# Do you start threads, or just respond? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2000, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665 "2000-10-04T19:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/1 "2000-10-04T19:33:32Z")
Or equal parts of both? Myself, I hardly EVER start posts (this one being an exception, obviously). Even if I have a burning question, I’m happy to wait until someone else asks the same thing. Anyone else hate starting threads? Anyone start more threads than they respond to? ---
**Author:** ![tatertot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@tatertot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tatertot)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/2 "2000-10-04T19:41:58Z")
I like starting threads, but I resist starting one on every little thing that comes into my mind. I’m sure I reply to way more threads than I respond to, but I’m too lazy too figure out the proportion. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/3 "2000-10-04T19:56:13Z")
I don’t start many new threads. About half the threads I’ve started have dropped like stones. A handful were wildly successful and fun, but not terribly many. I often have trouble staying on top of threads. My reading and posting is sporadic and that makes it difficult to keep a thread on track. I’ve resigned myself to replies. I try hard to avoid committing too many drive-by postings, but they do happen. My new favorite game is to play the role of chum, attracting bigger fish and sharks over in GD and GQ by posting less than brilliant replies to threads that I find interesting but lack the knowledge necessary to effectively address. This works particularly well when I arrange things to appear as if I was the one with all the brilliant insights and the actual Smart Guys[sup]TM[/sup] just came along to round out the details. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/4 "2000-10-04T20:10:26Z")
I NEVER respond to threads initiated by others than myself. Never have, never will. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/5 "2000-10-04T20:32:36Z")
I really enjoy starting threads, especially when they rise to a ten to one view/post ratio. I’ve had some get up to twenty to one. That’s when you know that you’ve got the boards community thinking (or, in the case of my “Winning Fart” thread, laughing). I also reply to any thread I think merits it. This is what makes this place so enjoyable to hang out at. For all of you who just lurk, try starting a thread sometime. Choice of subject and stance gives all of us a better grasp of who you are and what you’re about. [hijack] I sure as Hades wish that more of you would post to my [Ultimate Recipe Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=39219) more. It’s a lot of hard work keeping that thread alive. If any of you try my recipes, you will see just how delicious they are. [/hijack] But enough of that hijack and back to the main point. When you start a thread you really tell us something about yourself. If you are a first time thread starter, feel free to email me and I will visit your thread and post there to sustain your thread a bit. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/6 "2000-10-04T20:34:09Z")
Me neither. And I will also never respond to someone else’s denial of responding to someone else’s thread. Never have, never will. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/7 "2000-10-04T21:01:31Z")
I don’t start very many threads. I bet the number is less than a dozen or so. Usually there are enough out there to respond to that I don’t get around to posting a new one. Plus, my track record isn’t great. I’ve had one successful thread (just last week as a matter of fact) but the others all sank like a stone. ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/8 "2000-10-04T23:32:02Z")
I guess I respond more than start threads. Though, what I find interesting is why some people’s names are just \* turn offs \* to even opening the thread at all. I also hate opening a thread, and it turns out to be something other than what I thought, and I feel stuck. I hate putting a “false” ‘view’ without responding. I’m not sure why, kinda like letting the 'conversational ball fall on the ground! ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/9 "2000-10-04T23:48:42Z")
Over the past year, I’ve started maybe two dozen threads, with an average post count for them of about 5. So I gave up starting them and now just respond. I guess if I came up with a good question I’d post it in GQ if I couldn’t find the answer on my own. (One I asked there got zero replies.) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2000, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/10 "2000-10-04T23:49:26Z")
And I’ve started exactly 19 threads (more than I thought). I believe I have somewhere between 750 and 800 posts. While I was searching I should have looked at the average number of responses to threads I start. Probably something like 15 or less. That’s why I don’t start them. ---
**Author:** ![sk8rixtx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@sk8rixtx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sk8rixtx)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/11 "2000-10-05T00:17:39Z")
I work it both ways baby… ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/12 "2000-10-05T01:27:38Z")
I mostly reply. Unless I have something in particular to say, and then I’ll start a thread of my own. I have no problems with starting threads, but I don’t usually have anything interesting to say. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/13 "2000-10-05T01:39:18Z")
Geez **hypergirl** , with all that double spacing, your sig line’s almost as big as mine! What’s a self aggrandizing son of a buck to do? ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/14 "2000-10-05T01:53:29Z")
Mostly I reply to other people threads, but I have started a grand total of about 10 after being here a month or so. My first couple got minimal response. I actually summoned the courage to start a GD thread the other day, and it’s about to hit 100 posts and has over 1000 views, so I think I’m getting better. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/15 "2000-10-05T02:02:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by porcupine \* > \*\*Mostly I reply to other people threads, but I have started a grand total of about 10 after being here a month or so. My first couple got minimal response. I actually summoned the courage to start a GD thread the other day, and it’s about to hit 100 posts and has over 1000 views, so I think I’m getting better. \*\* Hey my spiney friend. You are **so** welcome here it ain’t funny. _(Keep posting your great threads!)_ ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/16 "2000-10-05T02:03:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > **[hijack] I sure as Hades wish that more of you would post to my [Ultimate Recipe Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=39219) more. It’s a lot of hard work keeping that thread alive. If any of you try my recipes, you will see just how delicious they are. [/hijack]** If you’re interested in a bit of avuncular advice, **Zenster,** I think you should drop that thread and start one entitled something along the lines of \*\*I Like Pie. \*\* I LOVE recipe threads and drop into a lot of them to argue and wrangle and swap ideas, but the thought of ONE THREAD covering EVERYTHING is exhausting. I don’t know if the latest recipe is going to be for Caesar Salad or Canard a l’Orange or Fudge Brownies. And if your mouth is all set for a brownie and you get lamb shanks braised in sherry vinegar…well, you know. You should be more like **me,** in fact. See how fabulously my thread on Henry Darger is doing? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/17 "2000-10-05T02:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\* > You should be more like **me,** in fact. See how fabulously my thread on Henry Darger is doing? \*\* Uke, don’t be so modest. You know you were the starter of the thread to end all threads. A small little thread called “Guy Stuff”. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/18 "2000-10-05T02:24:31Z")
No, that was **UncleBeer.** His humor tends to be more…uh, earthy…than mine. Casual, urbane sophistication, with a wry twinkle in the eye: that’s me. Guy Stuff: that’s **Unc.** – Ukulele Ike, the Other Guy Whose Name Starts With “U” ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/19 "2000-10-05T02:39:28Z")
Search first, post second. ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2000, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665/20 "2000-10-05T02:45:26Z")
I post and start threads, but save my Threadkiller Contest, pretty much all of my threads meet horrible, horrible ends. Is anybody listening? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-start-threads-or-just-respond/35665.md?page=2)