Poll: Where do you end an internet conversation?

[Drathnoxis]

I can never figure this out. I'll be talking/arguing with someone on the forums and then things'll wind down and then it always seems like the options are to awkwardly drag things out or walk away and be rude.

Spoiler: Scenario: walk away

The thing about stuff is that it's all really bad.

Actually, some stuff can be good and other stuff can be bad.

Well, most stuff is bad but there's that one thing that's good

-Nothing left to say so no post-

*days later* No response? How rude!

Spoiler: Scenario: drag out

The thing about stuff is that it's all really bad.

Actually, some stuff can be good and other stuff can be bad.

Well, most stuff is bad but there's that one thing that's good

Well, I disagree, because I do think other stuff can be good

Yeah, but most of it is bad

*Argument repeats for a while*

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree

Yup

Yes

Very well

Okay then

So what is the etiquette here? Is it better to clog up the forums with pointless acknowledgment of someone's response, or to seem rude by cutting off the conversation before it devolves into pointless repetition? EDIT: Also how do you feel when someone leaves a forum conversation without properly ending the discussion or 'saying goodbye'?

Additionally, the poll handles a slightly different question. Are you disappointed when you make a post and don't get quoted? This means any post, whether it's in a conversation or not.

 

[Zhukov]

When I get bored or when my sparring partner has just plain stopped making sense.

There's been many a time where I've been halfway through typing a verbose dissection of my esteemed counterpart's latest rebuttal only to stop and just think, "This ain't fucking worth it."

I don't think I've ever had someone demand a response.

As for the poll question, while I love being quoted, it doesn't bother me when it doesn't happen since I usually forget about my posts within about 5 minutes of posting them.

 

[Dizchu]

Usually I come to an agreement and leave it there. I'm a pretty diplomatic person and a viewpoint has to be particularly terrible for me to not find SOME common ground with it.

 

[SmugFrog]

disappointed when you make a post and don't get quoted? This means any post, whether it's in a

I try to always start a post with a quoted segment from someone else, so they'll get a notice that I had something to say about their post - otherwise digging through potentially pages upon pages of stuff no one is going to bother to go back and read (I guess someone does right?) I believe that once a topic reaches about 3-5 pages, pretty much everything that can be said has already been said. If someone doesn't quote me, I may not even go back to that topic. That's funny, what you posted - being called out for not coming back to respond! I don't get very many quotes; perhaps because I don't really bothering arguing an opposing side. I may have 1-2 responses, but after that point I just accept that the other person and I are going to pretty much agree to disagree.

Crap, double post. Way to mess up an edit. -_-

Yeah you did. I won't let you forget it either.

When I get bored or when my sparring partner has just plain stopped making sense.

That happens often here. I would be lying if I said I didn't kind of enjoy watching some people self-destruct themselves. I always follow suspended/banned links to see what happened.

Usually I come to an agreement and leave it there. I'm a pretty diplomatic person and a viewpoint has to be particularly terrible for me to not find SOME common ground with it.

I completely disagree with this. I have seen you rage for pages upon pages without a resolution. Just kidding, I just... wanted to argue, ok?

When my silly cannon runs out of dumb.

Where do you get the ammunition for it?

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I usually don't care all that much, unless I'm being amused. And then it only lasts as long as I can keep laughing about it. Soon as the humor wears off so does my interest in responding.

 

[Barbas]

I usually end either when the spaghetti tumbles from my pockets or when the person I'm speaking to sinks into condescension and insults. It helps to remember all the other things I could be doing with my time instead, like making funny faces in the mirror.

It doesn't matter much whether I get quoted or not - there's nothing forcing me to read or respond, so why be mad? I do enjoy being quoted in forum games, though, so I suppose that's a preference.

 

[Something Amyss]

Depends on the situation. Am I arguing for fun? Am I arguing because there's a serious point? Is it was a friend, or someone I don't care about? Do I feel they're arguing in good faith? Do I feel they're being honest?

Most of the time, I check out due to disinterest or boredom. I might even intend to get back to it (many a thread has been locked during this period).

If someone's worth engaging with, I will even at a deadlock. It a point is fascinating or worth arguing about, I can go on as long as my passion takes me. Which, given I have the attention span of Dory, usually still isn't that far.

Occasionally, I will become curious as to where someone is going or how far they will take it, and sort of ride it out.

Side note: my attention span makes it hard for me to hold a grudge. Not impossible, and some things I just can not and will not forgive, but as a rule, I...


...

...

Spoiler

Hi. I'm Dory.

I completely disagree with this. I have seen you rage for pages upon pages without a resolution. Just kidding, I just... wanted to argue, ok?

I know when I think of diplomacy, I think of telling someone that rape threats against them and family members are okay.

Crap, double post. Way to mess up an edit. -_-

A double post with your double rainboiw avatar? You totally planned that!

(kidding, of course)

 

[Steve Waltz]

You know, that?s what I like about the YouTube thumbs up thing. It makes it easy for me to drop out of a conversation. I give a little thumbs up to let the dude know I read his/her comment and then I can back out. No hassle, or need for a good bye post. Just a thumbs-up and I?m out. Like a silent tip-o-the-hat.

As for the poll, I often dislike getting quoted, especially when it?s when someone tries to be snarky at my post. I *want* to respond to them and clarify or argue, but I really don?t have the time or desire to waste my time arguing with some buffoon on the internet. It?s really too much effort arguing on the internet these days, especially now, when so few people are open-minded enough to where they might consider changing their mind, or accept new information, or anything. They?re all so stubborn they?ll argue their point of view to the end of time, and arguing with them is a waste.

 

[Gorrath]

I usually drop out as follows:

If I can no longer make any point I have not already made, probably several times, that have not been addressed.

If the person I'm arguing with insists on being disingenuous, especially if the person repeatedly argues in bad faith.

If I feel my own emotions are too involved in what I'm arguing and begins to make my arguments more emotional than logical.

If we've both made our points and can come to no resolution.

All that said, I tend to hold no ill will toward anyone because of an internet disagreement. You are all my brothers and sisters and I love you dearly.

 

[happyninja42]

Depends on the thread. Sometimes I'm just tossing in a corny joke, and don't really care if it gets a response or not. If I'm in a debate, then yeah, being quoted lets me know someone is paying attention to what I said.

As to your question of when do I stop participating in a debate. Usually when we reach an impasse, and it's pretty obvious that nothing I say further is going to change the opinion of the other person. Or just when I'm done bothering with the conversation. Or when it has devolved down into a pointless bickering match of other people joining the conversation or whatever. Basically when I feel that nothing productive can be gained from further involvement in the discussion.

 

[viscomica]

I usually give up when I feel like it's not even worth answering or when I get bored and/or lazy.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

It depends.

If I can tell that the person quoting me is just looking for an argument then most of time I don't bother responding. Not really worth it really. There are a few times where I do make a response, but then delete it when I realize I don't give that much of a shit.

Normally I will keep responding back until the person either lost their mind, or the both of us come to some conclusion.

I don't mind being quoted, and if I don't then it's cool.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

It'll usually end because of boredom...on my part, or on the part of the person I'm discussing the issue with.

There seems to be a generally accepted maxim amongst people who "enjoy debate" that if you wear your opponent down through sheer pigheadedness you've "won" an argument, rather than simply annoyed someone out of your life. Although a lot of people do seem to post with "annoying others" as a driving principle, so it might be that it's a case of mission successful for them. Those discussions in particular have become more boring more rapidly as I've gotten older. I'm usually willing to cut bait inside of a single exchange in a lot of cases.

 

[JustAnotherAardvark]

I'm embarrassed to say "It depends on how drunk I am." :/

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

When I'm reiterating something I always say elsewhere. It usually leaves me bored, after which I end up dropping the conversation.

There's also when the conversation in question has gone on for too long and when each back and forth requires several paragraphs of typing. I can do a few of these sort of replies but not constantly, so I just get tired and move on.

Alternatively, if someone is stubborn too.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I'm a "one-hit wonder." I'll stride in, make a statement, smugly consider myself to be the epitome of wit and reason and promptly flee. Most people don't bother responding to me anyway, likely because they never read my post in the first place (probably has something to do with their propensity to turn out more like essays. I spend WAY too much time composing these).

In all seriousness though, I usually don't reply to someone quoting me, regardless if they agree or not. The few times I do tend to be instances where I feel like I need to clarify something I said earlier. Otherwise it's usually not worth the time or effort (like I said, I tend to go overboard when it comes to posts).