This is the first Pit thread I have started - sorry in advance if I violate some basic rule of etiquette…
I hate list threads. There is one going in Cafe Society about celebrities who loath each other. The damn thread is at least 2 pages long and consists pretty much exclusively of people contributing a handful of pairs of celebrities who loath each other.
Is this funny? No.
Is there a point to the thread? Other than, “look, we can make a list!”, No.
Does it take an interesting position that leads to worthwhile discussion? For example, arguing for which celebrities have the worst relationship and why? No, and there is rarely ANY discussion on this type of silly-ass thread, just lists and lists and lists (not that I think that particular stand would be interesting, but hopefully you see where I am trying to go with this).
Is there any trivia-laden bonus value? Rarely. Mostly, someone just posts their list, with no additional context about what they added…
I see a handful of List Threads on most boards most days. We are better than this, Dopers!
I propose the following:
If you see a List Thread - declare it to be one and challenge posters to do SOMETHING to make the thread interesting or just don’t post to it.
If you are about to post a thread that could devolve into a List Thread, stop yourself and make sure you take a position that people can discuss.
Hey, now - in the spirit of civilized discourse, that’s “Mr. Dipshit” to you! But to your point, of course you are correct; when I realize that a thread is a List Thread, I am outta there. What I am referring to is when I come across a thread title that could be interesting, only to find that it is only a List Thread - THAT’s what I am PITting about…
And porcupine, I am glad you found the thread in Cafe Society interesting. In the spirit of interesting discussion, I’m interesting in what you found entertaining about it - no sarcasm intended; I am genuinely curious.
And Trion - I respect your unwillingness to rain on anyone else’s parade. I suppose I am just venting a bit…
WordMan, I think it’s because I’m so used to celebraties on interview shows never saying anything nasty about anyone they’ve worked with, even if they might to, so I found hearing dirty a nice change of pace. Also, I found the thought of some of these people sitting down to dinner together and ragging on each other funny.
I’d just like to observe that to the best of my knowledge, OpalCat does not have a hairy back. And since that was the third item in a list, traditionally reserved for her…
“ID this song” threads. Chances are I won’t know the song from the lyrics alone since I mostly listen to the instrumental part of most songs.
LOTR/Simpsons threads. They are waaay overdone.
Sports-related threads. I don’t see anything wrong with such threads, but the whole topic of sports just doesn’t interest me.
“Ask the _____” threads that get out of hand, that is, when it seems like everyone wants to start one, howver mundane it may be. I can tolerate these in smaller doses, though.
My one gripe against list threads is that they invariably invite someone who thinks he’s being clever or funny to include the very much overdone-to-the-point-of-being-cliché “Hi Opal!” entry in the list. :rolleyes:
But to your point, of course you are correct; when I realize that a thread is a List Thread, I am outta there. What I am referring to is when I come across a thread title that could be interesting, only to find that it is only a List Thread - THAT’s what I am PITting about…