around a table discussing things. If we were, there wouldn't be people coming and going so much, only having one or two minutes at a stretch to respond to something, talking at once, etc. It's different.

I guess you're claiming seniority?

 

[Nennie]

I don't have time to read all the other responses to this post, but just wanted to say that it bugs me too!!

 

[FergieTCat]

Normally my response to this would be as above - but there was a situation a couple of weeks ago where it was "implied" that I was being less than truthful - when someone took the time to track down a similar thread of mine from five years ago (on the topic that was being discussed) and asked if that was what I was referring to.. I didn't bother to respond - because if the poster took the time to look back several pages she would have seen that I had already posted that I was not talking about the same situation (and I'm really not interested in people looking for untruths where there aren't any).. I've honestly never understood this whole "playing amateur detective" concept.. Seems to be an awful lot of trouble to go through - unless for some reason you have a personal dislike for someone and want to create a bunch of drama where none exists..

Now I suppose it could have been an honest mistake, but when I say something happened a "few" years back, I don't mean five years ago.. LOL.. (It was a really "odd" format of that older post as well - doesn't look like it came from the DIS.. I never posted about it anywhere else, so I don't know where this person copied and pasted that thread/post from..)

Anyhow - point being - since a number of posters were going back and forth, asking additional questions, etc., in that case I could see the importance of reading the entire thread.. (And it would have saved "someone" a lot of time - LOL..)

Recently though it seems that most every thread - no matter how benign - is turning nasty quite quickly.. Don't know if it's the added holiday stress or what, but I'd rather not be a part of it.. So if it's a question I can help answer, I just read the OP's question and hit respond right away.. If it's someone needing support, hugs, prayers, or congrats - no reason to read beyond the opening post - so I go straight to "post a reply"..

The ones asking for opinions? Those have gotten so bad lately that I just give my opinion (if the topic is of interest to me and I have an opinion) and don't even bother to go back.. There's really no point as it seems that some posters are interested in nothing more than telling other people how wrong their opinion is and how right they think the opinion is that they're posting, keep it going back and forth, back and forth, and it gets very ugly and all goes downhill from there..

I'm in a great mood and I would like to keep it that way.. For the most part, I'm extremely optimistic about the holidays and the coming new year.. I'm not here to argue and fuss over issues (most of which) turn out to be very, very insignificant matters, so I'll answer a question, give a hug, offer a prayer, post my opinion, and then move along to the fun "fluff" threads..

So the "short" version is - sometimes a thread comes along where it's necessary to read the entire all of the posts - but 99% of the time? Not unless you're looking to get involved in a bunch of drama, arguing, and bickering endlessly for pages and pages and pages..

Someone did that? Wow.

There is no way I could possibly remember everything I may have posted 5 years ago. Also, my opinion may have changed since then.

As I said in another thread, I am trying to preserve whatever shred of a year I have left. That's includes not getting into argument on the Dis. I'll save that for 2011!

 

[smb6]

Well, I just read through all four pages- so that I can now say: I don't always read the whole thread before posting... If it's a page or two- I usually will read it first. Otherwise- I typically post first and then I often go back and read others posts and will sometimes make an additional post if needed to correspond with others.... As others here have mentioned; I don't have time to read through 20 plus pages.... I also agree with the posters that mentioned that by reading all the other replies- it can cause your initial first thought/response to change and I prefer to write my initial response/opinion. And if I start a thread- I don't really care if others read all the responses first and I don't care if posts are duplicated/similar because as others mentioned people saying the same thing over and over just emphasis that it is a popular opinion. JMHO>

 

[Manhattan Princess]

Why can't a person respond to the OP without reading all of the posts? If I have an opinion about the original topic, I am not sure why I should have to read through ten pages of oither opinions to make my own opinion available.

 

[ajk912]

But..but..I want to get the last word in!!! How am I going to get the last word in if I can't say something that's already been said??

I guess this thread can die now because everything of importance has been said. Ha. I got the last word in.

 

[Tiger926]

I didn't say we weren't discussing things. I said it wasn't like we were sitting around a table discussing things. If we were, there wouldn't be people coming and going so much, only having one or two minutes at a stretch to respond to something, talking at once, etc. It's different.

I guess you're claiming seniority?

Not sure about your seniority comment.

Anyway, I just read through the newest responses, and some people brought up some interesting points as to why they don`t read all responses.

Tiger

 

[Liberty Belle]

Not sure about your seniority comment.

Tiger

You mentioned that you've been a member for 10 years. I didn't know if you felt like you had more say, then, on how things are done here.

 

[Tiger926]

You mentioned that you've been a member for 10 years. I didn't know if you felt like you had more say, then, on how things are done here.

Nope, not at all, just that this is the way I`ve been answering posts since the first day I became a member, so that`s a long time for me in terms of how many threads I`ve been involved with.

Tiger

 

[Skywalker]

Why can't a person respond to the OP without reading all of the posts? If I have an opinion about the original topic, I am not sure why I should have to read through ten pages of oither opinions to make my own opinion available.

Yeah but if everyone did what you did, what would be the point of giving your opinion? I mean, if everyone just posted their opinion without reading anyone else's, then who would be around to read YOUR opinion know what I mean?

It's like that old line "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise". "If someone posts their opinion on a message board that no one reads but only posts on, do they really have an opinion?" lol

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yeah but if everyone did what you did, what would be the point of giving your opinion? I mean, if everyone just posted their opinion without reading anyone else's, then who would be around to read YOUR opinion know what I mean?

It's like that old line "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise". "If someone posts their opinion on a message board that no one reads but only posts on, do they really have an opinion?" lol

I cannot speak for others, but for me...

I don't always read before responding, but that doesn't mean I never read other resPonses.


If a thread was....

Share your experience .....
Would you do this....
Anyone ever try xyz....
I have a drama, please comment on it....

There are many topics where one doesnt need to read other responses before responding.

But as someone pointed out...this topic has been posted before. So this topic could expand to, why not search old threads?

 

[Liberty Belle]

Yeah but if everyone did what you did, what would be the point of giving your opinion? I mean, if everyone just posted their opinion without reading anyone else's, then who would be around to read YOUR opinion know what I mean?

It's like that old line "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a noise". "If someone posts their opinion on a message board that no one reads but only posts on, do they really have an opinion?" lol

I don't know about the person you quoted, but I know my response is directed towards the OP. I don't really care if anyone else reads it (unless I'm trying to be funny or clever lol ).