Why are most threads just lists?

[mark_n_b]

Because people gauge their success on forums by the number of threads they create and how long those threads are.

List threads are easy to post to and when you don't actually have anything to talk about "what's your favorite..." is an easy way to boost your count.

They are also very easy to repeatedly post to: "I like A & B" "Oh, I forgot to mention C it's awesome" "yeah D is good too, I've seen it" "you like E too?" "I haven't seen F yet, maybe4 I'll check it out"

inane and pointless threads that are not allowed here.

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

I think the problem is that people want to make threads, but they don't want to think up a real topic. So they go with the simple options of "Why all the hate on _____" or "What is your favourite ____"

It seems like most of the new thread topics are just new people who don't use the search button and post either a repeat thread or a thread about PS3 vs. 360.

The latter being the same as the former in this case.

 

[xitel]

Trust me, the Escapist forums have been really weird and flushed with a sudden population spike for the past few weeks
And I'm not likin' it.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I don't know what happened but all of a sudden we got flooded with people who aren't quite the brightest tools in the shed. I've seen 4 people make 12 threads in their first hour so far. I'm getting sick of it.

 

[[Gavo]]

Trust me, the Escapist forums have been really weird and flushed with a sudden population spike for the past few weeks
And I'm not likin' it.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I don't know what happened but all of a sudden we got flooded with people who aren't quite the brightest tools in the shed. I've seen 4 people make 12 threads in their first hour so far. I'm getting sick of it.

Yeah, I noticed it too. Maybe Yahtzee-fanatics that just joined? They need to lurk for a while, get to know this place.

 

[Epifols]

Well if people stopped making shit list threads then the forum would move slower, thus allowing for actually discussion to go on.

Plus, lurking can be your friend. There's not requirement to post every time you visit a forum or a thread.

 

[Sir Ollie]

Well i've just joined i've been on the escapist for quite awhile and i have read quite alot on these forums, fair enough i've posted alot so far but people do need to slow down i should do but then again i have not made any topics yet.

 

[Erana]

Because people gauge their success on forums by the number of threads they create and how long those threads are.

List threads are easy to post to and when you don't actually have anything to talk about "what's your favorite..." is an easy way to boost your count.

They are also very easy to repeatedly post to: "I like A & B" "Oh, I forgot to mention C it's awesome" "yeah D is good too, I've seen it" "you like E too?" "I haven't seen F yet, maybe4 I'll check it out"

inane and pointless threads that are not allowed here.

You're a good example of the opposite of your proposition. (and how I think posting should be)
I mean, you have a relatively low post count for an active user who joined so long ago, but you've got quite a bit of clout in my book, even when I don't like the perspective of your posts.

 

[Russian Redneck]

The problem with list threads is that people commonly use them for no other reason than to cheese their post count without drawing some kind of discussion. There's little inherently wrong with writing off a list of your favorite bands or video games but you should attempt to wring some kind of discussion out of them. Even if you don't strike up a conversation with someone over your obsession with Paramore, the very least you can do is scribble in some kind of description next to your 'Favorite X Artists'. Showing some insight behind the making of your list cuts out a lot of pretentiousness and might even spark that lightbulb in someone's head saying, "Hey! This person and I like the same music. We should chat more."

 

[xitel]

]

Trust me, the Escapist forums have been really weird and flushed with a sudden population spike for the past few weeks
And I'm not likin' it.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I don't know what happened but all of a sudden we got flooded with people who aren't quite the brightest tools in the shed. I've seen 4 people make 12 threads in their first hour so far. I'm getting sick of it.

Yeah, I noticed it too. Maybe Yahtzee-fanatics that just joined? They need to lurk for a while, get to know this place.

That happens every Wednesday, but they normally disappear. Recently though, they've been popping up all over the place at all times of day and they won't leave.

 

[AgentNein]

People need to realize that unless you're someone of note, lists are only interesting to the poster of said lists.

I mean honestly, if someone insists on posting a list, at least include a short blurb about why each (whatever it may be) made it on the list. That at least attempts to be interesting, as opposed to a numbered bullet point.

Even then, I'm apposed to it since most people won't read other people's lists and just post theirs. Threads should be catered around engaging the other readers.

Agreed. List threads are like everybody in a room talking to themselves and oh so loving the sound of their own voices. There's no actual conversation or exchanging of ideas. It's a heartbreaking moment when a listmaker must face the fact that no one gives a crap about their list because they're probably busy making their own list.

 

[[Gavo]]

]

Trust me, the Escapist forums have been really weird and flushed with a sudden population spike for the past few weeks
And I'm not likin' it.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. I don't know what happened but all of a sudden we got flooded with people who aren't quite the brightest tools in the shed. I've seen 4 people make 12 threads in their first hour so far. I'm getting sick of it.

Yeah, I noticed it too. Maybe Yahtzee-fanatics that just joined? They need to lurk for a while, get to know this place.

That happens every Wednesday, but they normally disappear. Recently though, they've been popping up all over the place at all times of day and they won't leave.

It's a zombie-poster invasion! Run!

Seriously, though...the trend is starting to scare and annoy me.

***EDIT***

I've made a lot of lists, as well. But almost all of them incited discussion, like my poll "Would You Smoke If"

But that's not really a list...

anyways, all these new lists have absolutely no intellectual content. "what's ur fav Shooter?" ugh. they annoy me so much

 

[Ace of Spades]

I don't really mind list threads. I prefer others, but I don't hate them. What annoys me is the fact that when I go to post on a thread, the first ten comments or so are all deja-nazis yelling "use the search button u noob!"

 

[DrHobo]

Why are most threads lists?

* Lists are shorthand and easier to type

* Lists let you pad out your content more

* All threads are essentially pro's and con's discussions, which are condusive to lists

* There really isnt that much to post about. In our post-post modern world it's all been done already For example

*Literature

*Film

*Art

*Philosophy

*Lists let you use * which everyone loves

 

[Bob_F_It]

Why are most threads lists?

* Lists are shorthand and easier to type

* Lists let you pad out your content more

* All threads are essentially pro's and con's discussions, which are condusive to lists

* There really isnt that much to post about. In our post-post modern world it's all been done already For example

*Literature

*Film

*Art

*Philosophy

*Lists let you use * which everyone loves

That's not what we mean. We're talking about threads that go along the lines of:

OP: "So what's your favourite colour? Mine's yellow."
Reply 1: "Yellow as well"
Reply 2: "I'm a goth, so black"
Reply 3: "Purple owns all [/thread]"
Reply 4: "This thread offers no discussion. Why does it exist?"

That's the kind of pointless crap that's filling the forum up.

 

[Ibaapzo]

I've noticed this on most forums with a lot of people. Almost all threads consist of a question or statement that require the people posting make a giant list. Isn't the point of forums to have a discussion, a laugh, share information, get answers etc? Or are people just after replies by posting threads that appeal thoughtlessly to everyone in the forum?

Smaller forums don't have this problem, for obvious reasons. And it might be harder to have 300 word posts in a place with this many people, but come on, this is not the list making committee.

After we get a few pages of "listing" I think most of us go about our own discussions. If you check most of the third pages of this forum, you find many replies to posts already made to the topic.

 

[Pirate Pete]

My guess is it's due to people being boring and bored. They can't come up with a good topic for discussion, but they want to do something, so they look around and find something they like, figure out what it's a part of, and ask what people like out of that thing. Thing could be things like genres, etc.

What I tend to do, if I ever find a thread like that but decide to jump in, is to actually explain why I feel that way, to try and raise the general quality of the thread. Then, usually, everyone else ignores anything that anyone else has said (Unless they're arguing in the sense that simple contradiction is arguing) and the next 50+ posts are simple responses to the title question/original post.

Edit: The general exception to explaining why is when there's something I can say that's funnier without a reason.

 

[Doeo]

Nobody seems to be original enough to make anything else.

 

[Mr Scott]

If you classify a list as a sentence including a colon ) and multiple commas, (,,,) sure I'd agree, a majority of threads you could casually refer to as lists. Or if you classify a list as a sentence including nothing but sentence fragments beginning with a colon ) proceeded by the thread title reiterated, separated ONLY by commas (,,,) I'd disagree, because all of those threads would be locked by GMs 'cause whoever started the "list" thread should be punched, by merit of their lack of imagination and grammar fluency.

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

I too have noticed that alot of threads are lists.
Also, shouldn't this be in off topic discussion?