# Fascination With Locked Threads **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 15, 2008, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994 "2008-06-15T10:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/1 "2008-06-15T10:23:10Z")
I have to own up. Every time I see a thread locked by the mods I need to look. Anyone else have this addiction? ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/2 "2008-06-15T10:32:02Z")
Yeah, if a thread is locked, I usually take a look at the last few posts to see why. If it seems to be an interesting trainwreck, I’ll read more. I have learned some subtleties of moderation by reading locked threads, though. I feel compelled to take a look at car wrecks and people who are being ticketed, too. I feel a little dirty right now. :o ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/3 "2008-06-15T12:06:29Z")
Yes I do, but I used to poke dead things with a stick when I was a lad. I guess I never outgrew the habit. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/4 "2008-06-15T12:59:03Z")
Who doesn’t? I’m always hoping for something juicy, but usually the OP just asked the thread to be closed. Also, if I find a BANNED member, I check out his/her last few posts. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/5 "2008-06-15T13:26:59Z")
[QUOTE=WarmNPrickly] Who doesn’t? I’m always hoping for something juicy, but usually the OP just asked the thread to be closed. Also, if I find a BANNED member, I check out his/her last few posts. [/QUOTE] Me too, but such an effort is almost always disappointing, as most bans are for socks, and not asshattery. I keep looking for the “magic” post full of profanity-laden bulging-eye diatribes against another poster or a moderator, and almost always am let down. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/6 "2008-06-15T13:36:20Z")
Wait? There’s a new locked thread? Where is it? Where? Where? I wanna see the trainwreck! Oh. We’re just talking about locked threads… Yeah. I look at them, from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/7 "2008-06-15T13:46:23Z")
I too seek the treasures of the forbidden threads, whose arcane secrets may still be viewed though their pulse may have quieted. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/8 "2008-06-15T14:28:25Z")
I usually look too. I dunno why. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/9 "2008-06-15T15:28:34Z")
Me, too. In fact, I think it only appropriate we do something to get this thread banned. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/10 "2008-06-15T15:44:44Z")
I find it kind of amusing, when I lock a duplicate thread, how much more rapidly views accumulate on the locked version than its identical twin that is still open (at least initially). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/11 "2008-06-15T16:37:52Z")
really? ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/12 "2008-06-15T16:51:30Z")
I really don’t see the purpose of locking threads don’t most of them die a natural death in a few days? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/13 "2008-06-15T16:52:02Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] I have to own up. Every time I see a thread locked by the mods I need to look. Anyone else have this addiction? [/QUOTE] Absolutely! They’re usually zombies or duplicates, but sometimes you get s good one! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/14 "2008-06-15T17:30:36Z")
Yup, I too have to see the cause of death. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/15 "2008-06-15T18:11:39Z")
[QUOTE=Icerigger] I really don’t see the purpose of locking threads don’t most of them die a natural death in a few days? [/QUOTE] If they are duplicates, the purpose is to have all the responses in a single thread. Having two active threads with the same title would be confusing. Sometimes an OP will request a thread be closed because the question has been fully answered; or they screwed something up; or they decided the thread wasn’t such a good idea. These may be closed on a case by case basis. Of course, if a thread does become a train wreck, it may be locked simply because it isn’t dying a natural death. The same may go for threads that have been answered or run their course and are just attracting inane jokes or other comments or pointless bickering. The purpose of closing these is to allow more productive threads to take their place on the first forum page. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/16 "2008-06-15T18:23:35Z")
I started this very same thread a couple of years ago, but it’s not turning up in a search. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/17 "2008-06-15T20:20:32Z")
I physically cannot let a locked thread go unclicked. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/18 "2008-06-15T22:19:45Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] Me too, but such an effort is almost always disappointing, as most bans are for socks, and not asshattery. I keep looking for the “magic” post full of profanity-laden bulging-eye diatribes against another poster or a moderator, and almost always am let down. ☹ [/QUOTE] God, I thought I was the only one. These are my thoughts exactly… Joe ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/19 "2008-06-15T22:21:47Z")
:: raises hand :: ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994/20 "2008-06-16T00:07:32Z")
Guilty. It’s just so tantalizing! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fascination-with-locked-threads/452994.md?page=2)