ES Pet Irritant, is it just me?

[Burgold]

There's a new format of starting threads. A prologue format that's been bugging me for a while now and it's become downright irritating. I understand it, but it still bugs me.

People start their threads by apologizing for its existance. I hate that (well, that's too strong,) but I really don't like this practice of starting a thread with...

"I looked and I didn't see this posted anywhere..." or the even worse, "I hope this hasn't been posted yet..."

I do think we need the courtesy to check the first page of the board, maybe even the second to see if something similar already exists, but if you've got something to say say it. Don't apologize for saying it if you're going to say it anyway.

It's like being in a workshop where you're being asked to give up your time and expertise to criticize someone else's work and they begin with...

"Well, I only just wrote it and it's not very good"

Well, if you only just wrote it and you don't think it's good why are you wasting my time. Be confident. Be original. Don't timidly beg for permission expecting to be rejected. Just say it.

The worst thing about this prologue apology is that they often come with the better more thoughtful posts. I don't know if anyone feels this way and I realize that some think that that little clause will shield them from banning, scrutiny or NNTing, but I just think if you've got something to say or a new angle on a discussion that you honestly think deserves its own forum, then look and take the leap.

Errrgggh!

[Prosperity]

More people think, hey that guy is humble, than hey that guy is a *****... So its probably not a bad idea.

[Burgold]

Maybe. Maybe, it's all the writer's and artists workshops I've been involved with where I see talented people sabotaging themselves. When I see that apology I think four things.

1. They have not looked.
2. They lack confidence that their material is original.
3. They lack confidence that their material is worthy of its own spot in the forum.
4. They are afraid of some moderator punishment.

It'd be okay, if this popped up once in a while, but I'm reading this disclaimer all the time.

[PleaseBlitz]

Maybe. Maybe, it's all the writer's and artists workshops I've been involved with where I see talented people sabotaging themselves. When I see that apology I think four things.

1. They have not looked.
2. They lack confidence that their material is original.
3. They lack confidence that their material is worthy of its own spot in the forum.
4. They are afraid of some moderator punishment.

It'd be okay, if this popped up once in a while, but I'm reading this disclaimer all the time.

Good thing i dont care enough about you guys to apologize for my dumbass threads.

[IONTOP]

Good thing i dont care enough about you guys to apologize for my dumbass threads.

Good, we don't care enough about you to correct you...

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

I do agree, but maybe they should put it as a note on the bottom of their post in case of some FLAMERS who are out to destroy anyone who breaks the rule they oh-so-wittingly just learned. "Oh you are really enforced to use this once-a-minute search function before you post a thread, aren't you? I'm gonna destroy the next person who breaks that rule! I could be a MOD on this board!"

Otherwise, it is a deterant for me, excited to read something I'm interested in. Say, I click on a thread about "EARTH, EXPECTED TO CRASH IN TO MARS TOMORROW." And the first thing I read is..."Sorry, I didn't see this posted anywhere, please don't ban me." Ugh, I have the technique of snapping my wrist to move the cursor to the Back button down pat because of this.

I am guilty of doing this before, and I'm guilty (even recently) for posting something that was amongst the many threads on the 2nd page of the Tailgate. Sometimes, we don't have the time to medyl through the long list of titles, or use the unforgiving Search function. So I can understand to the point of accepting it. Just drink another cup of coffee, Burg.

[Burgold]

I do agree, but maybe they should put it as a note on the bottom of their post

That would be a hilarious signature Could you imagine that winking at you after every post!

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

That would be a hilarious signature Could you imagine that winking at you after every post!

LOL, you're giving me ideas...

...to the signature department...

[headexplode]

I often worry about the originality of my writing or some of my posts or on some songs I write. I think it's natural. You hear or see so many jokes or phrases or whatever that it's easy to forget where they come from. Often I think, "Is that mine or did I get that from somewhere." I don't go as far to pre-apologize for this insecurity, but it's there nonetheless.

What's more annoying: someone who over-apologizes when they shouldn't or someone who never apologizes when they should?

[Burgold]

pre-apologizing is much more annoying, the latter is actually worse than annoying.

I hear you, Explode. It's often impossible to silence our inner critic, but he should be kept locked up inside your head.

Some say there is nothing original left to be said, written or thought and I will admit that few things grow in a vaccuum, but I do believe that uniqueness and originality is possible if only in its presentation or point of view. The ability to innovate and improvise and create, more the ability to understand and appreciate is what gives humanity its hope. If you make a thousand xerox copies of a letter and look at them under a microscope, you will realize that none of the letters are the same. We are all wholly original, even if built upon a biological and experiential foundation.

[roqnap1]

Dude....they use that terminology to let everyone know that they DID look around to search for a similar post. That's what happens when you have a handful of jackasses who make it their purpose in life to point out that a similar thread already exists 398 pages later from about 2 years and 4 months ago....

[IONTOP]

Dude....they use that terminology to let everyone know that they DID look around to search for a similar post. That's what happens when you have a handful of jackasses who make it their purpose in life to point out that a similar thread already exists 398 pages later from about 2 years and 4 months ago....

OMG I read that same reply about 4 months ago in a similar thread... Do you just go around pasting that in various threads?


LOLZ ROXXORZ

[Burgold]

Dude....they use that terminology to let everyone know that they DID look around to search for a similar post. ....

Ack... an apology apologist

That tantrum smiley is by far my favorite

[Spaceman Spiff]

My two ES pet irritants are the "Useless without pics" and the ever clever "There, fixed that for you ;" posts.

[IONTOP]

My two ES pet irritants are the "Useless without pics" and the ever clever "There, fixed that for you ;" posts.

This thread is useless without pics of "there, fixed that for you" posts!

My pet irritants are, Quite VS Quiet, Loose vs Lose, and use vs used...


Also I hate hippies....