Do you feel you’ve wasted your time on threads where the OP never updates?

[Toydrum]

Isn’t it a waste of time and energy? It’s a shame really because I see some really considerate and caring replies.

At what point do you give up on a thread?

I didn’t realise people got that invested? If your at the point where something like this is affecting your life that much then MN probably isn’t for you

That’s not what I said, at all.

No. I don’t care.

Well half are probably not real but I dont think we can point that out no matter how obvious

Yeah, I probably shouldn’t to be fair.

I do sometimes wonder how a thread gets to like 15 pages of replies when the OP gave a vague initial post and then hasn't returned to clarify anything. I generally Watch a thread and then use the See Next option to skip through the OPs posts so I know if they haven't returned. Depending how long it's been I remove it from my list if the OP hasn't come back.

Good point. I agree. I must keep reminding myself!

I do think there are some bots, teens or AI posters and I don't really mind if I get taken in and respond. If it's goady or the replies get nasty and the OP doesn't clarify something that could save it turning into a pointless bunfight then yes, I might feel a bit like it was irresponsible or posted in bad faith.

Generally I think of people who want to read the thread as well as the OP, so if my post helps someone else in some way then that's the main aim.

Kind of to be honest, but also think IABU when I think it, as nobody HAS to give an update. But I get what you mean OP.

Yeah I used the See All button and if the op hasn't been back I generally don't bother.

Yes, that’s what I do now. It rankles a bit and I know it shouldn’t. I suppose I do get invested.

Maybe I should stick to humorous threads.

No, its not really that important. I use mumsnet as a drop in, have a look make a few comments if I feel I have anything to contribute and then leave. I don't really think about it in between. I assume the OP has read replies and got the answers / info they needed and the carried on with their day. Without checking i probably couldn't tell you any threads I have replied to in the last week.
I think some some people tend to be on all day and get quite upset when they feel that they are giving advice and not getting engagement back from the OP but it genuinely baffles me that they feel that way.

Is this about the bloke who may have been spiked?

Interesting. I think I just want some kind of wrap up/end. I do know this is unrealistic.

Not just that one but I am certainly interested to know how he is and what caused it!

Something I do find annoying which I have literally just done, is when I can't find a thread I have commented on. So, I have just seen a thread about using titanium chopping boards, which I assume is an ad posted for sales (more annoying than the no show ones I feel), with loads saying just use wood, more hygenic, less knife blunting etc. I then thought of a thread asking which Christmas gifts you actually enjoy getting. I wanted to go back and post on that that a wooden chopping board is an idea as I love the thick real wood ones you can often get at fetes or on holiday but always forget to get them for myself. That thread has disappeared completely from my history! How and why? Hardly going to be a bunfight on that one, surely?

It’s probably fake anyway.

Sometimes it would be interesting to knowhowthings worked out, but if a post and its replies has made me think about things, I don't think it's really a waste of time. There are a lot more people reading and sometimes contributing than just the OP.

I do wonder a little at the posters who revive a years old zombie thread to say, "you should do this," when probably the OP has either got an entirely new house/job/relationship/is cured/dead/ problem child/neighbour ling since mived out or whatever.

And also those who come in to a long thread to say, "you should do this," and clearly haven't even read the OP's posts to see the update that said, "I did this, and then this is what happened next," making the response irrelevant. That is surely more of a waste of time and energy, and if posters can't be arsed to read even the OP's later posts, let alone an entire long thread, I don't see the point of posting at all on it. But clearly others think differently.

No, it's not Netflix.

I saw a local Reform councillor saying his friends spiked his drink in our paper. I was quite confused as to why he would admit his mates think that is funny, have the drugs and why they would want to do that to him unless he was an absolute bellend. I think he thought he was showing he could empathise with women who had been drugged, but it came across that he was hanging out with the ones who perpetrated these crimes and even they didn't like him.

I think some some people tend to be on all day and get quite upset when they feel that they are giving advice and not getting engagement back from the OP but it genuinely baffles me that they feel that way.

I know. Like they don't seem to conceive that others might be busy working, dealing with kids, at the pub, whatever. Sometimes it happens even when the OP has stated they won't be able to check back until they're back from work or whatever.

Frequently. And I wonder even more when there’s 200+ answers and not a single reply from OP. I don’t understand why people bother responding.

I almost instinctively check if the OP has returned to the thread after reading the post. If not, I might read a few of the replies then forget about it.

I do find it weird that OP will write out a long heartfelt post and have lots of advice from people and never return. My guess is that they don't like what they are reading.

There seem to be many threads that are just started for a debate and the OP contributes nothing, I always think they must be lazy journos looking for conteent.

No, I never feel I’ve wasted my time. I’d never get over invested and the only time I spend on here is time I have to spare anyway.

People have a self inflated view of how important their views, opinions and posts are. It’s just a forum, most stuff will be made up anyway. The few threads that are real, you’re really not entitled to updates or an ending, they will actually be someone’s real life, not a tv series.

I think if you do feel in any way annoyed or something that you’ve wasted your time, then you should probably step away.

What a stupid reply.