# Things that make you immediately stop reading something **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2019, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270 "2019-02-10T04:20:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/81 "2019-02-13T14:17:01Z")
Anything that says “up to” followed by a percentage. “Up to 75% of people taking this medication received the desired results!” Yeah, right. Any thing that confuses correlation with causation." Hey, homosexuality has gone way up since abortion was made legal. Abortion causes people to be gay." ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/82 "2019-02-13T14:19:26Z")
This, in non-serious discourse – so, not in the spirit of most of the thread; but, “I resemble that remark”. In my opinion, the most feeble and pointless bit of wordplay in the entire history of the English language. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/83 "2019-02-13T14:31:25Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I’m reading a dystopian series of 4 books. It seemed that the author was a big Trump supporter, so I almost through it out the window. I gave it a little more time, and I think he is sort of middle of the road. I’ll give the books a chance. Going to work threw them, are you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/84 "2019-02-13T16:04:47Z")
Anything Kardashian related ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/85 "2019-02-13T17:00:09Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Anyway, I forgot one of the most obvious signs that everyone should stop reading or listening: “I’m not a racist, but…” Yeah, I think I’ll save us both some time and just start ignoring you now. There are some things a person just does not say. That is one of them. I would never make that claim, because I know I have issues, but I do my best to show people a fair perspective. It is like “_I am so much smarter than you_.” No, you do not say that, because it literally means “_I am a fucking idiot_.” You _show_ people your positive traits, because declarations are meaningless/contrary. ---
**Author:** ![vperry1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ee7513/32.png) [@vperry1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vperry1)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/86 "2019-02-13T17:23:54Z")
Headlines that are actually questions. I get that some headlines are actually questions, like: Will People Populate Mars In This Century? Do Four Out of Five Dentists Actually Agree? Is That Really the Presidents Hair? But I’ll pass on every phoney, inconclusive article that adds a question mark at the end. Signs Of Life Found On Mars? Bigfoot Spotted At Kids Playground? Donald Trump Killed In Car Crash? You know there are garbage articles hiding in the shadows of those kinds of headlines. Other articles I skip, are ones that start with, or contain the words, “Breaks Their Silence!” I keep scrolling and don’t look back. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/87 "2019-02-13T19:39:50Z")
“Utilize” instead of “use” “Myself” instead of “me” “[Person] and I” when they are the object instead of the subject I am not sure what “Shibboleth” means, but I think he is the lead singer for Dimmu Borgir. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/88 "2019-02-13T20:01:40Z")
Some years ago I began reading a book about the Boer War and events leading up to it. I couldn’t get thru the first chapter - the author (and by inference, his editor) kept misusing “retrospective” in place of “retroactive”. This was done three or four times, until I threw the book down. (It was a library book so I didn’t actually throw it down, just put it down rather firmly.) I found it really hard to believe that any author (or editor) would make such an obvious mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Stuntman\_Mike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stuntman_mike/32/334_2.png) [@Stuntman\_Mike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuntman_Mike)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/89 "2019-02-13T20:15:25Z")
Any reference to “polls”. Every single one of them is rigged… whether that be in favor of a position I support, or against. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/90 "2019-02-13T21:15:13Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Any thing that confuses correlation with causation." Hey, homosexuality has gone way up since abortion was made legal. Abortion causes people to be gay." You scoff, but studies show that almost _no_ aborted babies have grown up to be straight. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/91 "2019-02-14T03:44:00Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > You scoff, but studies show that almost _no_ aborted babies have grown up to be straight. 😃 100% of people born with legs die. Therefore… ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/92 "2019-02-14T05:03:14Z")
> [@Stuntman\_Mike](#): > > Any reference to “polls”. Every single one of them is rigged… whether that be in favor of a position I support, or against. Uh what? Rigged or not, the polls usually predict the election outcome fairly accurately. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/93 "2019-02-14T06:33:05Z")
Starting by misstating some other position, either as a deliberate straw man or because the author didn’t bother to do any research. Eg I watched a video on an alternative hypothesis to dark matter, which I was looking forward to hearing about. But it began by saying dark matter is just a fudge and cosmologists subscribe to it out of groupthink. So I can already guess his alternative is not going to be very rigorous/objective before he’s even started talking about it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/94 "2019-02-14T13:51:36Z")
“Speaking as a Juggalo\* …” - Or any similar type of person. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/95 "2019-02-15T02:28:41Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Anything that says “up to” followed by a percentage. “Up to 75% of people taking this medication received the desired results!” Yeah, right. > > Any thing that confuses correlation with causation." Hey, homosexuality has gone way up since abortion was made legal. Abortion causes people to be gay." Especially when the phrase “or more” is added: “Up to 75% or more!” Luckily, ads are short. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/96 "2019-02-15T02:31:00Z")
> [@Sangahyando](#): > > This, in non-serious discourse – so, not in the spirit of most of the thread; but, “I resemble that remark”. In my opinion, the most feeble and pointless bit of wordplay in the entire history of the English language. Yeah, gotta admit that never was funny to me either. Wasn’t it a Groucho Marx line? That might explain it. “An accepted wit has but to say ‘Pass the mustard’ and they burst their ribs with laughter” ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/97 "2019-02-15T02:36:18Z")
OPs that start with, “So…” ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/98 "2019-02-15T02:47:42Z")
Also, OPs that post “title says it all.” ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/99 "2019-02-15T10:52:17Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Yeah, I don’t think I’ve seen it used except as a description of how the writer thinks people on the coasts think, not what the people on the coasts or the writer actually think. Agreed. Same thing with ‘political correctness’. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2019, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-make-you-immediately-stop-reading-something/829270/100 "2019-02-15T14:33:14Z")
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