How do you decide when to respond to a post?

[DC_DEEP]

I hope this doesn't turn out to sound like a request for sympathy or a whine or rant; it truly isn't... I'm just puzzled, maybe a little intrigued.

I usually try to answer questions and comments directed at me in any given post, regardless of who may have asked or commented. And in general, most LPSG members will respond if I direct a question or comment at them.

There are a few, however, who seem to make a concerted effort to avoid direct responses to me.

In numerous posts, I have made supportive statements, asked pertinent questions, or complimented each of those members. Only one has made any response to me, and it was a rather tart correction (after I had made what I thought was a humorous follow-up post, complete with smilie.)

Again, it doesn't hurt my feelings or make me angry, it just makes me curious. Another example would be, when one of those specific members makes a statement in a thread, I ask a clarification question that gets ignored; 4 or 5 posts later, someone else asks the same question I did, and they get an answer.

Do any of you have some sort of triage you use to decide which members you interact with? I'm not talking about content, I'm talking about personality. By that, I mean I'm sure we all have some subjects we prefer not to discuss. But if the same question was asked of you, by two different members, are there some for whom you would answer it and some for whom you would not?

(No names, please, just speaking in generalities here!)

 

[Industrialsize]

I answer when i something to say(useful.....or....just funny)

 

[ieatcats1426]

Do any of you have some sort of triage you use to decide which members you interact with? I'm not talking about content, I'm talking about personality. By that, I mean I'm sure we all have some subjects we prefer not to discuss. But if the same question was asked of you, by two different members, are there some for whom you would answer it and some for whom you would not?

(No names, please, just speaking in generalities here!)

If a question is asked more than once, it has a greater probability of being answered.:wink: You also have a lot of posts, so there is a good chance that along the way people have missed your posts once in a while, or they didn't log in between the time you asked a question and someone else asked a question.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

I never stay in my own post when I create them, I'm off wandering around. When I get back I will try and answer everyone, but sometimes it's like I don't want to quote and thank everyone especially in threads about me. Some threads when they are not mine, I'll read and come back to comment once I've formulated a better answer. I try and answer all that is asked of me, sometimes I'll reply to a thread and never go back into it, just depends on the topic, and my inital reply to it.

 

[biguy2738]

I completely understand where you're coming from, though my experience is slightly different.

Before I go into it, could it not be possible that the person comes back to the post only later on and that's why the later question (though it's the same) is answered? If, however it's an ongoing conversation where the poster responds to each post, then it may be a personality or even perception issue.

If a question were posed to me (were I ever to post and enter into an ongoing conversation in the thread), I would respond to each question because the person responding had taken the time to respond and I owed them the courtesy.

There have been times when I have opened myself completely and made myself raw from sharing so deeply, then I've encountered that the person that posts after me treats my post with what feels to be disrespect. What I do as a rule, which maybe you'd like to consider as a "follow up" is depending on the mood of the thread etc. if I make such a post, 9/10 I don't go back. What I do is I immediately pm the person involved and let them know that I have made a post and offer them my support etc. should the need ever arise, most times the person has the courtesy to respond to both the pm and the post...but I find the pm is very helpful in creating an area of meeting and being able to share on a deeper one on one basis.

DEEP, honestly speaking, you are one of the gentles, deepest and most sweet members that I have encountered on this board, if the poster doesn't have the courtesy to respond to your post, it truly is their loss and it is a tragic loss at that!

 

[No_Strings]

I usually just randomly browse around the forums, in no particular order (often missing threads entirely) - the problem is that I'll read a psot, intend to reply to it later, then forget.

I'm guilty of doing this with a few PMs, but by the time I remember or realise, the message is a few weeks old so I'm not sure what to say. :tongue:

 

[DC_DEEP]

Thanks for the comments, guys, but I'm not speaking about something random or occasional; this is after about 5 or 6 times that the lack of responses sort of jumped out at me. I really cannot be more specific than that without linking to specific posts, and I don't want to get into that.

I will respond to pretty much anyone, either to agree, or to disagree, or to ask for clarification, (or in the extreme case of some trolls, to toss a few online stones at them.) or whatever. I'm just wondering if there are some members whom you would not respond to if even if they simply ask "what's your favorite food."

 

[dong20]

Again, it doesn't hurt my feelings or make me angry, it just makes me curious. Another example would be, when one of those specific members makes a statement in a thread, I ask a clarification question that gets ignored; 4 or 5 posts later, someone else asks the same question I did, and they get an answer.

It's not just you. Sometimes I'll do the same. Or make a comment have it ignored only to have the same thing said by another where it's hailed as 'visionary'. I suppose some simply wait for their favourites before responding to them, while I assume others will simply ignore those they don't like.

From the degree of repetition I also think, and this is probably as likely as anything that many simply scan a long thread and focus on the last few responses. I have to be honest I occasionally do the same.

Do any of you have some sort of triage you use to decide which members you interact with? I'm not talking about content, I'm talking about personality. By that, I mean I'm sure we all have some subjects we prefer not to discuss. But if the same question was asked of you, by two different members, are there some for whom you would answer it and some for whom you would not?

Not especially, I will answer anyone who asks me a question. I do tend to skip the bitchy name calling bits in the middle of the more interesting threads unless I'm bored or need a laugh. Once the testosterone disspiates and the usual whiners and stabbers depart, these sometimes become the most productive. I say sometimes.....:smile:

 

[ManlyBanisters]

I wouldn't worry about DC - I think it is a combo of coincidence and oversight. A couple of times I've overlooked posts addressed to me, gone on and answered someone else - browsed back an hour or whatever later only to see that there was something I should have answered first. And what you described has also happened to me several times. It isn't personal - I think maybe some of the people who post a lot have touble juggling what they've posted where and then keeping en eye on all the threads - maybe there is a little bit of scanning for responses from certain others and someone they don't know as well gets overlooked. Like I say, this happens.

I don't have triage, I try to respond to everyone who makes a direct comment to me - but I don't post enough to make that difficult. If I don't respond it's 99% likely I've not seen the reply and or the post clearly does not require a response.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

I can't say no one ever responds to my posts ... it often happens that people do.
But often there's just nothing. It's like your post is invisible to everyone else, as though some evil genie has put you on temporary but universal 'ignore,' while the conversation goes on around you, with all the give and take expected. The adults are talking and you're the two-year-old in the middle whom it is right and proper to ignore.
I don't know why this happens. There's probably no reason.
A few times, I have left a thread for a few days and gone back to find some response ... and I usually answer at those times.
All this used to bother me, but I don't worry much about it any more.
Random motion, I suppose.
(BTW, DC, there's no one on the board I would ignore, if they addressed me directly.)

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

I don't always notice when someone responds to me in a thread because I don't keep track of every new post. I try to look over my most recent posts once in a while just in case someone responded to something I said... but I don't always do that. When I do see someone ask me a direct question in a thread and choose not to respond to it, it could be for a variety of different reasons. Maybe I answered the question earlier and don't feel like repeating myself. Maybe I'm tired or bored of discussing whatever it is that's being asked about. Maybe I know I'd catch flak for my answer and I don't feel like goosestepping. Maybe I feel like I've already made my point. Maybe I think it was a stupid question. Maybe I intend to reply but the answer I have in mind is long and complicated so I put it off until later and then forget to go back. Maybe it's not clear that the person is really looking for a response and in that case me piping in again would just appear as though I feel compelled to always get the last word in. It could be a lot of different things.

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

I can't say no one ever responds to my posts ... it often happens that people do.
But often there's just nothing. It's like your post is invisible to everyone else, as though some evil genie has put you on temporary but universal 'ignore,' while the conversation goes on around you, with all the give and take expected. The adults are talking and you're the two-year-old in the middle whom it is right and proper to ignore.
I don't know why this happens. There's probably no reason.
A few times, I have left a thread for a few days and gone back to find some response ... and I usually answer at those times.
All this used to bother me, but I don't worry much about it any more.
Random motion, I suppose.
(BTW, DC, there's no one on the board I would ignore, if they addressed me directly.)

There are tons of threads out there where I made the last post. Often I'll go back repeatedly to see if someone noticed how clever and brilliant I was... but frequently nobody seems to. I like to chalk it up to everyone being stunned into awestruck silence by my rapier wit and uncanny eloquence. This way I don't have to feel bad.

 

[B_ironsoul]

There are tons of threads out there where I made the last post. Often I'll go back repeatedly to see if someone noticed how clever and brilliant I was... but frequently nobody seems to. I like to chalk it up to everyone being stunned into awestruck silence by my rapier wit and uncanny eloquence. This way I don't have to feel bad.

Obviously no one can top your brilliance

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

I'm just wondering if there are some members whom you would not respond to if even if they simply ask "what's your favorite food."

There are a few members here that I would prefer not to respond to. Not everbody is worth my time. If I already know before getting into an argument that the argument is not going to be any fun I'll try to avoid said argument, and if I already know before giving an explanation that it's not going to be understood or interpreted correctly, then why bother?

 

[B_ironsoul]

I think a lot of it has to do with forgetfulness. Sometimes people post something then forget. You don't get a reminder that says someone responded specifically to something you say, so it is easy to overlook a thread. Also, it is easy to miss something if it is in the middle of 5 or 6 pages worth of posts, ya know?
However, not to sound like an ass, but there are certian members that I feel closer to than others and am more apt to respond to something they say than others, but that is more of a comfort thing than anything.

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

Obviously no one can top your brilliance

You would be surprised how many people out there don't feel this is obvious.

 

[B_ironsoul]

You probably should start hitting people over the head with your tool then! It is in your username! What else do people want, huh?

 

[Pecker]

My attention span precludes my being able to respon

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

You probably should start hitting people over the head with your tool then! It is in your username! What else do people want, huh?

I know, Christ. How much more obvious could I be? Maybe I should put something about how awesome I am in my sig as well.

 

[B_ironsoul]

My attention span precludes my being able to respon

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I spit my coffee