# Post Counts Meaningless? Bollocks, says Lobsang! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 23, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565 "2005-02-23T18:19:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/1 "2005-02-23T18:19:15Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I admire what the Mods and Admins do, but the accusation of ‘post count padding’ they like to throw arround irritates me and it is rarely true. We don’t post in these threads to get bigger post counts, and how dare you guys acuse us of that. We post there for joviality and fun You must think us idiots to believe we would buy the implication in this post as anyone familiar with your posting style knows better or, even more insultingly, can find the history and hard data in seconds if we’re unaware or suffer from _very_ short-term memory loss. We’re not that fucking stupid. [Your](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2215354&postcount=19) [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2710875&postcount=1) [count](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2710948&postcount=12) [obviously](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2713006&postcount=61) [means](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2756614&postcount=1) [a](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084482&postcount=3637) [great](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084629&postcount=3645) [deal](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3152864&postcount=9) [to](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3196917&postcount=3) [you](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3520128&postcount=54) [as](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3631953&postcount=23) [evidenced](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5040380&postcount=28) [by](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5040384&postcount=29) [all](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5283870&postcount=8) [the](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5341447&postcount=31) [times](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5667573&postcount=3) [you’ve](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5672555&postcount=27) [mentioned](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5672773&postcount=29) [it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5672965&postcount=4). To have an inordinately high post count is one thing (and something I [embarrassingly](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3503427&postcount=463) [share](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5251504&postcount=1087) [in](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5668402&postcount=13)) but to artificially inflate it and publicly race yourself to milestones while denying that the number means anything to you and thinking no one will notice is ludicrous in its sheer audacity. I can understand not buying into the hype that the SDMB is the most intelligent message board to exist but to be so reactionary as to believe we’re vacuous enough to buy your lies is astounding. Please stop. You’re not fooling anyone but yourself. Inspired by numerous posts but [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303731) OP in ATMB in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/2 "2005-02-23T18:28:30Z")
Aw, you’re just jealous cuz **Lobsang** ’s got , like, 2000 posts on ya. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/3 "2005-02-23T18:31:07Z")
I’m probably in the 90th percentile of post counts, but it certainly has earned me nothing special. I think that the length of time registered is more significant than the number of posts. I’m always awed by the sudden appearance here and there of someone who registered in 1999 and is posting for the twenty-first time. They are the wise people. “Time makes more converts than reason.” — Thomas Paine ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/4 "2005-02-23T18:35:31Z")
I agree. Time registered is a much better method of quick-and-dirty judgement. Not perfect, but better than post count. P.S. - You are, in fact, 2nd in post count. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/5 "2005-02-23T18:37:12Z")
> [@Uvula Donor](#): > > Aw, you’re just jealous cuz **Lobsang** ’s got , like, 2000 posts on ya. First reply, even. I was off by six. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/6 "2005-02-23T18:42:16Z")
**Aesiron** You have put two and two together and made 6. On the one hand I say post counts mean something. On the other hand I say people don’t pad their post counts. The two do not conflict. **I DO NOT POST FOR THE SAKE OF INCREASING MY COUNT!** **I BELIEVE A PERSON’S POST COUNT MEANS SOMETHING** ---
**Author:** ![WCOT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e5b9ba/32.png) [@WCOT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WCOT)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/7 "2005-02-23T18:42:48Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > … > > Inspired by numerous posts but [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=303731) OP in ATMB in particular. > [@Lobsang](#): > > Are you referring to me? > If so, you are wrong. I have on many occasions said that post count _does_ mean something. It means that there’s a chance that member has learnt the civility and ettiquete of posting here. A person with a post count of 5000 is far less likely to misbehave and far more likely to be trustworthy and _know_ the boards than a person with a post count of 5. > > But I am not getting into that debate. I am simply letting you know that you got me wrong. Post-count or registered time does not a good doper make, ive been a lurker for about 3 years and i only registered to support the dope within the last year. Ive seen posters whose post count and registered time are small but their wisdom and insight has been great, just because someones been posting for only a month, or only has a few posts does NOT mean that their opinion is worthless. effing elitism if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/8 "2005-02-23T18:48:15Z")
You should just do what I do, and forgot part of what you wanted to say with damned near every post. Works like a dream! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/9 "2005-02-23T18:49:35Z")
Or make a stupid typo. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/10 "2005-02-23T18:54:51Z")
> [@WCOT©](#): > > Post-count or registered time does not a good doper make, ive been a lurker for about 3 years and i only registered to support the dope within the last year. Ive seen posters whose post count and registered time are small but their wisdom and insight has been great, just because someones been posting for only a month, or only has a few posts does NOT mean that their opinion is worthless. effing elitism if you ask me. I am not saying Post count means everything, nor that registration date means nothing. I am saying that both mean something. A person with a high post count shows that they have survived the strict no-jerk rules of the SDMB. Lasting that many posts is a filter of idiots (with the odd exception) And being registered for a long time does not a respectable doper make - High post counts suggest time spent _being here_. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/11 "2005-02-23T18:56:23Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > **I DO NOT POST FOR THE SAKE OF INCREASING MY COUNT!** [You](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2215354&postcount=19) [_ **do** _](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084482&postcount=3637) [think](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084629&postcount=3645) [we’re](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3152864&postcount=9) [that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5040384&postcount=29) [stupid](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5341447&postcount=31), don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/12 "2005-02-23T18:56:25Z")
This is fascinating. I was mocked upon my starting to post (one poster, one time, but it caught my attention)–_because_ I had registered in 2000something and hadn’t posted _ever_ . :rolleyes: Um, that’s b/c I completely forgot about it? I was busy? I had alot of errands to run? Whatever. I wasn’t involved in message boarding at that time. Now that I have paid, I want to play. I doubt that I am the sole one on the board with this notion. Do post counts mean something? Maybe–but I doubt it’s real significant or deep. To me, it means that I have some time on my hands at present and have also met some folks here who I like to “talk” to. Do large counts make you more of a Doper? No way. Like the above said, some folks post rarely, but their words are wise. I’ll shut up now b/c I can’t believe that this is critical to anyone’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/13 "2005-02-23T18:59:43Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > [You](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2215354&postcount=19) [_ **do** _](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084482&postcount=3637) [think](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3084629&postcount=3645) [we’re](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=3152864&postcount=9) [that](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5040384&postcount=29) [stupid](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5341447&postcount=31), don’t you? For fuck’s sake **Aesiron** don’t you understand sarcasm??? Most of those links where mocking, and the rest were merely refering to post count as it’s relevance to the containing thread. I repeat. I do not post for the sake of increasing my count. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/14 "2005-02-23T18:59:43Z")
Ah, you kids. I remember when a thousand posts really _meant_ something. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/15 "2005-02-23T19:01:59Z")
And even if any of those links did involve deliberate padding (which they didn’t) they would account for about 6 or seven posts _in ten thousand_. I call that severe pedantry on your part. Besides, there are plenty of dopers with more posts and shorter registration period than me. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/16 "2005-02-23T19:05:47Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I am saying that both mean something. A person with a high post count shows that they have survived the strict no-jerk rules of the SDMB. Lasting that many posts is a filter of idiots (with the odd exception) I know what you’re saying–and I kinda agree with it–but then I think of some of the “high” posters on the board who are clearly jerks. They may not break any rules, but that doesn’t make them any more respectable than anyone else. Nor does it mean they are particularly smart or fun to interact with. I think it’s actually easy to not break the rules of the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/17 "2005-02-23T19:07:03Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Lasting that many posts is a filter of idiots (with the odd exception) Some of them very odd indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/18 "2005-02-23T19:11:00Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > I agree. Time registered is a much better method of quick-and-dirty judgement. Not perfect, but better than post count. > > P.S. - You are, in fact, 2nd in post count. I stand corrected. Or, at least, clarified. (I reckon that Guin is 1st.) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/19 "2005-02-23T19:13:36Z")
If I bump this thread, is it ironic or post-ironic? How many people from '99 are there, who are still members, post-pay to play, that have less than, say, 50 posts? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565/20 "2005-02-23T19:15:24Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > For fuck’s sake \*\*Aesiron \*\*don’t you understand sarcasm??? > > Most of those links where mocking, and the rest were merely refering to post count as it’s relevance to the containing thread. I repeat. I do not post for the sake of increasing my count. I understand sarcasm perfectly; I just don’t believe you and if I wanted to dig deeper, I’m sure I could find further evidence to support my case but I think the _ **twenty links** _ in my OP along with most everyone’s familiarity of your posting habits are proof enough. > [@Lobsang](#): > > Besides, there are plenty of dopers with more posts and shorter registration period than me. You’re right; I’m one of them. And do you want to know why I’m pitting you instead of myself, **Q.E.D.** or **NoClueBoy**? Because you won’t fucking shut up about post counts. It’s a fucking _number_. It _doesn’t_ _matter_. We get it. Why can’t you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-counts-meaningless-bollocks-says-lobsang/291565.md?page=2)