There are certain threads that I know without getting past the title that I don’t want to read them. 99% of the time, anything with “TMI” in the title – I’ll take your word on it, it probably really is TMI.
The current thread that inspires me to start this one is “Have you ever had sex with a sibling?” No – and I don’t want to know what anyone else’s answer is, thankyouverymuch.
How about you? Is TMI your rule of thumb? Sex threads yes, poop threads no? Or vice versa? Or just certain topics that you’ve read the first 500 times, and see no reason to rehash again? Do you ever check out post-read ratios? Is a high ratio a good thing or a bad thing?
Popularity contest type threads, such as (names changed to avoid offending the OPs) “What Poster has the Best Smile?” or “What Poster is the Snazziest Dresser?” Sure, some posters enjoy these kinds of threads, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but they are also generally the posters who are mentioned in them frequently. The threads turn into love fests or flirt threads more often than not, and that just gets old fast.
Big long threads of most kind actually. I’m too lazy to read all through it
Personalized threads i.e. : “Hey Mr Jim I love you and I think you rock and I want to send you money if only you would be my friend!” Ok I might open that one.
As well as some already mentioned, I don’t the type of threads where IMHO people just post and don’t read, eg. “What’s your favourite colour?” or “What sort of mobile do you have?”
Any thread for or against homosexuality (and all of that goes along with them). No one is going to win. It’s just going to be a big emotional fit by both sides.
Threads by posters that have proven to be skirting trolldom.
Threads that bitch about other threads. No, not this one :). The ones where people actually come into a thread, aren’t interested in the subject matter, but they read it anyway, and then what do they do? (not clicking on a thread, and ignoring it if you don’t like it, as this thread suggests, is IMHO, the thing to do).
They post an ENTIRE thread bitching about how boring/stupid/bad etc, the other thread, the one they didn’t like, IS, including excerpts from it, and comments on the different parts of it!!! Sheesh.
Along the same lines, threads that bitch about types of threads, like the “There are too many LOTR threads, stop posting them, you’re boring us”. (not that I’m an LOTR fan, it was just one example that popped into my head).
I avoid TMI, most sex threads, anything political, anything religious, and certain individuals because experience has shown that there are some posters who just rub me the wrong way.
My level of boredom determines how many really inane-looking threads I’ll open.
FTR, I seriously doubt people post rants about traffic to be “unique”. Based on the threads posted on this subject, it’s quite the opposite.
People KNOW that traffic is annoying, and the purpose of the threads on the subject are to vent, and allow others to do the same.
Plus, who knows, maybe some idiot may read these and see himself, and MAYBE, just maybe (one can hope), one idiot will STOP tailgating, ripping in and out of rush-hour traffic etc.
“Look what crazy thing Michael Jackson did today!”
“Oh my God, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had a fight in public and their marriage is on the rocks!”
“Hey, are there any celebrities on the SDMB?”
“I got to stay in a hotel room J-Lo once looked at a picture of!”
“Which celebrity would you like to see ground up and fed to hogs?”
I just don’t see the point, really. For all the bitching people do about how they’re tired of celebrities and wish they would all go away, it’s really remarkable how at the same time we can’t get enough of 'em.
So I ignore the threads. My brain cells can be put to better use. It’s bad enough I can’t shut that stuff out completely, and that I know who’s married to whom purely by media osmosis. Price to pay for living in the global media stew, I guess. I just don’t actively participate.
…The TMI threads, though: can’t get enough of those. Read 'em while eating lunch, usually.
Look, I know the show’s popular and Page Davis has 18 kazillion books out now. I don’t have cable, I haven’t seen the show, and frankly, I love to leave crap lying around the house.
