# When does one become an "established" poster? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953 "2014-12-11T16:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/41 "2014-12-12T16:13:17Z")
I personally felt it when I started reading things like ,“WhyNot, as always, said what I was thinking.” It was a bit disconcerting. Also, the first time I was “paged” to a thread. Weird. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re just blabbing to a cloud of keyboards, but stuff like that…Oh, yeah. You’re all, like, real people. Who actually pay attention to what I say sometimes, and remember me as a unique individual. Bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/42 "2014-12-12T16:17:10Z")
> [@Abracadebra](#): > > Do you shun threadkillers? This isn’t the place for people who “shun”. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/43 "2014-12-12T16:22:49Z")
When their cornerstone gets laid. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/44 "2014-12-12T17:39:32Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I personally felt it when I started reading things like ,“WhyNot, as always, said what I was thinking.” It was a bit disconcerting. Also, the first time I was “paged” to a thread. Weird. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re just blabbing to a cloud of keyboards, but stuff like that…Oh, yeah. You’re all, like, real people. Who actually pay attention to what I say sometimes, and remember me as a unique individual. Bizarre. Mm. You remind me. I personally felt it when I said something snotty in a thread, and the author of the thread PMed me and said they’d always respected me as a poster, and kind of followed my posts, and did I _really_ think so badly of them? It was clear their feelings were hurt and I felt really bad. That was the day, I think, I resolved to try to always be polite and civil if nothing else, and keep my posts - even my insulting posts - above a certain level. I can’t promise I kept to it 10% but I certainly did try. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/45 "2014-12-12T18:22:12Z")
When the initiation goat knows you on sight and immediately prepares for the ceremony. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/46 "2014-12-12T18:31:23Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > **Mr Nylock** and **Antinor** , > > You don’t have to be particularly antagonistic to receive a Pit thread. I got a three page Pit thread about myself because I said in an IMHO thread, “Organized religion is worse than organized crime”. Somebody thought I shouldn’t even be allowed to say that! I can be sharp and pissy and sarcastic and I have never been (seriously) pitted. I also don’t think I’ve ever been officially warned. I _used_ to be an established poster but I no longer have the time to post as much as one needs to to be thought of as an established poster. That’s the secret, make a lot of posts in a lot of threads in many forums. It helps if you’re posts are either well thought out or batshit insane. You don’t even have to have been posting all that long, either. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/47 "2014-12-12T18:36:02Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > Are you reading the Woman in White for the dope book club? Holy crap. I just finished reading this 3-4 weeks ago for the first time! I had bought _The Moonstone_ to re-read it again, saw _The Woman In White_, got it and read it. Great book. Yeah Wilkie - you rock! ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/48 "2014-12-12T18:36:20Z")
You become an established poster when 1. You preview a post you’re about to make. 2. You realize it’s a five-year-old zombie thread. 3. You discover you already made the same point when the thread was fresh. 4. You already posted your repeated thoughts two years ago, the last time the zombie thread was reanimated. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/49 "2014-12-12T18:44:36Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > You become an established poster when > > 1. You preview a post you’re about to make. > 2. You realize it’s a five-year-old zombie thread. > 3. You discover you already made the same point when the thread was fresh. > 4. You already posted your repeated thoughts two years ago, the last time the zombie thread was reanimated. I hate how true that is. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/50 "2014-12-12T18:52:29Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I knew I had arrived once other posters started referring to me by the correct pronoun. I agree with **monstro**. He knows what he’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/51 "2014-12-12T18:52:41Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I hate how true that is. > > :smack: Yes, omg yes. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/52 "2014-12-12T19:13:22Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I can be sharp and pissy and sarcastic and I have never been (seriously) pitted. I also don’t think I’ve ever been officially warned. I _used_ to be an established poster but I no longer have the time to post as much as one needs to to be thought of as an established poster. That’s the secret, make a lot of posts in a lot of threads in many forums. It helps if you’re posts are either well thought out or batshit insane. You don’t even have to have been posting all that long, either. Aw, Biggie! You’ll always be established to me. I think I non-seriously pitted you before joke pittings were banned. [Ah, yes. Here it is.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=10374) > [@Pleonast](#): > > You become an established poster when > > 1. You preview a post you’re about to make. > 2. You realize it’s a five-year-old zombie thread. > 3. You discover you already made the same point when the thread was fresh. > 4. You already posted your repeated thoughts two years ago, the last time the zombie thread was reanimated. LOL! For me, it’s reading a post and thinking “wow, that is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Who is that brilliant and well-spoken person?” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/53 "2014-12-12T19:20:39Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I agree with **monstro**. He knows what he’s talking about. I got that joke. Maybe it’s a sign . . . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/54 "2014-12-12T19:28:15Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I knew I had arrived once other posters started referring to me by the correct pronoun. Darn. They get me wrong most of the time. How about when you answer questions in ATMB faster than the mods do? When you know what MMP stands for? ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/55 "2014-12-12T19:54:26Z")
Make a lot of controversial threads and get into long knock-down, drag-out fights and never let the other side have the last word. Go out of your way to make friends and enemies and pair them off against each other in unrelated threads. The key is to get engaged personally with posters and insult/compliment them. Post lurid details of your personal life and invite others to comment/judge. That’s the fastest way to get established. I’ve seen it done in less than 100 posts. I have 4200 posts since 2004 and I doubt many recognize me by name. Despite posting lots of non-mainstream political opinions or criticizing board culture I almost never directly insult anyone so there’s no reason for anyone to get a visceral reaction from seeing my name. I have one pit from a long time ago for an over the top devil’s advocate political position and one warning from a mod who I suspect was just having a bad day. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/56 "2014-12-12T19:58:17Z")
I’m pretty innocuous for most of the reasons others like me mentioned, and I have a long way to go on a lot of these requirements, but I **have** been warned!! I called someone a troll! At the time I didn’t know it wasn’t allowed. I was all offended at first, but came to feel like a bad ass. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/57 "2014-12-12T20:49:31Z")
I’ve never been thread-stalked or pitted, despite how intriguingly sexy and insufferably brash I am. I’m regretting I ever opted out of that goat ceremony 15 years ago ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/58 "2014-12-12T20:52:12Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > 5000+ posts, and at least one warning. > [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > When Guinistasia replies to your post with “me too!” > > Sorry Guin… > [@Shodan](#): > > You have to Pit someone and have it blow up in your face, and/or complain about the mods. > > Regards, > Shodan > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I think the only way to be really sure is to leave for two years and see if anyone starts a “What happened to SoandSO?” thread. > [@EmilyG](#): > > Once people start complaining about you in the Pit? 😛 > [@kopek](#): > > When you get a PM from a much more active/longer-term member. Especially if its either “I agree” or “what the hell were you thinking”. Yup, I got all these, and I’ve been pitted **4** times! > [@Pleonast](#): > > You become an established poster when > > 1. You preview a post you’re about to make. > 2. You realize it’s a five-year-old zombie thread. > 3. You discover you already made the same point when the thread was fresh. > 4. You already posted your repeated thoughts two years ago, the last time the zombie thread was reanimated. Forgot #5. And you STILL go ahead and hit the submit button. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/59 "2014-12-12T21:43:16Z")
The second Wednesday of each month, between 3:30 and 4:00 PM Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953/60 "2014-12-12T23:31:29Z")
I’ve met **Quasimodem** (now apparently **Quasimodal** ) in real life. I think that counts. Super nice guy, if you’re wondering. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-become-an-established-poster/706953.md?page=4)