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Why Do You Usually Skip Over Some People's Posts?

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
If you are at least now and then in the habit of skipping over some people's posts, why do you do so?


There are a lot of very nice people on RF whose posts I usually skip over for (most often) either of two reasons. Either they mostly post on topics I am not interested in or -- for one reason or another -- I feel their posts seldom help me understand the world any better than I already do, even when they post on topics I am interested in. (For instance, I might typically skip over someone's posts because they usually say things that are nothing new to me, even though I agree with what they say. Or I might skip over someone else's posts because I believe them to be careless when it comes to offering an informed opinion about things.) There are exceptions, however. First, I now and then find myself in a mood to read a post or two that I would never otherwise read. Sometimes, that has paid off. Sometimes, I have re-discovered someone who I had previously 'written-off' as not worth my time. Second, there are about a half-dozen or so posters who almost never say anything I don't already know and/or agree with, but who say what they say so well that I find it a pleasure to read them.

But why do you (if you do) almost always skip over some people's posts?








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PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
I tend to skip over long, two-page posts I'm not interested in, especially if it's from a member I've never had a direct communication with.

There are also cases where a thread gets a little too science-y for me, that I'll skip posts. But this only happens when the greatest science minds on RF all get together in one thread, and start talking their own language.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
If you are at least now and then in the habit of skipping over some people's posts, why do you do so?


There are a lot of very nice people on RF whose posts I usually skip over for (most often) either of two reasons. Either they mostly post on topics I am not interested in or -- for one reason or another -- I feel their posts seldom help me understand the world any better than I already do, even when they post on topics I am interested in. (For instance, I might typically skip over someone's posts because they usually say things that are nothing new to me, even though I agree with what they say. Or I might skip over someone else's posts because I believe them to be careless when it comes to offering an informed opinion about things.) There are exceptions, however. First, I now and then find myself in a mood to read a post or two that I would never otherwise read. Sometimes, that has paid off. Sometimes, I have re-discovered someone who I had previously 'written-off' as not worth my time. Second, there are about a half-dozen or so posters who almost never say anything I don't already know and/or agree with, but who say what they say so well that I find it a pleasure to read them.

But why do you (if you do) almost always skip over some people's posts?








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For some of the same reason you mention lalready in your OP :)
Topic does not interest me, or my views are so far from the person who posted the OP that it would become unpleasant for one of us if I said my true feeling about the topic, so instead of making a negative comment, I try to comment on things I do like speaking about.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
But why do you (if you do) almost always skip over some people's posts?

]

I'm very similar to you. Often it's just the topic, not the person. In general, experience has taught me that people don't change much. So chances are that if a person has said the same thing for 20 posts, there will be nothing new.

I do like to give newbies a chance, and will read their posts for awhile.
 
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The Hammer

[REDACTED]
Premium Member
If I skip over a person's posts, it tends to be because I am already aware of their opinion on the subject at hand, and it will provide no new insight for me. Especially, if they post the same rhetoric over and over.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
If you are at least now and then in the habit of skipping over some people's posts, why do you do so?


There are a lot of very nice people on RF whose posts I usually skip over for (most often) either of two reasons. Either they mostly post on topics I am not interested in or -- for one reason or another -- I feel their posts seldom help me understand the world any better than I already do, even when they post on topics I am interested in. (For instance, I might typically skip over someone's posts because they usually say things that are nothing new to me, even though I agree with what they say. Or I might skip over someone else's posts because I believe them to be careless when it comes to offering an informed opinion about things.) There are exceptions, however. First, I now and then find myself in a mood to read a post or two that I would never otherwise read. Sometimes, that has paid off. Sometimes, I have re-discovered someone who I had previously 'written-off' as not worth my time. Second, there are about a half-dozen or so posters who almost never say anything I don't already know and/or agree with, but who say what they say so well that I find it a pleasure to read them.

But why do you (if you do) almost always skip over some people's posts?








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I read long posts if I know the conversation will be engaging and not cut off because of disagreement.

With long post I seperate it cause I can't get all points in one lump sum. It's common courtesy that if you actually want to dialogue or just want to throw one liners and leave.

I skip posts I can't read either colors and caps or just all over the place. And it's not the English skills.
 

Erebus

Well-Known Member
I've managed to train my brain to completely ignore scripture. I'm not remotely interested in discussing it. I also don't consider copypasting chunks of scripture to be a valid response to the vast majority of threads on this forum. When somebody posts a wall of text from the Bible, Quran or other holy book, I barely even register it anymore. It enters and leaves my consciousness without stopping to stay hello.

This does mean that I genuinely can't think of any posters who do this a lot. I certainly don't make a conscious effort to ignore or avoid anybody who does, it just gets automatically filtered out.

That's not to say people shouldn't debate scripture if it interests them. Knock yourself out. It just isn't a part of my little world.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
On badly formatted long posts, I move from reading to skimming to TL;DR.

Also, long posts that are mostly quotes from scripture, typically on RF from the Bible are on my skim/skip list. I don't mind and in fact employ selective quoting. But very long posts that are mostly scripture is a second category.

A third category are posts in a DIR where I can't comment. I wish we still had the two DIR choices - locked down or open a bit at least to questions. If the post is short enough, I'll pay some attention but not always.
 

Vouthon

Dominus Deus tuus ignis consumens est
Staff member
Premium Member
I don't think I consciously skip anyone's posts, although I imagine we all unconsciously do it - myself included.

If something doesn't hold my interest or if a given poster has a certain writing style / longstanding stance that doesn't do much for me, I'm more liable to give them a briefer hearing, so to speak.

I'm a fairly good "skim" reader and even when not terribly keen on reading through a certain post, I still tend to give it the courtesy of a quick scan, taking in the salient points in case there is anything of use - and sometimes, like the OP, I find myself pleasantly surprised and rewarded for the effort. I may, therefore, do a more serious re-read in certain cases.
 
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Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I tend to skip over long, two-page posts I'm not interested in, especially if it's from a member I've never had a direct communication with.

There are also cases where a thread gets a little too science-y for me, that I'll skip posts. But this only happens when the greatest science minds on RF all get together in one thread, and start talking their own language.
Aye, I skip past....
- Boilerplate.
- Walls of text.
- Not enuf cat pix.
- Posts by @BSM1.
- Confusing language.
- Dense arcane treatises.
- Really annoying people.
- It requires me to watch videos.
- Restricted forums where I cannot post.
- Subjects which have been flogged to death.
- Posts in Hindi or any other language I cannot read.
- Posts without having its lists arranged in a pleasing format.
 
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Skwim

Veteran Member
.

I'll skip over a post if:

It's a solid block of text 6-10 1/2 inches tall (the height of my monitor screen)

It's only content is a link to someone else's page.

It's opening sentences don't interest me.

It's filled with Bible verses.

In general if it's part of an extended two-person give and take.

It's more of the same ol', same ol'.

The topic doesn't interest me.

I believe I have a good idea of what is said.

I don't care what poster X has to say.

Poster X has no idea how to debate, or lacks a fundamental appreciation of logic.

Poster X has difficulty expressing himself, which includes being long winded.

It's someone I have on "ignore." Currently there are two of you. :p:p

.


 
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metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
If you are at least now and then in the habit of skipping over some people's posts, why do you do so?
Because I can reluctantly accept the fact that there's oil & water, plus I was reading an article by the Dalai Lama several years ago that said that sometimes it's best to avoid certain people if continuing a relationship causes more harm than good.

Most people I put on ignore I only do so for a few days or so, but there's about 3 or 4 that I have on permanent ignore. It's not that these are bad people but that I tend to overreact to some of their posts.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
1. Topic of no interest.
2. Waaaaaay too long.
3. Member (I'm in effect new here so this has hardly happened yet, but on past experience it will of course). I try not to put anyone on Ignore if only for entertainment purposes.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
But why do you (if you do) almost always skip over some people's posts?

A few reasons

Text walls blind me. I can't cope with blocks of text of more than 8 or 10 lines. This quite obviously will mean i miss some interesting posts but that's life.

It could be on a subject that does not interest me. In that case, no loss

Or the poster displays a high order of deliberate ignorance, meaning its better to skip than get frustrated

Or I simply do not understand the posters way of thinking and so the post makes absolutely no sense to me.

There are more but most are mentioned in posts above and flogging a dead horse is one of the more
 

A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
Walls of text don't bother me. I'll either read through them, or if I pick up a certain vibe, I might skim them, and then look back if I get something wrong, or the poster ends up calling out some specific complaint about my reply.

I mostly skip things when I know from prior experience that the poster has what I consider to be messy thoughts, can't make sense to save their life, or the individual post is comprised mostly of a string of scripture quotes.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Walls of text don't bother me. I'll either read through them, or if I pick up a certain vibe, I might skim them, and then look back if I get something wrong, or the poster ends up calling out some specific complaint about my reply.

I mostly skip things when I know from prior experience that the poster has what I consider to be messy thoughts, can't make sense to save their life, or the individual post is comprised mostly of a string of scripture quotes.
You must be young, intelligent, & have good eyesight.
Not all of us are so afflicted.
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
I'm not at all adverse to long posts (walls of text) provided I see some glimmer of a well-argued theme. (And no, @Revoltingest I'm neither young nor have good eyesight. I do, however, have excellent spectacles. I'll avoid any comment on how I see my intelligence.)

I avoid posts niggling about religious minutiae (angels on pinheads, et filius versus filioque, etc.).

I avoid posts on topics I'm not interested in (sports, celebrities, etc.)

And I avoid posts by people trying to find yet one more way to argue against what's already been proven, for no other reason than to make their religious nonsense inerrant. It's errant...get over it.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
I don't ignore specific people. I do, however, ignore whole topics.
 

Watchmen

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Text walls, regardless of the source, are a big no no for me. Zero interest. I simply don’t have the time for extended conversations here. I like posts that are short and to the point.

I skip over posts of people I just don’t find credible based on past experience.

I skip over posts of those I’ve deemed “haters.” but I need to be careful with that. I’ve found that someone I vehemently disagree with in one particular topic I might actually align with on another topic. It always fascinated me when that happens and reminds me I need to step back and remember we’re all human wand we all have a variety of opinions. It’s also my hope that at our core, we’re all capable of tolerance, respect, and kindness.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I skip now and then because it's either a topic I'm not very interested in, or I simply don't understand what the person is saying. Especially true of posts that are comprised of unrelated sentences and words that are not even coherent in the slightest making any kind of conversation virtually impossible.

I'm also not very big on mindless quoting of scriptures devoid of any personal commentary that would go along with those copy and paste postings.
 
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