# TLDR; clarification, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 25, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108 "2006-05-25T00:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/1 "2006-05-25T00:32:05Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7412512&postcount=19) is bad; > [@deevee](#): > > tldr [This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7419543&postcount=63) is also bad; > [@Snakes on a Plane](#): > > I really do not care about your mother enough to read your whole post. But [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7350115&postcount=114) is fine; > [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > I have not read the three pages of this thread, and I don’t intend to. > > > [@](#): > > > > I think, seriously, all any of us are asking for is honesty. > > Honesty, my ass. Y’all are not asking for honesty, you’re asking for an abject apology, grovelling, and a public whipping. You’re looking for revenge. So, drop the bullshit. You’re not going to get any of it. TubaDiva made her perspective clear long, long ago, but why listen when you can continue to flog the long-dead horse? It’s so much more fun, isn’t it, to rant and rave about injustice on the Message Boards. > > Enough. Those of you who hate these boards, my best suggestion is that you go elsewhere. There are hundreds of unmoderated boards out there, be my guest. You’ll have no moderators to scream and yell about, and you can enjoy yourself without any frustration. But recognize reality: any time there’s moderated boards, or authority of any type, you’re going to find decisions and situations that you don’t agree with. > > Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. > > Unless, of course, you get your jollies out of yelling at authority. In that case, I suggest you channel your energies where they’ll do some good: find some real injustices, out there on the streets or in the halls of government, and raise your voice in protest. There’s lots of worthy causes out there in the real world that matter, where you can get your emotional highs fighting for something meaningful. The first example earned a mod admonishment; the second a warning\*; the third - nothing at all. Is it simply a case of “tldr” only being jerkish if that’s the only thing you post? I disagree; for one thing, that interpretation of the rules only works if the rest of the post isn’t jerkish, and also I don’t believe there are any other “jerkish” behaviours which are diluted by further posting. I’d really just like to know what makes the third example different from the other two in terms of acceptableness; i’m not seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/2 "2006-05-25T00:33:24Z")
TLDR? Too long, did not read? ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/3 "2006-05-25T00:39:55Z")
Tuba Likes Dumb Republicans? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/4 "2006-05-25T00:40:54Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > TLDR? Too long, did not read? Yeah, that’s what it means. Sorry, I forgot to actually point that out. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/5 "2006-05-25T00:42:28Z")
Hmmmm… One line post saying “too long didn’t read” One line post saying “too long didn’t read” One line of a post saying “too long didn’t read” followed up by 4 paragraphs of commentary about the thread subject based on prior threads about said subject. Saying you didn’t read the thread but still wish to contribute is honest, even if it’s wrongheaded. Saying you didn’t read the thread and don’t wish to contribute is jerkish, because the ONLY purpose is to belittle the OP. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/6 "2006-05-25T00:45:16Z")
Tastes like duck rectum ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/7 "2006-05-25T00:51:22Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Saying you didn’t read the thread but still wish to contribute is honest, even if it’s wrongheaded. Saying you didn’t read the thread and don’t wish to contribute is jerkish, because the ONLY purpose is to belittle the OP. Good point. But I would say the only purpose of the _rest_ of the third post was to belittle, too. I’d probably agree with you if after saying the tldr equivalent \*\*C K \*\* had then gone on to talk about the topic rationally, but (admittedly my interpretation) I don’t see “tldr” and then a neutral, continuance; I see tldr and then continued jerkishness. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/8 "2006-05-25T00:52:05Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Saying you didn’t read the thread and don’t wish to contribute is jerkish, because the ONLY purpose is to belittle the OP. The sole purpose of many posts in the pit is to belittle the OP or another poster. It is rarely considered against the rules type jerkishness. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/9 "2006-05-25T01:38:07Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > I don’t see “tldr” and then a neutral, continuance; I see tldr and then continued jerkishness. It certainly wasn’t neutral, but I don’t think the followup was, in and of itself, jerkish. It was argumentative, disagreeable, and unfriendly, but it was at least an argument. “tldr, bye.” is threadshitting. I’ll open up the quick reply, drop my turd, and go away. I don’t like that, not one bit. I expect a bit higher level of discourse around here, it’s not AIM. If you don’t like Sampiro’s threads, open up a pit thread of your own and take him to task. If you can’t be bothered to do that, shut your trap. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/10 "2006-05-25T01:46:07Z")
The first two are posters saying “I didn’t read any of this and that’s all I have to say.” It’s less belittling to the OP than it is acting moronic solely for the purpose of attracting attention to oneself. The third is saying “I’m not going to wade through three (and probably more, counting other related threads the OP had previsouly started) pages of backstory to debate every last point with you, I’m going to respond to **this** particular point because it stands out as a neat summation of your intellectual dishonesty and generally annoying behavior.” Yes, it’s rude and belittling. It was meant to be so and it was in the proper forum for those sorts of posts. What’s different about it from the first two is that it’s actually a response to someone, with content that can be commented on and replied to. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/11 "2006-05-25T01:48:57Z")
Posting one-word content-free replies solely to say you didn’t feel like reading the thread is jerkish. If you don’t have anything to say or don’t feel like reading a thread, don’t post. Additional information for this specific case: In the first example, **deevee** ’s post was in response to a specific dare posted on another website slamming **Sampiro**. This is not just jerkish, it’s trolling. My guess is that **Snakes on a Plane** was similarly motivated, but even if he wasn’t it was his job to read the thread and see **TVeblen** ’s warning about his exact post, so he also loses double points for being both jerkish and stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/12 "2006-05-25T02:09:19Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > “tldr, bye.” is threadshitting. I’ll open up the quick reply, drop my turd, and go away. I don’t like that, not one bit. I expect a bit higher level of discourse around here, it’s not AIM. If you don’t like Sampiro’s threads, open up a pit thread of your own and take him to task. If you can’t be bothered to do that, shut your trap. But **C K** surely did pretty much the same thing; I’ll open up the quick reply, drop my turd, add a few insults, and go away. I don’t see why extra typing makes the turd stink less, to continue the analogy; I certainly don’t think extra _insults_ help the situation. > [@](#): > > The third is saying “I’m not going to wade through three (and probably more, counting other related threads the OP had previsouly started) pages of backstory to debate every last point with you, I’m going to respond to this particular point because it stands out as a neat summation of your intellectual dishonesty and generally annoying behavior.” So? If someone had said, “I can’t be bothered to read this OP, but i’d like to taunt Sampiro” in the thread the first two came from I doubt that would have been allowed. > [@Sublight](#): > > Yes, it’s rude and belittling. It was meant to be so and it was in the proper forum for those sorts of posts. What’s different about it from the first two is that it’s actually a response to someone, with content that can be commented on and replied to. Again, if someone had said “tldr, and the OP is whiny” I don’t see how that makes a simple “tldr” any _better_. > [@Giraffe](#): > > Posting one-word content-free replies solely to say you didn’t feel like reading the thread is jerkish. If you don’t have anything to say or don’t feel like reading a thread, don’t post. I agree. I just think posting to say you don’t feel like reading the thread, and then belittling people anyway, is still jerkish. > [@](#): > > Additional information for this specific case: In the first example, deevee’s post was in response to a specific dare posted on another website slamming Sampiro. This is not just jerkish, it’s trolling. I know of what you’re referring to, and I agree it’s too much of a coincedence not to be **deevee** ’s motivation. But since when is following the suggestion of someone on another board trolling? The rules don’t mention anything like that; > [@](#): > > **No trolling** > > By this, we primarily mean no posting of inflammatory comments for the sole purpose of getting a rise out of people. If we feel your primary goal as a poster is to make people mad, you’ll quickly find yourself on the road to banning. Similarly, if we feel your primary reason for being here is to complain about the board and/or the moderators, you may be invited to go find another board that is more to your liking. > [@](#): > > My guess is that Snakes on a Plane was similarly motivated, but even if he wasn’t it was his job to read the thread and see TVeblen’s warning about his exact post, so he also loses double points for being both jerkish and stupid. I agree that’s a more tenuous link, and I agree that an upgrade to a warning over just an admonishment is fair, but again I don’t see why following the suggestion of someone on another board is trolling, or in fact against the rules at all. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/13 "2006-05-25T02:23:20Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > In the first example, **deevee** ’s post was in response to a specific dare posted on another website slamming **Sampiro**. Hey Rev, go back and read Giraffe’s post again, pay special attention to the part I quoted. I think you will see why TLDR got the reaction it got. I think under different circumstances a well known poster who was clearly just trying to be funny would have probably gotten away with it. In fact I bet people under the right circumstances, will get away with it in the future. Say somebody like XXXXXX (name changed to avoid a hijack) posts one of his monster posts full of inacurate misleading and downright stupid BS, and he has been doing it for several pages and someone being sick of his bull shit chooses to express their opinion of the worthlessness of his long wrong and boring post by simply posting “TLDR”. I doubt a warning would follow. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/14 "2006-05-25T02:34:38Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Say somebody like XXXXXX (name changed to avoid a hijack) posts one of his monster posts full of inacurate misleading and downright stupid BS, and he has been doing it for several pages and someone being sick of his bull shit chooses to express their opinion of the worthlessness of his long wrong and boring post by simply posting “TLDR”. I doubt a warning would follow. But of course it would. Rationale given by mods so far; to say “tldr” and that alone is offensive; to have posted simply to say that you can’t be bothered to read it is the offense. Context doesn’t come into it, at least as far as I understand their position. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/15 "2006-05-25T02:46:15Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > But **C K** surely did pretty much the same thing; I’ll open up the quick reply, drop my turd, add a few insults, and go away. I don’t see why extra typing makes the turd stink less, to continue the analogy; I certainly don’t think extra _insults_ help the situation. We’re going to have to agree to disagree on the nature of Dex’s additional comments. I felt he was posting his opinion (angry as it was) on the topic, not just insults for insult sake. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/16 "2006-05-25T02:50:47Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > But of course it would. Rationale given by mods so far; to say “tldr” and that alone is offensive; to have posted simply to say that you can’t be bothered to read it is the offense. Context doesn’t come into it, at least as far as I understand their position. That’s how I’d read it also. If poster TLDR wants to get such a message across without falling afoul of the mods there’d have to be _some_ content, I would think, even if it’s no more than “Christ on a crumpet, XXXXXX, I quit reading your ignorant drivel back on page 2 of this thread. Why the hell don’t you just STFU?” On preview, I agree with **Cheesesteak** but understand why you disagree with that interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/17 "2006-05-25T02:58:20Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > We’re going to have to agree to disagree on the nature of Dex’s additional comments. I felt he was posting his opinion (angry as it was) on the topic, not just insults for insult sake. I’d say it was a mix of honest opinion and oppurtunistic insults, so yeah, agree to disagree. To use **EddyTeddyFreddy** ’s post as a guide, I just find it strange that a post saying simply “tldr” would be more harshly punished than one saying “tldr, and you’re an idiot with a stupid position in this matter”. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/18 "2006-05-25T03:37:43Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Tastes like duck rectum Nirvana’s greatest hits, ladies & gentlemen. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/19 "2006-05-25T04:15:27Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > But of course it would. Rationale given by mods so far; to say “tldr” and that alone is offensive; to have posted simply to say that you can’t be bothered to read it is the offense. Context doesn’t come into it, at least as far as I understand their position. tldr ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108/20 "2006-05-25T04:17:54Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > tldr tl [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tldr-clarification-please/358108.md?page=2)