An obscure presence on internet forums?

[Antediluvian]

This might seem like an odd thread, but I'm wondering if anyone else can relate to being an obscure presence on internet forums. To clarify, I don't mean "lurking" but rather posting replies or starting threads that don't receive many responses. Perhaps I lack the argumentative nature of most forum dwellers, I'm not altogether sure. Anyway, similar experiences?

 

[Awaken]

This forum or in general?

 

[Cavallier]

ACK!

Quick! Everyone run from the Thread Killer!

 

[Jennywocky]

Why is everyone counting coup on the thread killer? Soon this thread will be the biggest on the forum!

 

[Fukyo]

This might seem like an odd thread, but I'm wondering if anyone else can relate to being an obscure presence on internet forums. To clarify, I don't mean "lurking" but rather posting replies or starting threads that don't receive many responses. Perhaps I lack the argumentative nature of most forum dwellers, I'm not altogether sure. Anyway, similar experiences?

I think people aren't responding because they don't relate.

 

[lucky12]

It seems that I could, to some degree, have an obscure presence anywhere I go.

I agree with FUKYO, it seems situation based.

 

[Antediluvian]

I think people aren't responding because they don't relate.

That makes sense, for now at least. I wonder if they don't respond because of a lack of perceived challenge, I'm not even raising the gloves in the boxing ring, so to speak. This circles back to being able to relate, even the "average" person has a small fire burning that most people can detect (zest for life, confidence).

 

[Ozymandias]

I can relate, but I don't really have anything more to contribute to the conversation other then the fact that I can relate. The only reason I decided to reply was because of Fukyo's comment.

 

[Awaken]

Now I can. Irony? Analyze that one.

 

[Antediluvian]

Now I can. Irony? Analyze that one.

What do you mean, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Awaken]

Oh, lol. Semi-joke. I find it ironic in a thread of such a subject you ignore my question, the first reply to your OP in fact. Is that not ironic? Perhaps the answer to your own question lies in why you ignored it in the first place.

 

[Antediluvian]

I'm curious, why do you think I "ignored" it?

 

[Jennywocky]

I can relate, but I don't really have anything more to contribute to the conversation other then the fact that I can relate. The only reason I decided to reply was because of Fukyo's comment.

Yeah, I can relate too, based on experiences from SOME forums. (INTJforum, for example, I feel pretty much ignored.) But I even felt that way here at one point, if some of you remember my rant from 18 months ago or something like that...

The "do you relate to this" questions are sometimes hard to answer -- there's only room for a 'yes' or 'no' but not clear what else should be contributed.

I mean, I guess my "answer" to it if one is being asked for is (1) post on various forums to find ones where your posts might resonate, (2) assume that people are reading your posts even if not responding, (3) the forum dynamics might mean people like your stuff but have nothing to say in response to it... I have a heckuvalotta 'thank you's' on one forum I frequent but probably only 20-25% of those max also receive a bona fide response, and (4) maybe what you're saying isn't as useful in a group setting and you can figure out a different way to say the same things that people could connect with more easily.

Just ideas.

 

[Awaken]

I'm curious, why do you think I "ignored" it?

What is my interpretation of your mental process, or why do I perceive it was ignored? The latter is simple, you never answered it.

 

[Antediluvian]

What is my interpretation of your mental process, or why do I perceive it was ignored? The latter is simple, you never answered it.

I should've been more clear, what do you think my reason was for ignoring your initial post?

 

[Awaken]

Because in the OP you state "...internet forums". I can only guess that maybe you felt as though my question was completely answered in the OP.

Or, perhaps, by the time you reread the thread there were numerous replies. Not all of which you felt like responding to. Perhaps you chose the one that most resonated with your core reason of starting the thread in the first place. Not many people like to multiquote in their replies. I for one do not either.

 

[Antediluvian]

Because in the OP you state "...internet forums". I can only guess that maybe you felt as though my question was completely answered in the OP.

Or, perhaps, by the time you reread the thread there were numerous replies. Not all of which you felt like responding to. Perhaps you chose the one that most resonated with your core reason of starting the thread in the first place. Not many people like to multiquote in their replies. I for one do not either.

It was a combination of both, but more the latter (multiple replies/resonating). Perhaps my words don't resonate with others. The reason for such eludes me, perhaps because I'm an oddity, in terms of self-expression.

 

[samjonathan]

in regard to the OP, i do feel like a bit of an obscure presence, not as though no one cares about my posts or anything though, i suppose for me its just more of a not entirely understanding how i'm supposed to go about my business on forums, sometimes i feel like i'm doing something wrong and everyone is quietly judging me, although that is my general feeling towards general social interaction

 

[lizziee]

obscure presence..hum maybe the intj spying us.. haha but,seriously i feel it on internet,in general..i think we should be carefull with overreacted opinions about politics,this stuff..but i have no conspiracy theory about it(we should do one!haha)
and samjonathan,you aren't saying anything wrong

 

[Antediluvian]

Yeah, I can relate too, based on experiences from SOME forums. (INTJforum, for example, I feel pretty much ignored.) But I even felt that way here at one point, if some of you remember my rant from 18 months ago or something like that...

The "do you relate to this" questions are sometimes hard to answer -- there's only room for a 'yes' or 'no' but not clear what else should be contributed.

I mean, I guess my "answer" to it if one is being asked for is (1) post on various forums to find ones where your posts might resonate, (2) assume that people are reading your posts even if not responding, (3) the forum dynamics might mean people like your stuff but have nothing to say in response to it... I have a heckuvalotta 'thank you's' on one forum I frequent but probably only 20-25% of those max also receive a bona fide response, and (4) maybe what you're saying isn't as useful in a group setting and you can figure out a different way to say the same things that people could connect with more easily.

Just ideas.

I'm not wholly sure, but on some forums in order to get noticed one must be either controversial or overly erudite, and confidence seems to be the ingredient they mutually need to thrive and be noticed.

I think being successful in group settings very much depends on marketing yourself (but obviously is not the sole component), probably loosely defined as "social skills." A good point at the end of your post, there. People have to connect with ideas on some level, if they are too radical, they become alien and uninteresting.