Look. But don't comment.

[Horuta]

I was browsing the forums to see if something interesting caught my eye to read before going to bed and I noticed something that I know I've noticed before but I never really noticed it before. Why do so many people look at a topic but than don't comment on it? I mean, it was interesting enough to click on, to read, but not enough to share our thoughts on? (And we all know our own thoughts are the only ones that matter anyway
Are we all just window shoppers? Was the topic not what we thought it was? Or is our typing gimp just away at the moment so alas we can't put our thoughts to screen?

 

[Handbag1992]

Sometimes I write out entire paragraphs before deciding that what I have to say isn't worth actually posting. It's far more prevalent in real life though, making me the quiet one of the group.

 

[Episode42]

Because often threads have bizarre strange titles like 'Look, But don't comment' so natural curiosity takes over, only to find it's a thread about something i know less than nothing about, so posting a comment would be wasting my time and the time of whomever reads it.

That and the Gimp is sleeping...

 

[superstringz]

I only comment if there's something that needs to be said. Most of the time, other people have either already said what I was going to say, or the thread is just not worth the effort.

 

[the spud]

I think they count people who just lurk in the forums who don't have an actual acount, so that explains some of it. Also, no real point posting if several people have come forward with the exact same opinion.

 

[Stoic raptor]

I only like to post if I feel that I will contribute to the discussion. Meaning that if I have nothing to add, I won't post. If my idea was already said, I usually don't post. And if there is a lot of pages, I won't post. Its unlikely that my post would be read from there. Its also possible that the thread bores me, so I won't post.

For instance, I did look at this thread, then I left. But then I kinda felt bad about that, so I came back and posted.

 

[Shockolate]

Well, I for one enjoy reading other peoples opinions/rage.

One, because I already know my opinion and don't feel the need to tell others, and two, because sometimes I decide that posting just isn't worth the effort or that I'm not really qualified in a sense to post a response, and it's good to see others views so as to adjust my ever changing opinion on a subject.

Hm. A post about the reasons I don't post. This thread could only be better if nobody responded.

Oh wait...

 

[Hungry Donner]

Sometimes I click on a subject line that looks interesting but the OP itself is not. Other times the OP may be fine but the discussion has veered off and I'm not interested in participating.

More often the thread is fine but someone has already posted a response that covers whatever I planned to say. As there's nothing constructive in simply saying, "I agree," chances are I won't respond.

Occasionally I try typing something up and the post just doesn't come together, so I don't end up responding.

It's not applicable here, but most of my forum time is spent on one I moderate, so I do a lot of thread reading without intending to reply.

 

[twistedmic]

Like others have said/posted, I usually don't post if what the point I was going to make was already made.
Other times I don't post because just reading the convoluted logic or the horrible crimes against punctuation and spelling in the thread (or the opening post) just makes my head hurt too much to even bother with replying.

 

[A Weary Exile]

Usual reasons are:

1. I like to read what others say on a subject I'm interested in, they don't necessarily have to know my opinion.

2. I want to comment, but someone has already said what I was going to say, making my comment redundant.

3. I want to comment, but I fear that what I really want to say would incur mod wrath.

Or I just get lazy.

 

[orangeban]

Occasionally I'll pop onto a thread about economics or feminism or something of the like (and those are the only threads I visit) and I'll just think, "Hooo boy, not going in there, not with a hazard suit". Then I'll flee and have a bath in hydrochloric acid to wash of the weird and stupid.