# Why the post count? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 21, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365 "2002-03-21T16:36:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pixiegrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Pixiegrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiegrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/1 "2002-03-21T16:36:54Z")
Just curious. It seems to me, as an obvious newby, that the post count gives more weight to those who have an enormous amount of time to be online and debate. I guess I was just wondering if anyone knew why a post count was a part of the set up. Is it just for ego? And yes, I am jealous. I do so wish I had more time. This is an incredibly addictive place to be. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/2 "2002-03-21T16:49:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pixiegrrl \* > \*\*Just curious. It seems to me, as an obvious newby, that the post count gives more weight to those who have an enormous amount of time to be online and debate. I guess I was just wondering if anyone knew why a post count was a part of the set up. Is it just for ego? And yes, I am jealous. I do so wish I had more time. This is an incredibly addictive place to be. \*\* I wouldn’t worry too much about the post count. I happen to like it, but that’s just MHO. In truth, on this board, you are judged far more on the quality of your posts than on the quantity. We have people here who have thousands of posts yet have never really said anything of substance, and we also have people with relatively small post counts who are well-respected. (It will, however, take more than six posts before people here get to know you and your posting style). So, welcome to the SDMB, ignore the post counts and just jump right into the debates. No one is going to dismiss your opinions simply because you only have six posts. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/3 "2002-03-21T16:58:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > \*\* > > We have people here who have thousands of posts yet have never really said anything of substance… \*\* Hey! I’m standing right here! ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/4 "2002-03-21T17:02:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trion \* > \*\* > Hey! I’m standing right here! \*\* Well, obviously I wasn’t talking about _you_. 1045 is not thousands. 😛 Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/5 "2002-03-21T17:12:07Z")
Cheese it already! Can’t you see **pixiegrrl** is not worthy? How dare she ask such questions with her measley little single digit post count! And **pixiegrrl** - don’t believe what anyone says about there being an exclusive clique. No, there’s no secret handshake or anything like that. _(Dammit! Looks like we may need to change the nonexistent handshake yet again!)_ ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/6 "2002-03-21T18:40:53Z")
The way I view it is that the post count is sort of SDMB’s version of gray hair. It doesn’t mean a member is especially wise. It just means he or she has been here long enough to get it. Also when I was just starting out on the board and someone with a large count recommended that I not say something or say something in a different manner I tended to listen. But overall **zev’s** pretty much correct. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/7 "2002-03-21T19:19:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > \*\*Well, obviously I wasn’t talking about _you_. 1045 is not thousands. \*\* No, but I’m here to be your bad example! ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/8 "2002-03-21T19:22:45Z")
Actually I think we were reminded recently that sometimes [post count does count](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1910807#post1910807) I’ll be leaving now 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kloudes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/edb3f5/32.png) [@Kloudes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kloudes)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/9 "2002-03-21T21:42:38Z")
Ah, I am fully aware of “_post_ traumatic stress”(haha! Kloudes made a funny!)… When I first signed onto the boards, it seemed my goal was “MORE POSTS! MORE MINDLESS POSTS!” Of course, I upped my number to what _seemed_ somewhat respectable… and then the boards went down. And now here I am, stripped of all my precious, precious posts, looking like the newbie I am… But I realized something: IT DOESN’T MATTER! You got something to say? Say it. But numbers don’t count. Intelligence does. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/10 "2002-03-21T21:50:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kloudes \* > **But I realized something: IT DOESN’T MATTER!** Spoken like somebody with six posts. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/11 "2002-03-21T23:43:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pezpunk \* > \*\*Actually I think we were reminded recently that sometimes [post count does count](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1910807#post1910807) > \*\* And **pezpunk** , living up to the second syllable of his name, jumps in to stir up trouble. Damn whippersnappers. 😛 Just before a newbie reads that post and takes it seriously, I wanted to point out what follows that post **pezzy** linked to is some high post count people arguing how wrong that is. Post count doesn’t matter. It is immaterial. Hmm… Maybe I should’ve split this post up into a couple different posts so I could have boosted my count to 5000. See, I _used_ to have 5000 posts, but then there was an accident with the boards and I lost over a 100 posts, now I have to scratch and claw back to 5000. I want my 5000 back! I want my 5000! Anyway, I’m straying off subject. Post count means nothing, there is no elite clique (_Dinsdale, I’ll get the um… book club together so we can work on that nonexistant handshake_), and Og rules. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/12 "2002-03-22T00:02:17Z")
We are not amused. 😉 Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Angkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Angkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angkins)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/13 "2002-03-22T02:15:14Z")
Ahhhhhhh to be six again… Oh wait…we weren’t talking age! ;)😃 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/14 "2002-03-22T03:59:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, obviously I wasn’t talking about you. 1045 is not thousands. No, he was talking about me! Woohoo! Lots and lots and lots of posts, lots and lots and lots of NOTHING to say! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Palve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Palve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palve)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/15 "2002-03-22T04:13:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TV time \* > **The way I view it is that the post count is sort of SDMB’s version of gray hair.** And we all got a mandatory hair dying recently. _sigh_ This is my 300th post, which should really be closer to 1,200. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/16 "2002-03-22T05:49:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Palve \* > \*\*And we all got a mandatory hair dying recently. \*\* Not me! I was refusing to talk to you people from November to March so I didn’t lose a single post. And Persephone, Crunchy, and Esprix are STILL ahead of me! Who’s the no-life loser NOW? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/18 "2002-03-22T06:03:03Z")
Hi **neel2!** I’m Persephone. Nice to meet you. Hope you enjoy your stay here on the SDMB. We have a lot of fun here, and we hope you do too. There’s really only one rule, and that’s “Don’t be a jerk.” If you can live by that, you’ll be a fine addition to the group. Have a nice day! ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/19 "2002-03-22T06:26:21Z")
Post count… it’s kinda a guy thing… sorta like bragging about penis size.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/20 "2002-03-22T06:29:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bagkitty \* > \*\*Post count… it’s kinda a guy thing… sorta like bragging about penis size.😉 \*\* Are you saying **Persephone** has a bigger dick than I do? My god… **handy** must be hung like a Clydesdale! ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365/21 "2002-03-22T08:33:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bagkitty \* > \*\*Post count… it’s kinda a guy thing… sorta like bragging about penis size.😉 \*\* **Frantically checking inside my undies!** Oh, THANK GOD! (or TIPU, whichever you prefer) I was sweating for a second, there… what with the post count loss after the crash, what if… **Shudder!** It doesn’t bear thinking about…:eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-post-count/99365.md?page=2)