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[MBTI General] Reading, but rarely posting.

Kriash

Resident Apple Hoarder
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
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I often find myself on here for hours, reading various posts so I, in turn, can post afterwards. But I find myself unable to say anything that already hasn't been said, so usually it results in 15 pages read, and moving on to a new thread.
I have been on this site for over a year now, maybe even longer than that, I don't exactly remember. But my post count is still under 50.

I wonder, is this the case with many other people? Or am I alone in lurking and rarely posting? Does it have anything to do with type? I would figure not, but still, I wonder if there is anything to it.
 

Z Buck McFate

Pepperidge Farm remembers.
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I can relate to that. There's another member with whom I've had an ongoing joke about which one of us would finally reach 500 first, because we're both such slow posters. It's often the case for me that I'll sit down with my laptop and start reading an interesting thread, but lose any motivation to actually post before finishing it. And sometimes I do have a different point of view to contribute- but I'll be somewhat exhausted by the amount of thought I've already put into it, and won't feel up to the task of articulating what my thoughts are.

Mostly, for me, it isn't even the topic that exhausts me- it's filtering all the side comments made throughout the thread. The beginning might incite a bunch of different tangents in my head. Then as I read on, if others have gone on tangents in slightly different directions- then those new tangents will stir up even more thoughts. It's especially taxing when the tangents don't even apply to the thread (page upon page of senseless argument, or flirting that seems to go on forever)- because I still have to scan them to know they don't apply, and scanning them is distracting. It's sort of like filling up on bread and butter before the entree arrives- so when the entree finally arrives, I might end up not even touching it because I'm no longer hungry enough to care. I actually usually start writing up a response on Word to the things that occur to me as I'm reading the thread (I'll completely forget them as I read others' responses if I don't jot them down as they occur to me), but many of those seem like a moot point by the time I've reached the end of the thread, if only because they don't seem pertinent to where the discussion has ended up.

Anyway, yeah- I hear you- about being a slow poster. I'm certain is has something to do with being introverted, and fairly sure it has something to do with being an introverted N (filtering through the possibilities that surface is tiring).
 

Arclight

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I wouldn't say 95% of the stuff I say on here out there. Except maybe to my closest friends or my partner.
On I here, I say all the stuff I wish I said out there.
And Really I am not talking.. I am writing and it takes on a form of it's own.
It rarely uses up the same kind of energy as talking.
I find out more about myself as I just kind of go along on here, than any amount of introspection can bring, especially since my self inspection is filtered to neatly fit my vision of how things ought to be.
On here it's public record.
I cannot hide from myself. There is much to learn through interacting with others and this is a pretty safe way to do it.
The feedback is priceless. The reaction educating and insightful.
The practice for taking on real life, is invaluable.
There is introversion, and then there is opportunity.
Nothing is ever as it appears on the surface.
I post a lot because I am an introvert.
When I am tired, I simply log off :)
 

Southern Kross

Away with the fairies
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I wonder, is this the case with many other people? Or am I alone in lurking and rarely posting? Does it have anything to do with type? I would figure not, but still, I wonder if there is anything to it.
Yeah, I read a lot more than I post, and relative to the time I spend on here, I'm a slow poster. I've been here since December 2008 and only have 900 odd posts.

It's often the case for me that I'll sit down with my laptop and start reading an interesting thread, but lose any motivation to actually post before finishing it. And sometimes I do have a different point of view to contribute- but I'll be somewhat exhausted by the amount of thought I've already put into it, and won't feel up to the task of articulating what my thoughts are.

Mostly, for me, it isn't even the topic that exhausts me- it's filtering all the side comments made throughout the thread. The beginning might incite a bunch of different tangents in my head. Then as I read on, if others have gone on tangents in slightly different directions- then those new tangents will stir up even more thoughts. It's especially taxing when the tangents don't even apply to the thread (page upon page of senseless argument, or flirting that seems to go on forever)- because I still have to scan them to know they don't apply, and scanning them is distracting. It's sort of like filling up on bread and butter before the entree arrives- so when the entree finally arrives, I might end up not even touching it because I'm no longer hungry enough to care.
Wow, I really relate to this. I think in such a random, non-sequential manner its hard for me to express my thoughts coherently. I have to spend ages attempting to clarify things and put ideas in a logical order and tying things together, all the while dealing with those small points made by various posters. Sometimes I even find it difficult to understand what my point is and have to follow the idea through in writing and wait for it to come to me (that's FiNe for you, with its back-to-front logic). And often when I'm half way through all this, I realise I no longer care and abandon the post.
 

_dp

New member
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Oct 11, 2009
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37
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enfj
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It's not only you introverts! I read/skim a lot and hardly ever post as well =]
 

Z Buck McFate

Pepperidge Farm remembers.
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I think in such a random, non-sequential manner its hard for me to express my thoughts coherently. I have to spend ages attempting to clarify things and put ideas in a logical order and tying things together, all the while dealing with those small points made by various posters. Sometimes I even find it difficult to understand what my point is and have to follow the idea through in writing and wait for it to come to me (that's FiNe for you, with its back-to-front logic). And often when I'm half way through all this, I realize I no longer care and abandon the post.

I remember an episode of the Simpsons where Homer had a stash of snack bars, and each snack bar was actually an entire meal condensed into one small bar. After assuring Marge he knew what he was doing, he ate a whole stack of them- then he got up, walked over to the phone and said, “Hello, 911?” into the receiver. That’s kind of what it feels like sometimes, which is why I suspect N has something to do with it- though I could be wrong. It’s like things unzip like compressed files as they enter my head, and it takes a lot of effort to articulate what occurs to me in an intelligible enough way to present it to other people. I’ve got an INFP friend with whom I share a joke about English being our second language- our first being a series of grunts and hand gestures, which doesn’t go over so well in the written medium of an online forum. I can generally only participate quickly in conversations that resemble past conversations I have previously ‘unzipped’ in my head (and therefore have already invested the time in figuring out how to articulate).

There are times when I envy others’ ability to simply read and respond, without having things implode into unmanageable piles of fragmented thought, because posting more helps build a good rapport with other forum members. Having a good rapport with people makes it easier to bounce things off of them, especially if I’m unsure of whether or not I’ve turned it into something that makes sense. People who have previously interacted with me are far more likely to flat out tell me I don’t make sense- or ask me what I meant- than someone who’s never read my posts before. It’s hard to build that kind of camaraderie when you’re a slow poster.


It's not only you introverts! I read/skim a lot and hardly ever post as well =]

This other member I mentioned- with whom I’ve been in a turtle-caliber posting race- is likely an Ne dom (last I heard). :yes:
 

entropie

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Well by being that way you of course are denieng us to get to know your personality. It's kinda unprogressive if you think a thread has a finite amount of answers and when given the thread ends. one example for a thread having much more potential than that is: a thread can always be trolled and after that you can have a completly new frame of discussion.

It's of course your decision if you want to say more, I just can tell you, disregardless of what you will say, it is never wrong, cause it is you and reflects the person you are. :)
 
N

NPcomplete

Guest
I do have stuff to say but as others mentioned, sometimes by the end of the thread, I lose all interest in posting. Or sometimes I have similar views and it feels stupid to post something just to say "I concur". Other times, I feel I don't know enough to post - most people here seem to have much more life experience than I do so I feel "intimidated" a bit. Moreover, in a lot of very interesting threads, people talk a lot about functions and discuss them separately. I don't think I know enough about all the functions to do that but I'm learning (I still fail to see how those can be discussed as separate entities but oh well. The posts are very enlightening.). Finally, it takes so much effort to share and actually translate all those images and hunches into words.

Erm yeah, so this is why I don't post much.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
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May 22, 2008
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You guys take it too seriously. It's a fact that the more you say the more you'll be contradicting yourself in the long run. That is a problem with all languages made of words. Words are always oversimplistic. Don't worry, just write something.
 

entropie

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What ? I never contradict myself ! I am always on the same level of development and when I am 81 years old I'll still talk like a 12 year old having learnt nothing ! :D
 

nolla

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Yeah, me neither. I was referring to the average people. :yes:
 

Such Irony

Honor Thy Inferior
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I often find myself on here for hours, reading various posts so I, in turn, can post afterwards. But I find myself unable to say anything that already hasn't been said, so usually it results in 15 pages read, and moving on to a new thread.
I have been on this site for over a year now, maybe even longer than that, I don't exactly remember. But my post count is still under 50.

I wonder, is this the case with many other people? Or am I alone in lurking and rarely posting? Does it have anything to do with type? I would figure not, but still, I wonder if there is anything to it.

I'm not sure how type related it is. I've seen people who primarily lurk throughout the 16 types.

I do have stuff to say but as others mentioned, sometimes by the end of the thread, I lose all interest in posting. Or sometimes I have similar views and it feels stupid to post something just to say "I concur". Other times, I feel I don't know enough to post - most people here seem to have much more life experience than I do so I feel "intimidated" a bit. Moreover, in a lot of very interesting threads, people talk a lot about functions and discuss them separately. I don't think I know enough about all the functions to do that but I'm learning (I still fail to see how those can be discussed as separate entities but oh well. The posts are very enlightening.). Finally, it takes so much effort to share and actually translate all those images and hunches into words.

Erm yeah, so this is why I don't post much.

I find myself posting to the shorter threads more than the longer ones. If its just a strung out debate with no hope of people opening up their minds and gaining new insights, I lose interest. I don't like to just say "I concur" unless I feel like its a minority opinion and want the poster to know they are not alone. I don't post much in the function threads either even though I very much enjoy reading them.

You guys take it too seriously. It's a fact that the more you say the more you'll be contradicting yourself in the long run. That is a problem with all languages made of words. Words are always oversimplistic. Don't worry, just write something.

Yes.
 

Z Buck McFate

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You guys take it too seriously. It's a fact that the more you say the more you'll be contradicting yourself in the long run. That is a problem with all languages made of words. Words are always oversimplistic. Don't worry, just write something.


I somewhat confused by nolla's post. Unless s/he thinks this has something to do with shyness.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
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I thought it's more like you guys are being so critical of the value of the input that you decide it's better to not say anything. I think that there's often value in even the slightest nudge into a direction that hasn't been explored in a thread. Someone can do this with a one-liner that wasn't even meant to be anyhow enlightening. Then someone else gets some sort of an association of that and we find ourselves in a brand new perspective.

Of course, if people don't want to post, that's their business, but I'm just saying that if the reason is self-sensoring, people shouldn't worry about that. Every perspective counts.
 

FunnyDigestion

New member
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Mar 18, 2011
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Just imagine you're a faith healer & the keyboard is like the desperate wayward sinner waiting for God's grace (which is in your fingers in case you've forgotten, you're the faith healer).

or if you're not religious, imagine the keyboard as that whack-a-mole game from the arcade... just bang on the keys. something will come, just have faith.

the message is have faith.
 

Z Buck McFate

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I thought it's more like you guys are being so critical of the value of the input that you decide it's better to not say anything. I think that there's often value in even the slightest nudge into a direction that hasn't been explored in a thread. Someone can do this with a one-liner that wasn't even meant to be anyhow enlightening. Then someone else gets some sort of an association of that and we find ourselves in a brand new perspective.

Ah. Okay, yeah, I- for one- often do forget that small one-liner nudges are available. LOL. I have a bad habit of drowning in some bigger idea, getting lost in trying to articulate it and eventually scrapping the whole attempt. But yeah, you’re right- it would probably be worthwhile to focus on the smaller, easier-to-articulate nudges occasionally (if only, as I said, to build and maintain some rapport). Just because I can tell there’s always bigger fish out there doesn’t mean I should throw all the smaller fishes (which can easily be caught/articulated) back in the water.
 
N

NPcomplete

Guest
I thought it's more like you guys are being so critical of the value of the input that you decide it's better to not say anything. I think that there's often value in even the slightest nudge into a direction that hasn't been explored in a thread. Someone can do this with a one-liner that wasn't even meant to be anyhow enlightening. Then someone else gets some sort of an association of that and we find ourselves in a brand new perspective.

Of course, if people don't want to post, that's their business, but I'm just saying that if the reason is self-sensoring, people shouldn't worry about that. Every perspective counts.

Alrighty. I'll import the nonsense from real life to the not-so-real-life-but-real-nonetheless.
 

BAJ

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Jun 29, 2008
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Eh.

I have various similar issues.

I've spent most of my time over at INTPc, where I managed to get over 1000 posts. Thus, the time I've been here versus posts does not completely reflect my activity here. However, I researched myself, and see that I averaged 0.09 posts per day.

In the NF forum here, the thread balloons so fast with so many tangents (usually). Sometimes the reply is spot-on (the speaker correctly infers the meaning). However, it's sometimes difficult to determine what the OP wants, but that doesn't stop huge amounts of posting.

Then when I do reply, nobody acknowledges my reply, so it feels like I made a thoughtful note, stuffed it into a bottle and threw it into the ocean.

Sometimes I start threads, and usually not many replies to those.

When I started posting here again, I had a joyful sort of honeymoon feeling, where I thought, "Oh, I've found my tribe." Hah! Not quite, but it's Okay. I made a few friends and my expectations have changed.

Hah, at least being less popular is and old and familiar story. :)
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
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May 22, 2008
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3,166
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INFP
Then when I do reply, nobody acknowledges my reply, so it feels like I made a thoughtful note, stuffed it into a bottle and threw it into the ocean.

For what it's worth, I remember you from somewhere. Considering the amount of posts, I would guess you have made a good point or two. Or it might be the unusual avatar... Hmm...
 

Kriash

Resident Apple Hoarder
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
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124
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INFP
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2w3
Eh.

I have various similar issues.

I've spent most of my time over at INTPc, where I managed to get over 1000 posts. Thus, the time I've been here versus posts does not completely reflect my activity here. However, I researched myself, and see that I averaged 0.09 posts per day.

In the NF forum here, the thread balloons so fast with so many tangents (usually). Sometimes the reply is spot-on (the speaker correctly infers the meaning). However, it's sometimes difficult to determine what the OP wants, but that doesn't stop huge amounts of posting.

Then when I do reply, nobody acknowledges my reply, so it feels like I made a thoughtful note, stuffed it into a bottle and threw it into the ocean.

Sometimes I start threads, and usually not many replies to those.

When I started posting here again, I had a joyful sort of honeymoon feeling, where I thought, "Oh, I've found my tribe." Hah! Not quite, but it's Okay. I made a few friends and my expectations have changed.

Hah, at least being less popular is and old and familiar story. :)

I think I kind of have the same thing going on when I post. I think I've written something pretty decent, and it's just lost amongst all the other posts. I know it isn't personal, but sometimes I wonder why I bother.
BAJ, I replied to you because you say your posts often get looked over, or no one acknowledges them, and I wanted you to know that I both saw your post, and feel the same way about posting.
I wanted to reply to everyone, but my computer is having charging problems, and I have to hold the cord for it it charge, which makes it hard to type. As of now, I have 8 minutes until sudden death with a 52% full battery, so it's slightly irritating. But, I wanted everyone to know that I DID read everything posted, :)
 
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