Why do you post on the Straight Dope Message Board?

[Pardel-Lux]

@kayaker

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I need the money. I’m one of a handful of posters who are paid to post.

I am so glad we are befriendet

[Pardel-Lux]

@Isosleepy

это не сложно, но вы должны знать правильных людей.

It’s not difficult, but you need to know the right people.
Sorry: I am an interpreter after all…

[The_Maple_Leaf]

I have always been a curious type; I love to learn new facts and to have wrong beliefs debunked. On this site I am particularly interested in learning details about specific human behaviors and social issues.

[thorny_locust]

@Spoons

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.

This, more or less.

@nelliebly

I like that people demand cites

And this.

@Beckdawrek

Cats.

And of course that . . .

I don’t want to only talk about things I already knew I was interested in; though I do like to talk about those.* I like to read about, and sometimes talk about, things I had no idea I was interested in until I saw the thread; but with some continuity of community, so I don’t have to try to figure out, for each new thread, an entirely different batch of people with an entirely different set of rules.

And I do want the conversation to be with people who think that “cite please” is a perfectly reasonable thing to say; and a perfectly reasonable thing to answer.

And I want that conversation to be with people who are at least mostly well-intentioned. (We do seem to have an occasional exception; but an occasional exception is probably unavoidable. And they do get pushback.)

And while sometimes I want to read interesting stuff and not have to think too much about it, sometimes I want to test my ideas and concepts against other people’s. (unggh, I still want to get back to one old thread I just wasn’t awake enough to deal with at the time – ) Having to come up with an at least somewhat coherent argument against somebody who disagrees with me is good for me. And if I really can’t do it, changing my mind is also sometimes good for me. I know some people I can do that with IRL on some subjects; but being able to carry on a disagreement in person without anybody getting ticked off is often tricky.

• And, um, I like to talk. As people here have undoubtedly noticed.

[River_Hippie]

@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.

In case no one ever said it to you before…Welcome, FollowMeDown, I’m glad you are here!

[armedmonkey]

I honestly don’t know, but then, Hell, I don’t know why I do half the things I do anyway.

[slatsg]

Well except for this post.

OK I have posted a few comments …

But usually I don’t.

[DorkVader]

Well, originally I was going to wow, amaze and impress y’all with my charm, good looks, impeccable manners, high intelligence and subtle, devastating wit.

Now, some of you might argue whether I’m a “natural” or “professional” fool but it is my tendency to play the court jester and I can do that here and not get so many weird looks. I like to think it’s because y’all understand and appreciate my humor, but maybe I don’t get the looks cause I can’t see them.

Nah, really it’s just something to do until everyone goes to bed and I can put porn on the big tv in the living room.

[Beckdawrek]

@DorkVader

Well, originally I was going to wow, amaze and impress y’all with my charm, good looks, impeccable manners, high intelligence and subtle, devastating wit.

Now, some of you might argue whether I’m a “natural” or “professional” fool but it is my tendency to play the court jester and I can do that here and not get so many weird looks. I like to think it’s because y’all understand and appreciate my humor, but maybe I don’t get the looks cause I can’t see them.

Nah, really it’s just something to do until everyone goes to bed and I can put porn on the big tv in the living room.

You are kinda funny…

(looking)

[Elendil_s_Heir]

I have several friends here, there are always some interesting discussions going on, I enjoy the thread games, and I often learn things I never would have learned otherwise.

[Isamu]

Every time I post that girl in the white coat comes over and give me the happy injection.

[FollowMeDown]

Thanks to those who responded to my post. Looking back, it was silly. I think I got almost the whole thing wrong. No more late night posting! (It’s 1:36AM here in Harrisburg…BUT I’m working!).

I like nerds.

[jerez]

@FollowMeDown

…I like nerds.

If that’s in response to me, just to avoid any misunderstanding, I’ll point out that my post was meant to be a humorous reference to the film Chinatown and the famous line, “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” I wasn’t making fun of you or anything.

[Pardel-Lux]

Contrary to what many believe when they think superficially about it (at least in Europe), the USA and Europe are very different places. Their attitudes to State, Sex, God & Religion, guns, food, sport, morality & prudishness are very different indeed. And I come here to witness that in a setting that allows civilized debatte. I learn a lot.

[ThelmaLou]

@FollowMeDown

Thanks to those who responded to my post. Looking back, it was silly. I think I got almost the whole thing wrong. No more late night posting! (It’s 1:36AM here in Harrisburg…BUT I’m working!).

I like nerds.

Well, it’s always the middle of the day somewhere.

@jerez

If that’s in response to me, just to avoid any misunderstanding, I’ll point out that my post was meant to be a humorous reference to the film Chinatown and the famous line, “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” I wasn’t making fun of you or anything.

And anyway, I welcomed FMD first! <Jostles for position>

@Pardel-Lux

Contrary to what many believe when they think superficially about it (at least in Europe), the USA and Europe are very different places. Their attitudes to State, Sex, God & Religion, guns, food, sport, morality & prudishness are very different indeed. And I come here to witness that in a setting that allows civilized debatte. I learn a lot.

Do start posting more, please.

[Die_Capacitrix]

Another expat who otherwise wouldn’t have much contact with other Americans. And it’s nice to talk about something other than the weather.

[Czarcasm]

@Die_Capacitrix

Another expat who otherwise wouldn’t have much contact with other Americans. And it’s nice to talk about something other than the weather.

I just created this thread in your honor.

[FollowMeDown]

@jerez

If that’s in response to me, just to avoid any misunderstanding, I’ll point out that my post was meant to be a humorous reference to the film Chinatown and the famous line, “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” I wasn’t making fun of you or anything.

Nope.

[FollowMeDown]

@ThelmaLou

Well, it’s always the middle of the day somewhere.

And anyway, I welcomed FMD first! <Jostles for position>

Do start posting more, please.

Thank you!

I will post more. Just remember, you asked for it.

[Exapno_Mapcase]

@FollowMeDown

Thank you!

I will post more. Just remember, you asked for it.

Tell all the people that you see
It’s just me
Follow me down

Very apropos.