Thread Jacking

[Paper Hearts]

I say take responsibility for your own threads. If you think some one is out of line, say so. You can't speak for other people's thread though. Most people wouldn't mind a joke on a thread called 'what color dress should I buy?'. Nor would most people think 'oh boy, I better approach this dress color question very cautiously.' I think most people have shown that.

[BrassFusion]

Of all the people on this thread defending threadjacking, how many of them have actually attempted a jack?

[Fierce Critter]

So, basically, nobody is at all willing to step up and say, "You know, yes. Sometimes it does get out of hand. I can see where it can be disruptive and unnecessary."

I know I'm not alone in this. But unfortunately, most of the people whom I know share my opinion on this left the board after they just couldn't deal with it anymore.

Silly me for thinking I could bring that to people's attention and think they'd see things in a different light.

[Rayne]

So, basically, nobody is at all willing to step up and say, "You know, yes. Sometimes it does get out of hand. I can see where it can be disruptive and unnecessary."

I don't see it the same.

Perhaps it's AOL forum moderating that's been driven into my head the past 6 years (yay for being a moderator on the worlds most used ISP for 6 years!) but it's the same internet, for everyone else, therefore making it your own expierience. That's what filter and block tools are for. If it bothers someone that much (no fingers pointed) then by all means use them. That's what they are there for.

Edit: note that DGN's version of the block tool is called ignore.

[Fierce Critter]

And I fully expected that suggestion.

The thing is - every person on this board has genuinely good input to give - when they're not blatantly threadjacking.

It's why it's actually that frustrating to me that people can't see where maybe they need to reconsider their stance on this.

There's not a single person on this board that I would put on ignore - everybody, even those whom I might disagree with on a given subject - has unique & valuable input to give.

It's frustrating. And apparently, there's no end to it in sight. Despite there even being a set rule about it.

I just can't believe people can't distinguish between taking a thread on a related off-ramp, and blatantly going off on a totally unrelated subject thread after thread.

I don't understand the mentality behind it.

[Fierce Critter]

Once again, the gist of this is not "everything has to be serious all the time."

Go back, actually read what I have said, and see that I'm not the one who skewed things that way.

I'm talking about making post after post after post of UNRELATED commentary to the intent of the original post.

[Rayne]

It seems to me, (and I mean no disrespect to anyone) that one person is seeing things the way they want to. Their opinion ... if you would. And is expecting everyone to realize that based on their opinion, it's wrong.

On another note Critter, I love you.

[Paper Hearts]

On another note Critter, I love you.

That is completely off topic. Critter don't even think of responding.

jk

[Fierce Critter]

I can deal with a post or two of humor or off-topic commentary related to the issue at hand. Anybody should be able to. I can see where that would fall under the "humor/off-topic 'shit happens' in normal conversation".

What I think is pretty obviously "wrong" is when a string of back-and-forth one-liners happens that's TOTALLY unrelated to the original topic.

For instance:

Original topic: What's on your MP3 Player?

Response 1: Apoptygma Berzerk, The Beatles, and Dean Martin

Response 2: NIN, VNV Nation, Skinny Puppy

Response 3: LOL! I have the same thing! We should swap players sometime

Response 4: Crazy baby.

If it stopped there, and Response 5 was someone else's listing, that would seem acceptable - to me at least.

But what I'm talking about is when this happens:

Response 5: Your input jack or mine?

Response 6: Depends. You using a 1/4 or a 1/8?

Response 7: What? You saying size matters?

Response 8: You know it, baby.

Response 9: Well what if I say my Technics makes up for my size?

Response 10: GAGGING on THAT pun.

And so on.

See what I mean?

I don't think it's that difficult to see where

1) that's pretty hard to get by if you really want to see what people are playing on their MP3 players, and don't really care to get involved in someone else's flirt-fest

2) That has nothing to do with "keeping thing serious" but just keeping things ON TOPIC.

I'm also not talking about:

Topic: I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. My doctor prescribed Effexxor.

Response 1: Me, too. I take Wellbutrin for it. It's not helping much.

Response 2: My husband takes Effexxor. It helps him a lot.

Response 3: I wonder if Effexxor would help with my depression.

Response 4: Have you considered a different kind of treatment? Medication might not be the answer.

Response 5: I did fine after changing my diet.

Response 6: What kind of changes did you make?

THAT I consider an acceptable change of subject.

I don't know - I can personally see the difference. I don't understand why it's so hard for others to.

[Fierce Critter]

It seems to me, (and I mean no disrespect to anyone) that one person is seeing things the way they want to. Their opinion ... if you would. And is expecting everyone to realize that based on their opinion, it's wrong.

On another note Critter, I love you.

For the record - I hope it's understood this isn't "personal".

Rayne, I fully respect you, too.

And I see what you're saying. But believe me, I'm not the only person who feels this way.

I guess, once again, I'm just the only person (save a commentary from Troy here and there) willing to come forth with this sort of thing.

I should be used to it by now. Or learn to keep quiet and "go along".

[Paper Hearts]

I am lost. An acceptable change of subject? Is it just that the people in the first topic started fliirting? I don't get it. It seemed to me like one course that a conversation might naturally take. It didn't seem unnatural at all like this might:

A: "My father died."

B: "That sucks, what happened?"

A: "He had cancer."

B: "Wow. What kind of cancer?"

A: "Throat cancer."

C: "HEY EVERYBODY SUCK ON MY NUTS!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!"

But I've never seen anything like that happen.

[Fierce Critter]

Where you're off-track in your thinking, PH, is you seem to be thinking that I'm saying a "serious" topic has to stay "serious".

No, I don't believe, for the most part, that people do the sort of thing you or I are talking about in really, particularly dire subjects such as cancer, death, etc. (Though I have seen it happen in threads that might have been discussion relationship ills, etc.)

But once again, you're applying the "serious" skew to my example.

One or two off-topic posts? Anyone should be able to deal.

Going on and on and on with it, in careless disregard of what the post was made for? That's what I was trying to illustrate.

Are you trying to say it should ONLY matter in "serious" subjects?

It's just as disruptive in more casual topics.

(Why I think I'm going to get anywhere continuing this, however, I don't know. I don't think I'm getting anywhere at all, except becoming fodder for ridicule...)

[Paper Hearts]

To me, if a comment is made which has nothing to do with the topic and also does not appear in the thread as a part of conversation then it is unacceptable.

So...if we're talking about a particular novel in a thread about American Culture or something...and then we start talking about the writer of the novel, and then we start talking about how we both like the writer and how we have lots of similar interests and should hangout, even if it's said in a comedic way, that seems normal and fine; but if someone then posts "Many lizards are green" (or something), then, it does seem out of place. I don't think it's a serious enough offence however to merit anyhting more than a warning, unless it was a particularly serious thread, or unless the offender does it like...a lot. Even then, it should ultimately be up to whoever started the topic to decide whether or not it was a real transgression, no matter how many times the "offender" repeats the behavior...unless the offender has made a slur.

[Paper Hearts]

Very well put PH. BTW... Nice job on "thread jacking" your own thread by posting a thread topic that had nothing to do with what was inside. (Edit: Referring to the spankin it on the webcam thread that was actually about music)

Yeah. I...you know, I didn't even do it to be a smart ass. I just like to be creative.

[BrassFusion]

Yeah. I...you know, I didn't even do it to be a smart ass. I just like to be creative.

That's really beneficial, actually. Injecting creativity into situations where you otherwise wouldn't require it of yourself. It makes your left and right brain operate more in tune with each other.

[AstralCrux]

Isn't it nice that some of the most notorious threadjackers have opted to defend threadjacking? Critter, I'm sorry to say they'll never stop, part of my lack of posting. I'm not too impressed with DGN, but I work midnights, so I end up reading most of the crap on here.

I've met a handful of quality people on this site, but it's been more headache and a hassle really. If it weren't for the fact that I'm just generally bored out of my skull at work- I wouldn't read the site at all just from the threadjacking alone. It's crap and I don't think enough people take things as seriously as they should.

Not to mention, I've noticed people really don't "read" the posts to begin with. It seems like they aren't grasping basic statements- I'm hoping that's just from too much skimming- and then posting without really trying to understand what the other person is saying. It's lead to a handful of little upsets.

In summary, no one cares. I'm going back to not posting now.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Obviously this is not a black & white subject or it wouldn't be so controversial. I don't think that people that would prefer to be able to just randomly throw whatever they want into a thread are "bad people" or "have nothing worth responding to" to say.

Life is messy. Even though this is "just a message board" it is, part of "life" and as such not something that we can expect to totally have control over without becoming hitler.

Being someone that likes things to be fairly structured, the ebb and flow of message board discussions can be difficult to deal with.

I think even the most die hard, wise-ass threadjackers at least on some level know that consistent "screwing up" of topics is just being a jerk. (and thus not wanted on DGN)

The problem is the fact that the distinction between "regular, consistent, rude threadjacking" and just "occiasonal topic shift or short off topic response" is not being drawn by some. They are two separate things. But were to draw the line between the two is not the easiest thing in the world.

Consistently throwing threads off topic, over a long period of time is not acceptable, period. Its in the DGN rules and has been there for years. You agreed to it , like it or not when you signed up on the board. AGAIN that doesn't mean "no off topic posts ever" or "you cant ever shift the topic or make an occasional wise ass remark" we all do it.

DGN is not Yahoo or AOL. Indeed part of the idea of DGN has always been to NOT become a random spam fest like such places are.

There have been several specific people i've talked to about consistently screwing up threads over a long period of time and it IS something that has been dealt with regularly, just maybe not to the extent that some may like. Unfortunately we cant please everyone its just not possible.

The "just ignore it" argument (not only related to threadjacking):

If you have to put somone on ignore becasue they "annoy" you thats fine. But if you have to put somone on ignore becasue they are being jerks, intentionally... thats not your problem its their problem and it needs to stop.

[Paper Hearts]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Rayne]

The "just ignore it" argument (not only related to threadjacking):

If you have to put somone on ignore becasue they "annoy" you thats fine. But if you have to put somone on ignore becasue they are being jerks, intentionally... thats not your problem its their problem and it needs to stop. <-- this here is mildly off topic as it applies to any people being jerks intentionally, not nessisarly the current subject.

Okay Troy, everyone has a different opinion on this. What may bother 4 board members may not bother the other 1,000 (just an example). It's an opinion, everyone's is going to differ ... so how are you going to determine who's opinion is "correct"? When does it "theorectically" cross the line from annoyance?

People rub each other the wrong way becoming an annoyance. My dog may annoy the shit out of someone else, but he's my dog and I love him. My best-friend may annoy my mother ... that's not my best-friends fault. It just happens and that's why the tools are there to use.

I think this threadjacking thing is a perfect example of someone being annoyed. Like I was taught so many year ago when I began moderating for a very large ISP ... you pay for the same internet everyone else does, if you've got a problem with it, utiilze your tools that are put there specifically for your use ... if you don't then you have got no right to complain.

[Vampyro]

I say someone should create a thread, and name it Jack. Then re-direct all the threadjackers there!

that's a good idea, but this sorta goes along the same scenario as a group of people talking about whatever, yes the conversation topics can shift and change but always seems to go with the flow, it's those idiots that literally interupt you and what you're talking about to go on about something else, most the time the group instantly rejects this guy and his pathetic attempt to be the center of attention. I have family members like that, where i'll be talking to a few of em about something, then one of my family members always jumps in on the conversation and is always way off the subject.... threadjacking is like that i suppose, just someone wanting attention.... so please, lets not give them their own thread to jack from one another, but remind them that there are websites for immature drama causing attention whores... websites like vampirefreaks.com

Lastly, if there's not a subject that you'd like to discuss, why not just make a completely new thread?

[Rayne]

that's a good idea, but this sorta goes along the same scenario as a group of people talking about whatever, yes the conversation topics can shift and change but always seems to go with the flow,

Well ... we've had "Phee and PaperHearts Serious Thread" for like a year now ... along with "The Threadjacking Thread" created more recently (I think around 6 months or so ago) ... but I can't find neither one of those at this moment. I looked.

[Rayne]

Okay, I found "The Threadjacking Thread".

http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?s=&...st&p=218239

[phee]

And the serious thread is back

http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?showtopic=5818

[paradox]

so how about this weather? :grin

[phee]

so how about this weather? :grin

It certainly is atmospheric