# Why do you post on the Straight Dope Message Board? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619 "2019-11-18T16:22:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/61 "2019-11-19T00:44:04Z")
this : > [@River\_Hippie](#): > > In my “real” life there are very few people that share my political views, watch the movies and series I like, are interested in the hobbies I enjoy…etc. At the Dope I can find all of that and much more. I can read posts by people that hold opposing political views, hate the movies and shows I like and have hobbies that I have no interest in. But, they can make the case for their views and opinions better than most people I encounter in the real world. and this: > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Most of the people in my everyday life are not inquisitive about the world around them. They simply “bebop” through life; they preoccupy themselves with entertainment and busywork, and don’t seem to care “why things are they way they are,” or how things work. The lack of intellectual stimulation when I interact with these folks bores me. Which is why I love the Dope… I get to read thoughts, ideas, and comments from (very intelligent) people who seem to have a genuine curiosity about a subject matter. Furthermore, grammar and punctuation on the Dope are an order of magnitude better than any other forum on the Internet. Put another way, the signal-to-noise ratio on the Dope is at least 10 dB higher than any other forum. 😉 > > I also enjoy teaching, so I will post if I believe I can contribute something positive to a thread. and despite my admittedly horrible writing style most of y’all still put up with ya still read my post … ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/62 "2019-11-19T01:23:27Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Interesting - how does that work? Send me $500 and I will let you in on it ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/63 "2019-11-19T01:51:58Z")
In addition to my earlier post, this is also where I can share my love for Mark Gormley, a couple times a decade. [Little Wings - Mark Gormley - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x9J65j2GNzw) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/64 "2019-11-19T01:55:49Z")
Someone has to be the chaff. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/65 "2019-11-19T02:00:03Z")
I thought of another reason: this is the best recreation of the late night dorm bull sessions that I used to enjoy back in college. Back before those darn millennials and their phones, the dorm had some VHS tapes, some CDs, a couple of pool tables, and a couple of tvs that mainly got religious programming late at night. We would sit down at night with beer and weed and discuss how the world should be. It was kinda cool with the econ/poli major (me) with the biology major, the psychology major and whoever was that semester’s new convert to veganism or Libertarianism. ---
**Author:** ![FollowMeDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@FollowMeDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FollowMeDown)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/66 "2019-11-19T05:10:31Z")
This might get me banned. I’ve been posting as early as maybe 2002, 2003. I’ve never trolled or was a sock puppet as they called it back then. I signed up (I think) as Rooves, then “legally” changed my username to BlackTrainSong. But then after that I left for so long it was easier to just sign up as this. So, Ive been around a long time. And when I do reply to anything I’m usually met with ZERO response. Could be because I’m uninteresting. That’s most probable. But…there’s this really great thing about this group. You are bold, interesting, knowledgeable, funny and credentialed as shit. But one thing I hate is that you see people as me as outsiders. You dont welcome newcomers (in my opinion). I think my first EVER BBQ PIT fight was with monstro (maybe??) , who i think is awesome and I was just new. Anyway, guys… if I don’t get banned…welcome people you’re not used to. I’ve taken so much advice from you peckerheads through the years. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/67 "2019-11-19T05:13:59Z")
All good reasons so far, and I’d echo many of them. I’ll add one more: if we regard the SDMB as a whole as a single forum, then there are only a few sub-forums on the SDMB (12, by my count), which, I’d suggest, fosters a sense of community. I’m thinking of another board I follow, which has hundreds of sub-forums, and sub-sub-forums. If you are interested in vegetable gardening, you can zero in on the Vegetable Gardening sub-sub-forum, interact with other vegetable gardeners, and never hear the views of the flower gardeners. For that matter, you can completely ignore anything that does not concern vegetable gardening. As a result, you never get to know other forum members who don’t care for vegetable gardening. Now, consider the SDMB. With so few sub-forums (and no sub-sub-forums), you have to figure out where your question or comment belongs–alongside questions or comments that have nothing to do with your interests, but which you might find interesting anyway. You might open them and read them; and even though you may never post in them (or you might, if the topic strikes your fancy), you get to know the people behind the names: what they know well and what they don’t, what they find humorous, what their lives are like. Who might be a good resource if you’re planning a trip, or if you’re looking for expertise outside your experience. And in turn, they get to know you too. You become a member of a community, not just a vegetable gardener discussing vegetable gardening with other vegetable gardeners. That’s what keeps me coming back–the community we’ve created. I’ve made a lot of friends here, and I think it’s the few forums that we have that have contributed to me considering interests that were not my own prior to signing up, getting to know people whose views I may not agree with but respect anyway, considering points-of-view and solutions to challenges I never would have thought of, laughing at humorous posts, helping out others if I can; and otherwise, being part of the community. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/68 "2019-11-19T06:05:04Z")
I come here because I learn so much and enjoy engaging with all the smartypants Dopers. I like that people demand cites (on some boards). I don’t think I’m a very influential poster, but I’ve been influenced by many of you and am better for it. If TPTB ever lean toward taking this site down, the comments here would be a great argument against such nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/69 "2019-11-19T06:24:26Z")
Cats. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/70 "2019-11-19T06:35:17Z")
Facebook sucks donkey balls and Twitter sucks twice as many of them ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/71 "2019-11-19T07:10:11Z")
I came for the pie. I stayed for the cats. And the stoats. And the quokkas. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/72 "2019-11-19T08:34:49Z")
The occasional truly awesome discussion and even more occasional awesome irresistible question to dig around for a factual answer to. Plus a lot of opportunities for plain old garden-variety (but often articulate and interesting) quarrels. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/73 "2019-11-19T08:43:28Z")
Why do I read? I learn new stuff. Why do I write? Keeps my written English oiled aaaand… > [@Kobal2](#): > > Obviously not. A colon is only to be used when introducing either a citation ; a list ; or an enumeration of multiple disparate elements. Otherwise a comma suffices to separate clauses and/or sub-clauses. _adjusts pince-nez in preparation forrrr aaaaa rrrrrrrumble_ …it’s always fun being able to poke at the neighbors. Those spaces before the semi-colons are very French, monsieur **Kobal2** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/74 "2019-11-19T09:01:47Z")
I’m aware. But at the same time a) I can’t just go against decades of normative ruler\_to\_the\_knuckles conditioning and b) those norms are QUITE EVIDENTLY justified and objectively superior to any absurd foreign gobbledigook masquerading as quote unquote rules. I mean the very ideaaaahr, ugh. Miss me with that Saxon shit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/75 "2019-11-19T11:33:25Z")
You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave. I came here for the social discourse. Before there was social media, there was the SDMB. Since then, I’ve just never gone away. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/76 "2019-11-19T12:34:12Z")
I’m not a very social person IRL, I’m a wicked homebody-introvert. I enjoy reading here and feeling a sense of community even though I’m pretty much an outsider. There are some really intelligent, witty, and kind folk here and that gives me hope in the face of the chaos of today’s world. This place is like the best kind of people-watching but without the eye contact. It’s endlessly entertaining and often I learn something too. What’s not to like? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/77 "2019-11-19T13:58:02Z")
> [@FollowMeDown](#): > > This might get me banned. I’ve been posting as early as maybe 2002, 2003. I’ve never trolled or was a sock puppet as they called it back then. I signed up (I think) as Rooves, then “legally” changed my username to BlackTrainSong. But then after that I left for so long it was easier to just sign up as this. > > So, Ive been around a long time. And when I do reply to anything I’m usually met with ZERO response. Could be because I’m uninteresting. That’s most probable. But…there’s this really great thing about this group. You are bold, interesting, knowledgeable, funny and credentialed as shit. > > But one thing I hate is that you see people as me as outsiders. You dont welcome newcomers (in my opinion). > > I think my first EVER BBQ PIT fight was with monstro (maybe??) , who i think is awesome and I was just new. > > Anyway, guys… if I don’t get banned…welcome people you’re not used to. I’ve taken so much advice from you peckerheads through the years. Hey, **FollowMeDown** , how ya doin’? Why would such a post get you banned?? Have you looked into ATMB lately? Lots of criticism of the board there. My posts often get ignored. In fact, I’m often the one who shuts down a thread. And I KNOW I’m interesting. 😉 Here’s a secret: I think many of us feel ignored from time to time. Except trolls, of course. Troll behavior will generate endless, pointless replies, and I’m sure that’s one of the reasons they do it. It’s not worth resorting to that just to get replies IMHO. But I digress. Is it possible that changing your screen name several times has prevented people from getting a sense of the Continuity of You? Anyhoo, don’t be a stranger. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/78 "2019-11-19T14:53:59Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Hey, **FollowMeDown** , how ya doin’? Why would such a post get you banned?? Have you looked into ATMB lately? Lots of criticism of the board there. Ixnay on the ultiplema accountsmay. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2019, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/79 "2019-11-19T15:49:26Z")
Clearly I sinned mightily in a past life and the SDMB is one of the many punishments in this one. But I am mindful of my masochism, so there is that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619/80 "2019-11-20T00:03:18Z")
Because interesting topics show up here. Or things I feel passionately about, and want to say something on. It’s also just a nice respite from elsewhere online, where long form text comments are rare. Oh, and it’s nice to not have to re-explain basic concepts all the time, in order to discuss them. The downside is that this means you guys know how to build up an argument, and so it’s more work to try and break it apart when I disagree. It’s like something an acquaintance told me once: Intelligence means you are more likely right, but it also means that, when you’re wrong, it’s harder to find the flaw. Intelligent people argue better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-you-post-on-the-straight-dope-message-board/843619.md?page=5)