# Do you read very long threads in their entirety before posting? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814 "2005-11-19T17:24:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/1 "2005-11-19T17:24:08Z")
I read the Pit a lot, and most of the time, the threads run four pages or more. I’ll check out the first page or so, and if I see something relevant I want to post about, I’ll say, “Sorry for the slight hijack. I didn’t read the entire thread. But what is…?” Does anyone else do this? Is it an assholish thing to do? I could clearly never be a mod…my eyes would start bleeding after reading the first couple of multi-page threads. Adam ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/2 "2005-11-19T17:32:36Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > …most of the time, the threads run four pages or more. Make that “many times.” Adam ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/3 "2005-11-19T17:33:03Z")
I almost always do. It is the most responsible thing to do because it really stands out if you make a point that had been stated, debated, and resolved three pages ago. Repeat jokes are also a lame and clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/4 "2005-11-19T17:47:31Z")
I’ll at least skim the thread to try to make sure the thing I have to say hasn’t already been said or asked. But if a thread has been going on for multiple pages by the time I get to it, the longer it is the less likely I am to want to take the time to get involved in it. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/5 "2005-11-19T17:50:26Z")
I usually read the whole thread before posting. I have found, however, that sometimes it’s more entertaining to read the OP and then skip to the last page before going back and reading the whole thing. It’s fun to see where hijacks went. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/6 "2005-11-19T17:51:35Z")
I always read the whole thing, but I may not read it too carefully. If someone says something that I think should be challanged, I check to make sure no one else has said it. I also check to make sure the thread hasn’t gone in a different direction. In a Pit thread, I won’t post if it looks like the thread is ready to die peacefully. In “suggest a…” threads I’ll check to see if someone has contributed my suggestion. I’ll contribute this and so hasten the inevitable onslaught of posters claiming to have not read past the first page. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/7 "2005-11-19T18:35:04Z")
I try to read all the replies before posting. However, sometimes a post seems to sneak right by me. I read them all, preview, post–and only then see that someone posted the exact same thing 2 pages ago! Damn! Where was that sneaky post earlier? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/8 "2005-11-19T18:37:13Z")
I have been guilty of not reading the entire thread prior to posting, but it annoys me no end when someone does that, so I really do try to read before posting. If the thread is too long for me to do that, I don’t participate. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/9 "2005-11-19T20:16:03Z")
If the thread is short, say under four pages, and there’s something I want to respond to, I’ll read the entire thread to see if someone else already said what I was thinking. If not, or if I think I can add something, I’ll go ahead and post. In a longer thread, I’ll start out to read the whole thing. If I’m still interested in it by the time I hit the end and I have something I want to post, I’ll do it. Otherwise, why bother? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/10 "2005-11-19T20:20:59Z")
Wait, I’m new here… You’re supposed to _read_ before you post? ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/11 "2005-11-19T20:51:07Z")
Nope. If a thread is longer than about 20 posts, I almost never contribute to it. (Exceptions made for when I contributed early on, but then I’ve read it in pieces). Really long threads I refuse to read carefully enough to figure out whether my post is likely to be repetitive or original. I don’t like posts that start out “I haven’t read the whole thread”–smacks of “My time is more valuable than your time” (also posts I read that start that way very rarely have enough original content to justify my bothering to read beyond the disclaimer). This ends my holier than thou post for today. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/12 "2005-11-19T20:57:41Z")
Almost always. If it’s a survey or poll-style thread, then sometimes I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/13 "2005-11-19T22:03:42Z")
I’ll usually try to read as much as I can, but I’ll admit to skimming over lots of it. If I have something to say about the topic, I’ll use the search function to see if it’s already been brought up, so I don’t look stupid. Normally, though, I don’t open threads that are more than 2 pages long already, unless it’s a _fascinating_ topic. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/14 "2005-11-19T22:14:22Z")
Rarely. Often if the thread is very long I just skip posting, unless I have an opinion that I want to contribute. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/15 "2005-11-19T22:39:00Z")
> [@MaddyStrut](#): > > I try to read all the replies before posting. However, sometimes a post seems to sneak right by me. I read them all, preview, post–and only then see that someone posted the exact same thing 2 pages ago! Damn! Where was that sneaky post earlier? That happens to me to - usually it’s because I’ve gone scroll crazy. I’ll find a whole block of three or five posts that I missed first time through. I try to read every post, now more than before. If I think of a [del]dumb joke[/del] incisive witticism, I skim real fast to make sure it hasn’t been done, post my comment, then go back and read more thoroughly. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/16 "2005-11-19T23:17:01Z")
Fuck that, I don’t even read OPs or thread titles. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/17 "2005-11-19T23:31:03Z")
Even if I have something insightful to say, I look at a 3-page thread and think, “Nobody’s going to read my post at the end of 3 pages.” So, I don’t post. ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/18 "2005-11-20T00:08:59Z")
I don’t read very fast but I read every post in a thread. Once I am done, either what I want to say has already been said or the thread has already died. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/19 "2005-11-20T00:15:21Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > I read the Pit a lot, and most of the time, the threads run four pages or more. I’ll check out the first page … ugh! forget it! next time give me the Reader;s Digest version. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814/20 "2005-11-20T05:30:48Z")
If it’s a long thread (more than one full page) I will usually read the first few posts thoroughly and then keep reading as long as the posts hold my interest. If I start to lose interest I will start skimming a little. If the thread devolves into something that no longer interests me at all then I will skip the rest of the posts altogether and I won’t even post at that point since the post I would have made would not fit in with the continuity of the thread. If I want to make a specific contribution to a thread (such as a thread in CS asking for examples of songs that fit the OP’s criteria), I will check via a find (CTRL+F on IE) to see if someone has already mentioned it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-read-very-long-threads-in-their-entirety-before-posting/331814.md?page=2)