What types of threads do you find most interesting?

[Boyo Jim]

I love the whackos. In real life I rarely encounter people who openly espouse whacko ideas, or reach bizarre conclusions, or make incomprehensible decisions on little to no evidence. And when I do encounter them, I shy away. I don't want to engage them in the real world because I don't want to mistakenly push a button that sets them off in some even scarier way.

I thought some about whether to avoid the idea of being scared of people whose mental stability I question. But there's no getting around it. In the real world, I am afraid of being in the vicinity of what I judge to be bizarre behavior, because I don't understand it and I don't know what the limits of the bizarreness might turn out to be.

But the SDMB can be like a petting zoo for fruitcakes. I am safe from them. I can even poke and prod at them, and watch others poking an prodding, and observe the responses without any sense of personal danger. And I usually end up concluding that even if I had these conversations at home or office, the person is not so deranged that they are a physical danger to me.

Conspiracy theorists seem to be the most common whacko posters, though in many ways they seem the least "threatening". The good news about these folks is that most have not crossed a line into paranoia. They are willing to accept our skepticism as ignorance rather than evidence that we are part of the conspiracy that concerns them.

[devilsknew]

I think that is a pretty clinical view prejudiced by modern Psycho- Babble therapeutic , psychological, institutionalized, and militarized or at the very least adversarial views. You're the fucking sociopath.... why would I even acknowledge your psychobabble... more afraid of you than most in the system.

[ivan astikov]

An interesting way of looking at it, Boyo Jim.

A far less aggressive and knee-jerk reaction than the average one from your typical "skeptic".

I might lean towards a bit of "woo" on occasion, but I'm not that far down the rabbit hole that it is impinging on my life, as some on here would love to believe. I'm know I'm not a dummy, despite what my detractors on this site would like others to think( It seems obvious they want to influence the thoughts of others, otherwise, they'd be keeping their own thoughts to themself, and ignoring the alleged troll in their midst, rather than feeding it.), so people can try and insult my intelligence, but they find out I can give just as good as I get very quickly.

In answer to the thread title, I have no specific interests on this board, but I know I spend more time reading than I do posting. Which unfortunately, cannot be said for some posters.

[Boyo Jim]

Originally Posted by devilsknew

I think that is a pretty clinical view prejudiced by modern Psycho- Babble therapeutic , psychological, institutionalized, and militarized or at the very least adversarial views. You're the fucking sociopath.... why would I even acknowledge your psychobabble... more afraid of you than most in the system.

I already love this thread.

[Nature's Call]

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

But the SDMB can be like a petting zoo for fruitcakes.

Whenever the tagline "Fighting ignorance since 1973" is retired, I nominate some form of this quote as its replacement!

[Green Bean]

One thing I've noticed is that any thread with a title like "Am I being a jerk?" very quickly gets lots of views and responses.

Example: This recent thread, Is this being overly manipulative?, hit 50 posts within about 5 hours. I don't know how many views it got, but I bet it was an awful lot.

My hypothesis: People tend to open these types of threads because it's almost certain that the OP will include a good story.

[Maastricht]

I love threads that show me what is and isn't proper behavior in a situation. especially when a situation is described from the point of the wrongdoer, it is fascinating to wonder if I have ever used the same excuse or rationaliszation. If I have, I read on while my ears redden with relief that I am not the one that gets all the reproaches. And I vow never ever to make that mistake again.

On the other hand, sometimes in such threads I don't see the error of the OP's ways, or mine. Those are even more interesting, pondering if I am I right and everybody else is wrong is some way, or.... not.

[Procrustus]

I gravitate to threads about blow jobs. Seriously, though, I find it fascinating that many of my firm convictions are just plainly wrong. One recent example, I didn't think there were people who wanted to smoke pot but didn't because it was illegal. I figured that people did or didn't smoke because of their own reasons, regardless of the law. Turns out I was wrong.

[Boyo Jim]

Originally Posted by Maastricht

I love threads that show me what is and isn't proper behavior in a situation. especially when a situation is described from the point of the wrongdoer, it is fascinating to wonder if I have ever used the same excuse or rationaliszation. If I have, I read on while my ears redden with relief that I am not the one that gets all the reproaches. And I vow never ever to make that mistake again.

On the other hand, sometimes in such threads I don't see the error of the OP's ways, or mine. Those are even more interesting, pondering if I am I right and everybody else is wrong is some way, or.... not.

Yeah, I like these too. Especially the ones where almost everyone piles on the OP for some bad behavior and the OP is going "Wuh? I did nothing wrong", and goes on to explain why it was ok to act like an ass, and then everyone jumps on THAT explanation, and the OP goes, "Wuh?..."

[silenus]

Originally Posted by Green Bean

One thing I've noticed is that any thread with a title like "Am I being a jerk?" very quickly gets lots of views and responses.

99% of the time, the answer to questions like that is "Of course!" and the thread is irrelevant because the OP is just seeking justification rather than enlightenment. But they can still be fun trainwrecks.

[Zeldar]

I like threads like this one that delve into what might be called meta-thread territory. The mechanics of what makes a thread good, fun, amusing, tantalizing, popular, and all that, have appealed to me off and on since I got here. I have even started such threads and am pleased when more than one or two others climb aboard for a wild ride into that region of thought and opinion.

But my very favorite threads are the one that start innocently with some typo or misused grammar or quirky turn of phrase that sets off a veritable shitstorm of point-counterpoint and name-calling that is all played at just the level above bannable offenses.

The world-famous Rock in a Box -- I Burning Your Dog thread is a prime example.

[Nzinga, Seated]

I love, love, love a trainwreck, particularly if it is bringing out all of the funny posters.

I hate when a really good trainwreck is revving up, and then in pops a bunch of posters, taking things wayyyy too seriously, piling up on one poster with all sorts of personal crap. Sucks the fun right out of the thread.

[Oakminster]

I like the really offbeat stuff, like the Goat Catapult thread, where people apply semi-serious thought to something like how to catapult a goat for maximum range and accuracy.

[Boyo Jim]

Did anyone note that you need a dead goat? A live goat will thrash around and throw off trajectory calculations.

[Oakminster]

As I recall, there was some thought given to how to maintain structural integrity on the goat, possibly by sabot-ing it with something.

[Boyo Jim]

That does make more sense. It's more important to have a rigid goat than a dead one. What matters most for predictions is an unchanging shape in the airflow,

[JohnT]

How do you prevent goat tumbling? Given its shape, you would think that wind resistance would be unequal, resulting in tumbling. That, too, can throw off your calculations.

[silenus]

Did you know that Googling "streamlined goat" gives you absolutely zero useful information?

[JohnT]

"Goat Tumbling" garnered 1.5 million hits, but alas, none of them useful in settling this Very Important Question.

[PsyXe]

Mwahaha. I like:
Threads with funny stories
Threads with streamlined goats

I generally don't like the "am I being a jerk" threads because quite often I agree with the OP. And even when I don't, and think he is, indeed, a jerk, I end up feeling sorry for him because I don't like seeing pile-ons.

[Boyo Jim]

Originally Posted by JohnT

How do you prevent goat tumbling? Given its shape, you would think that wind resistance would be unequal, resulting in tumbling. That, too, can throw off your calculations.

I think I have been conflating goat catapults with goat artillery. A goat sabot may work with goat artillery, but not with a catapult.

The only thing that I can think of for stable goat ammunition for a catapult would be to crush it into a sphere and freeze dry in that shape. It would probably still rotate or tumble, but it would always present the same shape to the onrushing air. Perhaps to be even a bit more stable, we should shave the spherical goat corpse, because the hair on one side might be either puffed out or pushed down by the wind depending on the direction the hair would normally lie against the skin.

Now... goat artillery on the other hand...

A goat sabot is a shell you put around a goat (or some other projectile). It engages the rifling in the barrell, and a rotating shell is more stable as it passes through the air.

Now as I understand it, usually sabot shells pop off the projectile immediately after leaving the barrell. Presumably once they impart the spin, they are little more than dead weight and drag which slows the projectile down. BUT, if releasing a goat sabot would allow the goat to, er... spring out into a natural goat shape, keeping the sabot intact until the very end of the flight would probably be a better choice. Or you might go the whole crush, shape and freeze-dry route, so the goat would retain a predictable aerodynamic shape once the sabot is gone.

Oh, yeah, I love these threads too. I remember a very good one about launching bacon to the moon. Or maybe it was bacon re-entering earth's atmosphere from orbit.

[SenorBeef]

Originally Posted by ivan astikov

An interesting way of looking at it, Boyo Jim.

A far less aggressive and knee-jerk reaction than the average one from your typical "skeptic".

I might lean towards a bit of "woo" on occasion, but I'm not that far down the rabbit hole that it is impinging on my life, as some on here would love to believe. I'm know I'm not a dummy, despite what my detractors on this site would like others to think( It seems obvious they want to influence the thoughts of others, otherwise, they'd be keeping their own thoughts to themself, and ignoring the alleged troll in their midst, rather than feeding it.), so people can try and insult my intelligence, but they find out I can give just as good as I get very quickly.

.... lol


I will leave it at this.

[Superhal]

I love wit, that's why I rarely bother with Great Debates or the Pit.

[Boyo Jim]

Originally Posted by Superhal

I love wit, that's why I rarely bother with Great Debates or the Pit.

Some of the very funniest stuff is in the Pit during a trainwreck/asskicking.

[Heffalump and Roo]

Originally Posted by Zeldar

I like threads like this one that delve into what might be called meta-thread territory. The mechanics of what makes a thread good, fun, amusing, tantalizing, popular, and all that, have appealed to me off and on since I got here.

Me too! When I saw the thread title, I was salivating at the prospect of getting into meta-thread territory and analyzing it for fun.

Then I read the OP. . . and was disappointed.

I'd love to see more meta-thread threads. Zeldar, I'll look for your threads, but I haven't noticed threads like that getting much action here generally.

[Oakminster]

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

I think I have been conflating goat catapults with goat artillery.

I was mistaken. The thread I had in mind was Do they make PVC big enough to launch a goat out of?

[olivesmarch4th]

I love threads with introspective OPs reflecting on their own life's meaning, changes in identity or personal growth moments. I find it fascinating the way people deal with adversity in different ways, the way they self-sabotage or overcome based on attitude and environment. I love the philosophy, spirituality, psychology, sexuality, and anecdote threads. Anything personal and relatable will interest me. If we can connect around a shared experience, that's best of all.

I also love the Pit, because it's so over the top. The irreverent flaming is fun, but my favorite Pit threads are the ones where people get real with one another, and develop a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. It totally reinforces my belief that conflict can be healthy and productive.

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by Heffalump and Roo

I'd love to see more meta-thread threads. Zeldar, I'll look for your threads, but I haven't noticed threads like that getting much action here generally.

This one might give you a few laughs: Anyone recall this classified ad from the Times?

Most fun I've had in a thread in quite a while. Sparsely populated but a blast for the few involved.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

I like threads that make me go "WHA?!?" but they can be infuriating, too. Cafe Society has a lot of these threads. For instance, almost any thread about the US version of The Office cracks me up. Some people take it *so* very seriously and will want to argue about what this one did or that one did that would get them fired as if it is a PBS documentary. They'll declare "That's the last time I'm watching this show!" and next week they're right back in the thread as outraged as ever.

[Gagundathar]

I really enjoy threads that focus on how incredibly interesting *I* am and how fortunate everyone is that I have deigned to join this board.

.........

What?

........

<cue crickets>

..........

Is this mike on?

[gytalf2000]

I really enjoy threads about animals and animal behavior. I remember watching Marlin Perkins "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" as a child, and read lots of books about the natural kingdom. However, in the last twenty years or so, my memory has taken a nosedive, so I will often ask the Straight Dope questions about our furry animal friends.

[Really Not All That Bright]

Anything involving sex.

[Boyo Jim]

The ones about a lack of sex can be pretty entertaining too.

[The Devil's Grandmother]

I like Skald the Rhymer's theory threads, "was I a jerk" threads, and threads involving the cute antics of animals. I also really like threads that calmly discuss the differences between men and women, or give me a manly perspective on things.

[Boyo Jim]

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.

I love threads where someone says, "Hey, look at THIS!", and it's a link to some strange video, or a new game, or an interesting news story.

In the RW, I have a reputation of knowing something about everything, and always being on top of current events. Half the anecdotes I spout out there are things that someone here has led me to.

[EvilTOJ]

I love the thought experiment ones, like figuring out how much power the Death Star actually uses, what the solar system would be like if it were made of candy, and the previous conversation about goat flinging. Runners up are threads with Recreational Outrage (which my friends think is hilarious that I use that term IRL), poll threads and threads that have been hijacked, flown to Cuba, landed, then hijacked again. For a hilarious drama fix I love reading ATMB because everyone's so petty and Serious.