# Ever go into a thread just to see why it has so many replies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872 "2007-04-12T22:43:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/1 "2007-04-12T22:43:19Z")
I’ve avoided threads for a while, based on the title, only to become intrigued as to why said thread keeps getting back to the top of the page. Sometimes I am rewarded by the thread having taken some humorous tangent. Sometimes it’s just gotten ugly. Current example: “The Thing’s Dick” thread. Sillyness. How about you? Ever had the experience. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/2 "2007-04-12T22:46:33Z")
Absolutely. This is especially likely in GQ, if I think I know the answer–not well enough to answer, but well enough to not need to read the thread to find out. Rare in GD–either I’m intrigued enough to follow along from the beginning, or I’m not. Sporadic in other fora. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/3 "2007-04-12T22:50:16Z")
I tend to do that when it’s a [Jerry Seinfeld]“Jever wonder . . .”[/Jerry Seinfeld] thread. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/4 "2007-04-12T23:06:35Z")
Depends. There are some that have titles that I have passed over and only to notice later that the thread has extended into several pages. Then I’ll look in, see that I missed out an interesting discussion but can’t reply since another poster will have already stolen the same response I would have submitted only they did it first. (Make sense?) I usually avoid the multiple-page threads that are more akin to post padding -not going to give any examples. And lastly I know I’m not the only one who is drawn irrevocably toward threads that have been locked, the temptation too great to miss out on a quick peek on spectacularly hi-jacked threads that spiral out of control and end with the requisite name-calling and the occasional threat of bodily harm. My favorite remains the Sean Astin thread of many moons ago that I won’t provide a link for. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/5 "2007-04-13T02:37:34Z")
[QUOTE=minlokwat] And lastly I know I’m not the only one who is drawn irrevocably toward threads that have been locked, the temptation too great to miss out on a quick peek on spectacularly hi-jacked threads that spiral out of control and end with the requisite name-calling and the occasional threat of bodily harm. [/QUOTE] Absolutely. And it’s always so disappointing when it turns out it was just a zombie thread. ☹ Sometimes I’ll check out a thread because of its large number of replies, and sometimes I’ll avoid a thread for the very same reason. It all balances out in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/6 "2007-04-13T02:43:09Z")
A pit thread that’s gone past 3 pages in 24 hours? Yeah, I’ll go peek at page 4 to see what fetid bile is leaking out of the wrecked train cars ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/7 "2007-04-13T16:45:26Z")
Yeah… this one. What’s that? This is not the Department of Obvious Jokes? Oh, forgive me. I seem to have lost my way. ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/8 "2007-04-13T16:49:21Z")
I think I must have undiagnosed ADD because I do the opposite. I always read the posts with the least replies first. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/9 "2007-04-13T17:04:00Z")
[QUOTE=Mbossa] Sometimes I’ll check out a thread because of its large number of replies, and sometimes I’ll avoid a thread for the very same reason. It all balances out in the end. [/QUOTE] Same here. I’ll often avoid a thread with lots of replies and a subject of neutral interest as I feel that it’s not interesting enough to read through pages of posts. It may have been interesting enough for a read when it was short, and I may have posted then too. I’ll generally hold back from posting to a long thread either because what I had to say had already been said or the thread has drifted or I feel my input will be swallowed up and forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/10 "2007-04-13T17:26:03Z")
Threads are like movies. The ideal length of both is about 1.5 to 2 (pages/hours). Any longer than that and I start to lose interest. Train wrecks are to be avoided at all costs. I don’t unsderstand people who seem to thrive on the blood and bile of others. If I’ve already posted to a thread that ends up going past three pages, I’ll unsubscribe so I can stop the non-stop e-mail notifications. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/11 "2007-04-13T17:28:46Z")
Threads in ATMB titled _test_ or _Do Not Reply_ tend to catch my eye. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/12 "2007-04-13T17:30:50Z")
About the only ones that catch my eye are closed threads. Nothing makes me open a thread quicker. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/13 "2007-04-13T17:31:12Z")
I’m pretty sure I clicked on the “Lying Whore” thread for that reason. I get curious about some of the popular ones, but unless I to post in the discussion early, I rarely have the patience to read three or four pages of replies. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/14 "2007-04-13T17:51:36Z")
I hate long threads. It’s usually either a pissing contest or a post party. I usually avoid them for that reason. It’s truly irksome that these circle jerks are always clogging up the “New Posts” when I’m looking for fresh content. I’ve said this before; I wish there was an “ignore thread” feature where threads you choose to ignore won’t come up on the “New Posts” search. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/15 "2007-04-13T17:53:38Z")
The only one I remember doing so was the infamous sheep one. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/16 "2007-04-13T18:19:14Z")
In the past, I sometimes looked at threads on topics I’d normally avoid, just to see what all the fuss was about, and why there were so many replies. It was always a mistake. Invariably, it turned out there were two bozos engaged in a long, long exchange of insults, which inflated the number of replies. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-go-into-a-thread-just-to-see-why-it-has-so-many-replies/399872/17 "2007-04-13T20:59:30Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] I think I must have undiagnosed ADD because I do the opposite. I always read the posts with the least replies first. [/QUOTE] I go for the ones with less than a page but more than, say, ten, just for there to be some meat to it. But still a chance to say something new.