# A poster's join date doesn't invalidate/validate their position **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 13, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605 "2014-03-13T12:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/21 "2014-03-13T15:22:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > There are more Irish folk in the US than in Ireland. 😛 Those are all plastic paddies. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/22 "2014-03-13T15:25:05Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I love how newbies like the OP think they can just march in here and tell us how Board culture \*should \*be. > > He hasn’t even been here a full 12 years, people. Would you mind putting an extra coat of wax on before bringing the Bentley out front, newbie? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/23 "2014-03-13T15:31:01Z")
Bad posters aren’t being insulted because of the date they joined. What’s actually being implied is _“How does an idiot like you manage to last of this board? Oh, I see, you haven’t lasted on this board. You just joined yesterday. So I can assume you’ll go away or be banned within a day or two and this just happens be the one week that you’re a poster on this board.”_ We’re not saying all new posters are bad. We’re just saying that posters who are bad tend to eliminate themselves in the first month. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/24 "2014-03-13T15:37:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Would you mind putting an extra coat of wax on before bringing the Bentley out front, newbie? Yes sir. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/25 "2014-03-13T15:59:12Z")
Yeah, not all new posters are bad, but far, far too often a peddler or facilitator of woo, spouters of over the top rhetoric, bad spellers or users of almost unreadable grammar will magically juxtapose with a very recent join date. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/26 "2014-03-13T16:04:23Z")
I just brought the join date up in another thread: I was doing it because I thought the guy was a troll or sock. I’m sorry, it is suspicious when you just joined up this month and jump straight into a contentious topic, especially if you are using arguments that have been used before in similar threads. Especially when you post in a way to try and stir up an argument that isn’t quite happening yet. Plus, in this case, it was in the Pit, so it was the first time I’d been able to directly say anything. And I’d been having a bad day, and wanted to let off some steam on an appropriate target. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/27 "2014-03-13T16:11:48Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Ahh, you youngsters that joined after 1999. You still have so much to learn. Cute, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/28 "2014-03-13T16:33:56Z")
Too many threads are started by newbie fools thinking this is their place to hold forth. Frankly if we had a simple ‘can’t start threads until you’ve had 5 posts’ rule would got a long way towards eliminating that. Then you need to show you can participate in a discussion before starting one. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/29 "2014-03-13T16:34:15Z")
I don’t dismiss anyone’s post on the basis of their join date. I just enjoy the correlation between crazy-assed posting and brand new poster. In my book, you earn the right to snark with your first post. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Okay, forget the join date. I still get to dismiss anyone who links to a YouTube video, right? Absolutely not! The ability to link to a YouTube video signifies great knowledge that must be respected (for instance, [this video](http://www.youtube.com/user/earthling1984?v=P7LRZkIjtl8) proves that Obama is a Muslim alien). ---
**Author:** ![Peaton\_of\_peat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecae2f/32.png) [@Peaton\_of\_peat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peaton_of_peat)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/30 "2014-03-13T16:38:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think it’s worth noting when someone posts something really outrageous. It’s a way of reminding other posters that they may not want to waste much time debating the person. And seriously, this MB is _waaaaaaay_ too troll friendly if you ask me. This is absolutely, 100% true. People, not everybody argues in good faith. Take a moment to figure out if somebody isn’t acting in good faith before you spend hours trying to refute them. Choosing not to respond to something outrageous does not make the outrageous thing seem more plausible, it’s the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/31 "2014-03-13T17:15:57Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Those are all plastic paddies. So, they’re No True Irishmen? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/32 "2014-03-13T17:58:01Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Too many threads are started by newbie fools thinking this is their place to hold forth. Frankly if we had a simple ‘can’t start threads until you’ve had 5 posts’ rule would got a long way towards eliminating that. Then you need to show you can participate in a discussion before starting one. Hell, no. Do you really think the nutcases would follow the rules? They’re on a Mission from God. So if they couldn’t start a new thread, they’d just post their screed in an existing thread on some unrelated topic. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/33 "2014-03-13T17:59:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think it’s worth noting when someone posts something really outrageous. It’s a way of reminding other posters that they may not want to waste much time debating the person. And seriously, this MB is _waaaaaaay_ too troll friendly if you ask me. But trolls are fun. You can poke them with sticks and they make noises. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/34 "2014-03-13T18:36:01Z")
Trolls can be fun. What’s annoying is the idiots who just post a screed and vanish, and their fellow-travelers who only post Youtube links. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/35 "2014-03-13T18:39:03Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > A recent join date doesn’t invalidate _factual_ positions, but it does get my back up when some rank newb starts [aggressively lecturing me on my tone and motives for posting](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17189898&postcount=75) in GD. Seasoned with “I’m not impressed” snark, at that. Snark’s something you have to _earn_ a right to, IMNSHO. I agree with this. I don’t mind going toe-to-toe with someone based on the merits of their posts. But if someone’s going to acccuse of me having, say, white guilt because they assume we’re all a bunch of white guys, this is going to annoy me. I’m likely to tell them to go sit their brand new ass down somewhere until they can figure out who’s who. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/36 "2014-03-13T19:02:31Z")
While I agree that it doesn’t invalidate factual positions\*, it is incredibly common for new people to do stupid shit on this board (usually because they failed to lurk first and learn the culture and rules) and pointing at their join date is a legitimate point to make. - Nor does making spelling or grammar errors, as at least one asshole on this board likes to think. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/37 "2014-03-13T20:05:12Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Oh, how long do I have to be active here before I can turn my snark up to 11? > [@running\_coach](#): > > There’s an opening for an interview with the Snark Committee on Oct. 22, 2021. Shall I pencil you in? Hey, that’d be great, m’kay. And after you’ve done that, may I borrow your pencil? I just thought of something I’d like to do with it. 😉 Sometimes an “evil grin” smiley would be really useful. Or an “angel”/“not me” one. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/38 "2014-03-13T20:08:25Z")
Remember - you can defeat both the Golden Age and the Silver Age Green Lanterns with a #2 pencil. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/39 "2014-03-13T20:43:06Z")
SDMB loves being a shrill aspie hugbox that finds any and every way to establish status. Join date is one of them. -If a new member posts a dumb question/post in June, there will be a heap of people who post stuff like “Whelp, looks like school’s out” :rolleyes: -If a new member asks a weirdly specific question in September those same people will say, “Do your own homework, Plebe” :rolleyes: -People love being the first in a circlejerk over whether a new poster is a sock/troll/spammer. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605/40 "2014-03-13T20:53:34Z")
Well, we do actually get a lot of students wanting us to do their homework for them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-posters-join-date-doesnt-invalidate-validate-their-position/683605.md?page=3)