# PSA regarding telling anecdotes on the Dope **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379 "2011-05-27T01:07:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/1 "2011-05-27T01:07:47Z")
Or any other message board, but since the SDMB is the one we’re all on, I thought I’d mention it specifically. Let’s say you have a friend, A. That friend has a son, B. The son’s girlfriend, C, is having an altercation with one of her college professors, let’s call him D. B and D get together with A to talk about C, and then C gets together with B, and then D meets up with G, who is frankly somewhat of a shadowy figure that nobody knows much about, and you know what happened then? No, you don’t, because you quit reading, because this looks like a damn word problem instead of an interesting anecdote. So, PSA: When you are telling stories involving multiple people, please for the love of crap just make up names for them instead of assigning them initials. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/2 "2011-05-27T01:13:29Z")
I highly approve of this message. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/3 "2011-05-27T01:14:12Z")
Very much agreed. In fact, I stopped reading midway through the second sentence…then I noticed the last part as I was hitting the back button. I assumed it was going to be a story about how one of these people found out you were talking about them here. I’d like to add something else that would be a nice courtesy here. When we are in the type of thread that lists lots of movies, particularly if it’s spoiling them (Last line from your favorite movie, Best death in a movie, Most unexpected Plot twist etc…) Bold the damn movie title(s) in your post. The problem is, I like reading these threads, but I want to be able to read about the ones that I’ve seen or don’t plan to see and it’s easier to pick out the movie you’re talking about if I can skim the post and see the bolded title. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/4 "2011-05-27T02:41:50Z")
While we’re at it, I hate links to YouTube videos that don’t just say what the damn song or movie clip is, since you can’t just mouse-over to see it. ---
**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:** [May 27, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/5 "2011-05-27T03:14:19Z")
I actually just glossed over the OP for the exact point you were making. I assumed it was just the beer making me too lazy to concentrate on sussing out who’s who. > [@needscoffee](#): > > While we’re at it, I hate links to YouTube videos that don’t just say what the damn song or movie clip is, since you can’t just mouse-over to see it. Very agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/6 "2011-05-27T03:24:01Z")
Seconded and Thirded. It’s not that hard to make a descriptive link, people, just copy the youtube link like you normally do, type the descriptor “Funny Cat Youtube Video”, highlight what you just typed, hit the link button (looks like a globe with a two-link chain underneath) and paste. And done. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/7 "2011-05-27T03:26:27Z")
I thought about starting a Pit thread about that this exact thing before but then I thought it might just be me but apparently not. Then again, it is like algebra. Just make up some real numbers I want to scream at the teachers. Give it some real meaning no matter how fake it is. I can’t follow it otherwise. I last about two sentences in those threads. Likewise for the ones that are needlessly long. You have got to get that quick hook in and cut to the chase. Add some filler if you need to for style purposes but make it count. Sometimes it makes me feel like I am trapped in a car ride with someone that just jabbers and jabbers until I want to puke. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/8 "2011-05-27T03:26:44Z")
I just use the real names of the people as I assume the readers are assuming they’re fake names anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/9 "2011-05-27T03:28:47Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I just use the real names of the people as I assume the readers are assuming they’re fake names anyway. A true master of reverse psychology I see. I mix real names in with fake ones and sometimes use all real names but reverse them in the story. Psyche. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/10 "2011-05-27T03:30:02Z")
[I heartily agree.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269604) ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/11 "2011-05-27T03:30:30Z")
That’s how I spin it but mostly because this way, I keep the story straight too. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/12 "2011-05-27T03:35:36Z")
i walked right into that one. adding my vote to the OP and need coffee. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/13 "2011-05-27T03:40:41Z")
Also, when someone in Cafe Society posts a thread about types of movies/songs/TV shows that fit a certain criteria, please don’t be an ass and throw up a list of 50 damned movies/songs/TV shows. Just list one or two and (a) _say something about them_ and (b) leave it for other people to mention (and comment about) the other 48. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/14 "2011-05-27T03:45:15Z")
Whew! I thought it was just me who can’t keep up with the alphabet soup. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/15 "2011-05-27T04:15:26Z")
> [@Hedda\_Rosa](#): > > [I heartily agree.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269604) Holy cow, I can’t even remember what I posted last week, let alone 7 years ago! ---
**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:** [May 27, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/16 "2011-05-27T05:53:39Z")
I also concur. I can barely keep track of who did and said what to whom WITH names. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/17 "2011-05-27T14:05:37Z")
My name is Snickers, and I approve of this PSA. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/18 "2011-05-27T14:25:13Z")
I agree, too, and I agree with the youtube link, too. Guaranteed if your whole response is just a youtube link I am not even going to click on it. I also hate when someone clicks to a purported news article and it’s just a video…grrr! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/19 "2011-05-27T14:31:43Z")
Anytime you’re describing more than 2 degrees of separation in an anecdote, you need to simplify it. “My cousin’s doctor’s sister’s monkey” is more easily and concisely described as simply “a monkey”. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379/20 "2011-05-27T15:06:14Z")
Also, if you’re going to use any sort of names - remember the statute of limitations. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psa-regarding-telling-anecdotes-on-the-dope/583379.md?page=2)