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Thread to post ratio?

Octarine

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I'm sure you've all observed that there is a wide divergence in the thread to post ratio of many members of significant post count (>250).
Some prefer only to respond to existing posts, providing their opinion or pointing out errors in knowledge or logic. Others post large amounts of threads, few of which receive any replies, yet they keep posting.

Any hypotheses?

What does this reflect in terms of ones personality and social role?

What other factors are involved?

Level of imagination? Breadth vs Depth?
Familiarity with the forum or the internet in general?
General level of curiosity?
Age or level of knowledge?

Why is your thread to post ratio the way it is?
 

Thalassa

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I think people who start threads a whole bunch, despite anyone responding, REALLY FEEL THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. Though I have an insanely high post count, the ratio to the number of threads I've begun is probably quite discordant. I would say this means my social role is to respond, support, crack wise, and throw rotten eggs. I have started threads though, I just don't do it very often.

Although I post a ridiculous amount, it's more of a conversational impulse, I think. I don't daily get the feeling that I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SAY, which is probably why I don't start many threads in relation to my responses.
 

Octarine

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Although I post a ridiculous amount, it's more of a conversational impulse, I think.

Could you stop posting (but perhaps still reading) from forums for a particular period of time without feeling like there is something missing that you are not doing?
 

Thalassa

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Could you stop posting (but perhaps still reading) from forums for a particular period of time without feeling like there is something missing that you are not doing?

No, probably not. I like to engage. I do sometimes read without responding, believe it or not, but on this forum in particular I'm so comfortable socially that my post count is MUCH higher than it is on Personality Nation, Personality Cafe, or INTJforum.

I like the interaction. I like to write. I like to discuss things with people. I would say I like to talk just to hear the sound of my own voice, but that wouldn't be true, since I'm actually typing.
 

KDude

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I don't have any pressing concerns to talk about. Or rather, sometimes I do, but in that case, I don't want to everyone's advice. I'd rather go to PM if I spot someone who I think can answer a question. Maybe because of some similarity in their experience or because their cognitive style is different and may shed some light. Otherwise, I just like adding my random input on things.
 

strychnine

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I'd think 'responders' vs. 'initiators' may play a role here. This translates to I/E according to that one thread on this forum. But I'm pretty sure it does not play out that way in reality. There are so many introverts/responders here and many of us start lots of threads. At least it seems that way, but I bet we don't have stats for this.

I personally don't say most of what I have to say. That is probably why members who have been here for the same length of time as me have post counts in the 1000s. I think but don't post. Very often.

Knowledge could play a role sometimes. I feel bad to ask questions if I think the information is available somewhere else, that does not involve getting someone else to spoonfeed me the answer. Also, if I'm offering up an idea, I want it to be sound, and I am not knowledgeable enough to be sure of that (on most topics). So naturally, I think but don't post. Again. ;)

I also post when provoked.
 

wolfy

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I like starting threads. I've started a few. A few hits, a few bombs.

I tend to post in any thread where something pops into my head. I guess I have a pretty conversational tone. If the thread itself is conversational I get a few replies. Often my posts just sit there, but more often than not I am just posting a thought on it. The best way to get a reply is to question someone's logic, or ethics, or both.

I feel pretty comfortable to say whatever I want. Like we were sitting around the table with a couple of beers.
 

Stigmata

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Lots of small tangents/ideas zoom past me in the Nascar racetrack that is my mind, I just don't think all of them deserve to be threads. If I'm going to start a thread, I want it to contribute something I can think would be something to provide actual substance to the forum pertaining to a topic I've actually devoted a fair amount of thought to prior to posting. I'm not one for stream of consciousness thread creation.
 
P

Phantonym

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Why is your thread to post ratio the way it is?

Vacuousness of teh brain. The topics have usually been discussed somewhere somehow anyway. I hate drawing loads of attention to myself, creating a thread seems/feels worse/more in everybody's face than posting in threads. If I happen to create threads I usually feel disgusted by the effort that it would take to keep it alive, it starts to feel like an obligation the moment I hit the send button, so I withdraw. If a thread won't live on it's own, it's meant to die anyway. They usually die, some momentarily. The disappointment kind of creates the vacuousness of teh brain. Etc.

If I'm going to start a thread, I want it to contribute something I can think would be something to provide actual substance to the forum pertaining to a topic I've actually devoted a fair amount of thought to prior to posting.

Interesting. I think my motives mostly lie in selfishness. There's something I want to find out and it is important enough to me at that particular moment to create a thread. I don't think about any specific merits of contribution. If somebody else finds some kind of use in it, it's a bonus, but it doesn't directly affect me.
 

Stigmata

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Interesting. I think my motives mostly lie in selfishness. There's something I want to find out and it is important enough to me at that particular moment to create a thread. I don't think about any specific merits of contribution. If somebody else finds some kind of use in it, it's a bonus, but it doesn't directly affect me.

Well, that's pretty much my motive in starting threads as well -- seeking feedback. I'm just a lot less inclined to do so with "Fluffy topics". I think for me I put more emphasis on originality(Is this something that has been started before? Would this be something that others could be interested in participating in?) and what I believe to be quality(Could this thread possibly give way to fruitful discourse?) when I make threads.
 

Santosha

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I had the same questions a few weeks back. I wondered if initiators would be more likely to start threads. I wondered if ENFP's would be more likely to start threads because it is said that the ENFP is passionate about their own ideas and projects, not wanting to hang on the coat tails of others.

Reasons that I've started threads are ultimately that I have a question, or want to see a certain idea expanded on by others. THings I haven't thought of will be added. My own ideas challenged. I realize that my question probably has been mulled over before, but its easier to to just post it again instead of searching back through 3 yrs of threads. Is there an obligation to keep ideas organized, not waste forum space, etc? I don't know about that.
 

Thalassa

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You're wrong.

Well, I looked at the number of moderators on the top ten thread starters list, and also that Lark is there, and Victor starts lots of threads and seems that way too.

You're the exception, prpl, like always. :D
 
A

Anew Leaf

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for me, I haven't done too much thread starting since I am still new here. Also, I have loads of ideas but I don't want to overwhelm this forum with too much awesome. I will, instead, dole out the awesome one tidbit at a time.

Hint: Click on the link in my signature! :D
 

Rail Tracer

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If I find something interesting to me, I'll create a thread. Otherwise, I just don't.
 

Octarine

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The most prolific thread starters seem to peak out at a rate of 10:1. Dynamiteninja is an anomaly at 6:1, but that is due to the nature of the threads s/he posts.
 

miss fortune

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my ratio is about 150 posts made for every thread I've started... I have over 14,000 posts and 96 threads started :cheese:

my old blog is STILL in the top 10 threads in the forum for posts, as far as I remember, and I posted a lot in there, which probably has something to do with my skewed numbers :laugh:
 
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