# How often do you ditch a reply to to a thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123 "2008-02-11T05:17:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/21 "2008-02-11T10:14:01Z")
I wouldn’t hazard a guess at frequency but it’s by no means rare. Usually it is longer responses that get chucked, even stupid short ones don’t take up much of anyones time. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/22 "2008-02-11T10:29:24Z")
About half and half. Usually if I realize I’ve repeated something that’s already been said or if my response to a debatable issue is clearly more emotional than rational, then I’ll decide not to post. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/23 "2008-02-11T10:34:07Z")
[QUOTE=Randy Seltzer] I’m glad I’m not the only one. I ditch responses all the time. Before I hit ‘submit’ I always sit back and read over everything I’ve written, and ask myself, “Does this add anything to the thread?” Half the time, the answer is no, and I just leave the page. [/QUOTE] That is almost verbatim what I was going to write. ---
**Author:** ![CreaseMunky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@CreaseMunky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CreaseMunky)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/24 "2008-02-11T11:06:23Z")
**UncaStuart** said: > [@](#): > > Heh. Look at my join date and my post count. And then consider that I come to the Dope 'most every day of the week. I think my ditch ratio is about a gazillion to one. Amateur. 🙂 \* To answer the OP… all the time. I second guess myself a lot, wondering, “Do I really want to post that? That makes me look like an idiot/I don’t want to do a ‘Me Too’ " post”. The other main site I visit daily is FARK… I’ve been a registered member over there for 5 years and I think I have about 20 posts total for the same reason. In my mind, why I ditch replys is twofold: 1) I have a very dry, sarcastic sense of humor, and that does not translate well in written form, and 2) I have a very bad habit of PWI, so things I think are clever and witty and germaine to the topic at hand at the moment really aren’t on a second read the next morning. So, I just shut the window. If **UncaStuart** ’s ratio is a gazillion to one, mine is 50 gazillion to one. The screwy part is, if you ever meet me in person, _you will not get me to shut the fuck up._ I have no problems in social situations. I have no problem with public speaking. I do radio commercials. I do karaoke. I can hold court as easily as eating pizza. One of these days I’m going to do stand-up comedy. I’ll admit it… I’m an attention whore. But that part of me does not translate well in cyberspace. Ergo, tons of ditching and a resultant low post count. That doesn’t mean I don’t _want_ to reply, I just think it’s better for everyone involved if I don’t. \*And I say that knowing full well that someone can look at my join date and post count and do the same to me. Don’t ditch your post! Bring it! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/25 "2008-02-11T12:29:26Z")
Quite often. I should probably do it more often. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/26 "2008-02-11T12:31:19Z")
I thought I was the only one who did this. A lot. Either it’s been said already enough times, better than I could have, I don’t feel like rocking the boat or don’t have the energy. Now I have to hit submit, sigh. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/27 "2008-02-11T12:47:45Z")
At least as often as I actually post, probably more. I’m relieved to see other people do it too. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/28 "2008-02-11T12:54:55Z")
Yes, I would also say that I ditch about posts for every five I post. I am also here every day, reading. Why ditch? Sometimes I want to make a joke… I’ve got a weird sense of humour, but it’s not exactly mature and refined, so I don’t know how well it would be received. I’m nervous about how I’ll come across. I’ve got a little knowledge on some subjects, but we’ve got experts here who are likely to pick up what I’ve missed or be right while I’m horribly wrong. I don’t really have that “Maybe I shouldn’t be posting this information” sixth sense, either, so sometimes I’ll type up a post and go, “Whoa, LiveJournal much?” _delete delete_. I suck at giving advice. I want to avoid too many “me too” posts. You know, I do much better at getting people to appreciate me in chat than I do on message boards. Group chats, though, not one-on-ones. And **IvoryTowerDenizen** put it best when posting: > [@](#): > > Now I have to hit submit, sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/29 "2008-02-11T12:57:58Z")
Probably 20:1. Usually because I know I won’t have the time to make my points if someone comes in and argues against my position, so I figure why start. If I know I will have some free time coming up, then I usually post. Or if I feel I actually have something to contribute, or if the thread is something innocuous like this 🙂 Other times the person has said something that pisses me off, so I start a post, all pissed off. Then I finish it and realize I sound stupid and out there and delete it. Actually though it is very catharthic since I have now cooled off! I do that with emails too–luckily never accidently hit submit! ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/30 "2008-02-11T13:23:04Z")
Ditched posts to posted posts, about 1:3 I think. Posts thought about and rejected before I actually started writing anything to posted posts, about 10:1, probably. ---
**Author:** ![Cattitude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Cattitude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cattitude)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/31 "2008-02-11T13:24:52Z")
I do it all the time too. I read way more than I post, usually because what I want to say has already been said. I also think that sometimes it adds nothing to the thread but then again, I am reading a bunch of posts by others that don’t add as well. I guess the point is that responses DO add to the thread unless it’s strictly a “me too” kind of thing. I need to up my post count. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/32 "2008-02-11T13:33:58Z")
Probably about 1 in 10. Usually when I’m at work and the real world interferes with my dope posting! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/33 "2008-02-11T13:41:05Z")
Lately seems like I’m doing it a lot. I think the reason is: I’m angry and frustrated at work (at my boss specifically) and so I have been starting to submit posts that are more aggressive than I normally would. Most of the way through I realize that this isn’t the part of me that I want exposed to the world and I trash it. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/34 "2008-02-11T14:03:31Z")
I’ve gotten better at never starting the ones that I would eventually delete. IOW, I used to do it more than I do now. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/35 "2008-02-11T14:14:19Z")
My post above is why I should probably ditch _more_ posts: > [@rinni](#): > > Yes, I would also say that I ditch about posts for every five I post. Good job there, rinni. I meant, I ditch about five for every posted post. Yargle blargle. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/36 "2008-02-11T14:23:50Z")
(deleted because I don’t really have anything to add) ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/37 "2008-02-11T14:52:16Z")
I’m not sure of the ratio, but a reason for ditching posts I don’t see upthread is that sometimes I write posts which are a little too personal, and so halfway or three-quarters of the way through writing the post, I decide I don’t really want posted for posterity. Or sometimes I decide the post is both too personal and yet not personal enough–such as is washing dishes a one or two person job–"Well, my parents do a two person job, . . . " hit back button. ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/38 "2008-02-11T15:06:15Z")
I’d guess my started-but-not-posted:posted rate is about 4:1. However, I talk myself out of even clicking ‘reply’ far more often than I abandon posts. Partially-typed replys often get ditched because I’m embarassed of my excessive use of -s and ()s and “I” statements. Also, I’m rarely susinct in my phrasing. People tune me out enough in real life. No need to subject myself to it here as well. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/39 "2008-02-11T15:11:34Z")
I’m about 70/40, ditch after writing vs. posting. It just doesn’t seem worth it most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123/40 "2008-02-11T15:26:19Z")
I bail every once in a while. It’s always when I try to come up with some obscure joke or tie in with some other post, and I can’t find an elegant way to post it. I’ll just say, “Fuck it, no one is going to get this anyway,” and close the thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-ditch-a-reply-to-to-a-thread/437123.md?page=3)