I used to be an extreme lurker. Sometime in 2012 I found a thread I wanted to comment on, so I went to join up – and discovered that I had already done so six years earlier…
Used to be much more active. Now much more of a lurker with very occasional posts. But I still read regularly.
I think I count as mostly a lurker. Been reading pretty much every day since the late 90’s, have had 117 posts. Even when I know something about a topic I find that someone else has usually already answered it better than I could. About half the time I end up regretting having spoken up, writing so poorly as I do.
It is also just my personality. At a family gathering or club meeting on a topic I enjoy I usually am to be found sitting in the back of the room, listening but not saying anything.
The left wing echo chamber this place is turning into is also somewhat intimidating. As a conservative leaning libertarian I know my views on anything even slightly political will be attacked.
I would describe myself as ‘lurker-adjacent’ and not a true lurker. That said, I don’t post a lot, although I have gone through phases where I participate more substantially.
For me, the Dope has always been a great way to kill time [looks nervously over shoulder] at work. It’s easy to read threads here and there as time allows, but more difficult to formulate a thoughtful response and participate in a back and forth while browsing five minutes at a time through the day. Also, if I am browsing on my own time, I’m likely on my iPad, and typing long responses on this mostly sucks.
You can fairly add in many of the other common replies, particularly that back in the ‘good old days’ things moved so fast that by the time I found a thread that I felt I could meaningfully contribute to (and back then, I mostly came for GQ) the question had been answered exceptionally comprehensively, and my reply would have effectively been, “Yeah! What he/she said!” And because of that, I was a real thread killer for a while. The last guy taking the last whack at the decomposing horse.
Can I own up to something here? My secret shame that I’ve carried for 21 years? I think I have two accounts. This account might technically be a sock. I joined up in 2000, having migrated over from rec.fan.cecil-adams. In 2001 I got laid off and leaned the hard way that it’s best not to use your work email account to sign up for things. I lost access to my account, whatever that username might have been; I don’t remember. So I just made a new one and called it good.
Your secret is safe with us.
Tonight, for the first time in two decades, I shall sleep soundly, knowing this great weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
Just out of curiosity, I was wondering what you, and others in this thread, since you all seem nicer, think of my China Conquers US thread. I have an argumentative streak in me. Probably some left wing/right wing stuff going on. Have I crossed any lines? Rules for IMHO i’m not familar with?
This seems off topic. If you want to respond to old oak tree, please do so in that other thread.
Fair enough, but maybe a more on topic question, where would a Lurker get advice from a long term members about the board dynamics. Maybe ATMB? I kinda feel like the trolls r us crowd are all over that forum too. I have been reading about all the Cecil controversy and related threads.