Please Stop Harassing People For Starting New Threads On Old Subjects

If there is an older relevant thread, politely link to it and suggest that it might add further insight into their question.

Be Nice.

Please.

-PT

Sat. Apr 19, 7:42am

Shame

I think it is a shame that you have to tell people to be nice and stop harassing others. I fully agree with your point. Let people start their threads. If it is ground that has been covered, so what? Be helpful, not hurtful.

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 8:25 AM

I was so hoping that it was PT that posted this.
I completely agree.
And what does it hurt if a person does repeat. Sometimes it is things we need to think about.
Thanks PT

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 5:04 PM

I second it.

Different people have different ways of saying something. The same information stated in a slightly different way, or at a different time can connect with someone who needs or wants to hear it.

To be upset that a thread topic is repeated is like saying I have seen roses bloom before so I don't ever need to see them again. Insights like flowers bloom again and again.

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 6:17 PM

Thank you.

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 7:50 PM

I agree. Anyone else agree?

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 9:06 PM

YES!! Thank you, PT or not!

Saturday, April 19, 2008, 11:18 PM

lets keep this near the top - i'm sick of the people that harp on this issue. I want to see all topics. Sometimes old topics that resurface new are things I haven't even thought about before, but find interesting. I don't want everyone to search through old posts all the time.

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 2:54 PM

It is interesting what bugs people.

Every few months old conversations are bound to recirculate...and there is a shift in point of view, or a new perspective.

Also the chains are shorter and easier to read if a new one is started. After about 10 postings I stop reading them so it is fine to see something come up again with new posters. Who wants to read 25 postings to get to the new addition ?? Usually no one....so there is repetition in a thread. Same problem shows up differently.

We all repeat ourselves sometimes...I sometimes catch myself in real life conversation telling someone something we discussed before. Human communication is imperfect....probably true for other species too :-)

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 3:12 PM

Thanks!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 5:22 PM

Sorry, I don't agree. Most of the repeat thread topics are very basic concepts, and if there is already a thread with 10-20-30 replies about, say, how much water you should drink in a day or whether Weight Watchers is any good, new replies won't offer new information. Go ahead, have a look. As for the topics that invite slamming, like Alli, you may as well resurrect an old one where plenty of others have made their objections to this drug, so that fewer people will waste more forum space saying the same thing.

I have politely and impolitely directed people to previous threads, and even bumped them to the top. Doesn't matter what tone I use, someone starts calling me names anyway. I guess it's "bad form" to point out someone's ignorance or laziness no matter how you do it, but it's okay to tell someone they're a 400-lb moron who will never lose the weight.

So if this is really PT, why are you focusing on a relatively tiny area for us to "be nice" in? It smacks of someone who doesn't like having the search function pointed out to them, pretending to be PT. So if this is really PT, I would like to suggest that you put something in your admin blog, then post the subject/excerpt and link in the forum. Otherwise a posting like this just seems dubious.

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 8:19 PM

Oooh, definitely agree with the PP.

If this is really PT, I may be leaving soon. I am starting to think this site is more interested in pity parties and condoning poor choices, than actually making changes for the better. It's really getting nauseating.

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 8:42 PM

the same problems exist on any kind of message board i've ever been on.

sorry, new people generally don't feel like taking the time to browse through every single page of threads to find out if the topic they're thinking of has already been discussed. if it's something that's already been done and you don't feel like seeing it -- THEN DON'T READ IT!!!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 10:53 PM

I appreciate PT stepping in here. It gets tiresome and takes away from why many people come here - to get support from their peers. There will be many, many people who are more than happy to provide 'basic information' and share what has worked for them on topics that come up over and over again. And if people want to 'waste their time' sharing the same info - let them. For those who don't want to waste their time - move on to something that you do want to address and leave the repeat topics to those of us who will happily and positively contribute.

Sunday, April 20, 2008, 11:11 PM

bump

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 12:41 AM

Do you think the people who harrass people here were the same mean girls back in the day???

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10:53 PM

I think it's hysterical that pointing out the obvious is now classified as mean and harrassing.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 9:30 AM

11:11 completely agree....this is a support site and lets face it, after you have been here for a while, a basic level of support may not be personally menaingful.

In any forum involving a mix of people in a range of stages in their lives there is bound to be redundant conversation. We are not in graduate school competing to sound intelligent.

For the folks who are bored with the threads, DO SOMETHING to improve the quality. Find interesting research on-line and flag it. Inform people about updates in the farm bill, encourage people to become politically active, start teams that encourage a level of conversation you enjoy.

Wasting your time complaining doesn't help...making REAL IMPROVEMENTS will make the difference. It improves the population and informs us all. So do something real.

Ultimately community is about generativity...giving makes all the difference.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 11:07 AM

I've recently discovered another peer/weight loss oriented site. Their forums are not anonymous, there is a moderator and the threads seem to be overwhelmingly positive and supportive - even when people have different opinions to offer on something. It was very refreshing and a lot more helpful.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 11:44 AM

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