# How Active Must I Be? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 12, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851 "2019-05-12T12:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/21 "2019-05-12T22:13:08Z")
And while I don’t want to be accuse of junior modding, you could have sent a message to whoever closed your thread and asked them to reopen it, saying the same thing you said here. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/22 "2019-05-12T23:32:11Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Its hard to respond to a thread I created when I’m sleeping. What if I left my house for a few hours, or a few days? What if I was sick? What if I had a question, and started a post because I wanted to share a story? I also don’t have the internet on my phone, and not constantly on the internet. I was waiting for some responses, and was going to respond, but saw my thread was closed (Huxley/Orwell). Do I have to be like the fuckers who stare at a screen every 5 seconds? …you have the right to remain silent. Anything you have previously written may be used against you in the court of public opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/23 "2019-05-13T00:49:19Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Its hard to respond to a thread I created when I’m sleeping. Try not to create threads when you’re sleeping. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/24 "2019-05-13T00:51:22Z")
Would Mort Sahl walk on stage, hold up a newspaper and wait for the audience to comment on the headline? I’m guessing not! ---
**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:** [May 13, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/25 "2019-05-13T13:58:22Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Try not to create threads when you’re sleeping. 😉 I’m afraid all too many of our posters do that.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/26 "2019-05-13T15:18:01Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Well, I was waiting for a few interested people to read it, so we could have a discussion later. You could have told me that. As I’ve mentioned before when the subject has come up I tend to look at posts that are just a link and no original content as being not worth my effort to click on or comment on. I know they happen but they strike me as not much better than how you feel about people who live and die by their smart-phones. If the Mods would decide to make it a hard and fast rule to just kill every last one I wouldn’t object; I hope they don’t (I think their judgement has a pretty good track record) but it wouldn’t bother me to see it added to the rules-carved-in-stone. Now as far as your question here: I will often not respond (especially if I think the view/response will garner opponents) to a thread or create a new thread if I know I am going to be away from the Dope for a day or more. What I consider important to me here is the discussion so why start something I know I won’t be able to follow up on? Its a personal choice for me but that is just the way it is. I will sometimes sit on a response or topic for say the weekend and then post it Monday once I am back home. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/27 "2019-05-14T03:04:38Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Try not to create threads when you’re sleeping. 😉 It you can shoot threads that wear your pajamas. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/28 "2019-05-14T07:14:30Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Its hard to respond to a thread I created when I’m sleeping. What if I left my house for a few hours, or a few days? What if I was sick? What if I had a question, and started a post because I wanted to share a story? I also don’t have the internet on my phone, and not constantly on the internet. I was waiting for some responses, and was going to respond, but saw my thread was closed (Huxley/Orwell). Do I have to be like the fuckers who stare at a screen every 5 seconds? Calm down. Post as you want. But it is good form to say what you want to say in your OP. Also to engage with posters in your thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/29 "2019-05-14T11:47:49Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Its hard to respond to a thread I created when I’m sleeping. What if … The Moderator made a clear statement as to why he closed your thread. Somehow, you managed to entirely miss the point. Perhaps reading his statement again would help clarify the issue in your mind. ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/30 "2019-05-14T11:54:16Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > You could have told me that. As I’ve mentioned before when the subject has come up I tend to look at posts that are just a link and no original content as being not worth my effort to click on or comment on. I know they happen but they strike me as not much better than how you feel about people who live and die by their smart-phones. If the Mods would decide to make it a hard and fast rule to just kill every last one I wouldn’t object; I hope they don’t (I think their judgement has a pretty good track record) but it wouldn’t bother me to see it added to the rules-carved-in-stone. > > Now as far as your question here: I will often not respond (especially if I think the view/response will garner opponents) to a thread or create a new thread if I know I am going to be away from the Dope for a day or more. What I consider important to me here is the discussion so why start something I know I won’t be able to follow up on? Its a personal choice for me but that is just the way it is. I will sometimes sit on a response or topic for say the weekend and then post it Monday once I am back home. I unsubscribed from this post, but saw it on top and will reply, because its sincere. My days aren’t planned… Another reason I might wait a bit before replying more is because I don’t want to influence or load the sample size. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/31 "2019-05-14T12:23:37Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > My days aren’t planned… Another reason I might wait a bit before replying more is because I don’t want to influence or load the sample size. It’s not the replying part that caused your thread to be closed. It was starting a thread with a bare link and no commentary. On SDMB we expect you to let your opinion be known when starting a thread; don’t worry about what influence you will have on people who respond. You get that now, right? Because this response seems to hint that you still think it’s about not responding right away. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/32 "2019-05-14T13:29:03Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I unsubscribed from this post, but saw it on top and will reply, because its sincere. > > My days aren’t planned… Another reason I might wait a bit before replying more is because I don’t want to influence or load the sample size. Now this we should address. I’ve certainly allowed - as a moderator - when someone posts something and includes a note saying something like: “I’ve got some opinions on this but I want to withhold them for a bit to allow others to chime in so I don’t push the discussion in any particular direction.” However, people can’t read your mind nor your intent. You need to give them some reason to comment on your linkdrop or you’re just wasting everyone’s time. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/33 "2019-05-14T17:35:06Z")
Honestly when I see a thread where the OP is just a link it always looks like spam to me. Like, “I don’t want to discuss this I just want people to read it.” I don’t come to this board as an aggregate for links to “items of note” (like some dark mirror of The Drudge Report), I’m looking to read and/or participate in discussions. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851/34 "2019-05-14T17:40:40Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > I unsubscribed from this post, but saw it on top and will reply, because its sincere. > > My days aren’t planned… Another reason I might wait a bit before replying more is because I don’t want to influence or load the sample size. **MortSahlFan** , I get it, but please take into account that many of us here see a link without a something to explain it (and the poster’s opinion) and immediately think clickbait or troll, and go no further. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-active-must-i-be/833851.md?page=1)