# Finish reading the dang thread before you post in it **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521 "2024-08-31T18:05:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/21 "2024-08-31T19:23:29Z")
Relatedly, I particularly “enjoy” when this happens: A poster makes a post in a lengthy thread (particularly in Cafe Society) in which the OP asks for examples of something, with “I can’t believe no one has mentioned (x)” – when (x) has, in fact, been mentioned at least once earlier in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/22 "2024-08-31T19:23:37Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > If what post 26 wrote was so dull that people missed it, I see what you mean, but the other possibility is #43 didn’t read it in the first place. No way to know which it is. I suppose #43 could write something like “as has been pointed out, …” or “as post 26 mentioned…” I guess that might be a bit much to expect (not being sarcastic). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/23 "2024-08-31T19:25:47Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Relatedly, I particularly “enjoy” when this happens: > > A poster makes a post in a lengthy thread (particularly in Cafe Society) in which the OP asks for examples of something, with “I can’t believe no one has mentioned (x)” – when (x) has, in fact, been mentioned at least once earlier in the thread. In particular when it’s so easy to search a thread. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/24 "2024-08-31T19:26:56Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > A poster makes a post in a lengthy thread (particularly in Cafe Society) in which the OP asks for examples of something, with “I can’t believe no one has mentioned (x)” – when (x) has, in fact, been mentioned at least once earlier in the thread. Surprisingly often, in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/25 "2024-08-31T19:37:24Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Just a tiny bit irksome, but someone in the Worst Actor thread complained about Nicholas Cage–without quoting my prior post nominating him. Actually, I think this was mentioned in post #2: > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > This does not apply to list threads, _a la_ “Name three movies you hate,” as repetitiveness is endemic in those threads and don’t really hurt anything. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/26 "2024-08-31T20:11:21Z")
This bothers me too and I try to always read to the end before I reply, but I know I screwed up recently. I felt really stupid and I just know you all noticed my faux pas. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/27 "2024-08-31T20:25:45Z")
I don’t mind it so much. We are human. To err is Human. More to the point “shit happens”. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/28 "2024-08-31T20:25:52Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I felt really stupid and I just know you all noticed my faux pas. I for one did not notice. Can you provide a link so I can rejoice in not being the only one to which this happens? Not being serious! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/29 "2024-08-31T20:28:15Z")
Fix that spelling. You have time. (Just trying to be nit-picky in the Dope tradition😉) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/30 "2024-08-31T20:29:54Z")
Your wish is my command. Should link to the thread about words that are spelled wrong by everybody else but too lazy to search for it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/31 "2024-08-31T20:29:57Z")
Yay!! Oh, I spell everything wrong. And I’m a good speller IRL. But, as said “shit happens” ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/32 "2024-08-31T20:30:13Z")
In your case of course you don’t need to read the thread OP or any other reply, because staying on topic is impossible for you. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/33 "2024-08-31T20:32:13Z")
Entirely untrue. Just cause you don’t understand my meaning is a _you_ problem. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/34 "2024-08-31T20:32:17Z")
[![](https://gifs.cackhanded.net/stephen-colbert/popcorn.gif) ](https://gifs.cackhanded.net/stephen-colbert/popcorn.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/35 "2024-08-31T20:33:15Z")
Always, always Getting real old. Think I’ll nap too. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/36 "2024-08-31T20:41:42Z")
Haven’t read the thread, but couldn’t wait to say that I strongly agree with the OP’s first two sentences! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/37 "2024-08-31T22:18:52Z")
[golf clap] ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/38 "2024-08-31T22:20:34Z")
Haven’t read the thread, but I really hate when people don’t read the thread before posting in it. ETA: > [@digs](#): > > Haven’t read the thread, but couldn’t wait to say that I strongly agree with the OP’s first two sentences! Ninja-ed. D’oh. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/39 "2024-08-31T22:22:08Z")
2 golf claps! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521/40 "2024-08-31T22:30:01Z")
Hard agree w OP. Generally I’m a total believer in reading 100% of the thread before saying anything. Which assumes that you’re here all day every day keeping up. Not realistic for most of us, and unhealthy for those of us who often do. Oops. If the way you find threads is by looking at the latest or the forum pages, that sets you up to first notice threads that are already 550 posts long. If you find threads from New, and are here often, you’ll be catching them near their beginning. If you can’t read the whole thing, for darn sure read the first few posts after the OP, and the last WAG 2 days or 2 dozen (whichever is fewer) posts at the end. Especially for highly personal threads it’s also worth filtering the thread to just the posts by the OP themselves. That’s how you learn whether somebody recovered or died so you can express the right sentiment for the right reasons. And even with all that prep, please, please, _please_ open with some disclaimer like “I read the beginning and the end of the thread but skipped the XXX posts in the middle.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-reading-the-dang-thread-before-you-post-in-it/1006521.md?page=3)