Why is it that people don't answer the question you asked in your discussion?

@cripfemme (7698)
United States
July 28, 2008 6:22pm CST
This is a big problem on myLot I've noticed. People reply to your discussion just to get money (in my opinion), but don't actually answer the question or topic you raised. What's the point of this? For example, I posted a discussion looking for other people interested in disability studies and the only response I got was from some nut job who was completely off topic and talking about his own school days with no relation to disability studies whatsoever. In the latest example, I posted a discussion about the movie "Kissing Jessica Stein" and told people to tell me their favorite moments from the movie. Wouldn't you think you had to have seen the movie to answer this question? Apparently, neither one of my responders thought so. They just posted to tell me they hadn't seen the movie and one was interested in being homophobic (but that's another issue). I honestly can say in my almost three years here I've never totally strayed from the topic of the discussion. I might go off on a tangent, but I always come back because I don't want to be one of those dumb people who just writes whatever pops into their head to earn money. That's not why I'm here. What's your opinion? Do you sometimes answer posts that you have no reason to answer and why do you do this?
4 people like this
8 responses
• United States
29 Jul 08
You know...I have been pretty impressed with the responses I have gotten. People have seen pretty concerned with my issues. I thought it would be more superficial than what it was.
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
29 Jul 08
I sometimes tend to go off on a tangent myself when answering a discussion, but at least my response will be somehow related. It irritates the crap out of me when people respond with a sentence saying they can't respond because they haven't seen the movie, tv show or read the book that I am referencing. Those are the people that I really want to mark negative. I am a little afraid to mark anyone negative though, so I usually don't rate them at all. If I can't make a contribution to a discussion, I keep my "mouth" shut and my fingers still. I figure if I hate noncontributory responses, so do my friends.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
29 Jul 08
well, you had actually answered your own question... those people who do that is simply only looking for money here... that's why they just asnwer as many as they can without caring whether they are out of the topic or not... it is a shame actually that people do that as i don't think we should be here just for the sake of money per se... take care and have a nice day...
• United States
6 Aug 08
If people don't answer my post correctly or they go off subject without telling me that they are going off subject, I give them a -.I hope you saw my response to the Jessica stein post.I did see the film and I really liked it.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
29 Jul 08
The $$$ sign might have blinded them a bit in giving a good response. That is one reason but I think most give perfect response but in a different tone. some may not be too proficient in the language but are trying hard to get to the point. So you must give some reservation for this group of people.
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
30 Jul 08
Of I make exception for folks whose native language is not English. What I referring to is people who completely miss the point of the discussion and prattle on and on about whatever they want talk about. I don't think this a language barrier issue, more like a stupidity issue.
• United States
29 Jul 08
i only answer posts that i can. if i cant or if i dont have anything to say then i am not going to waste any space that could be for someone else just to get some points.that is just how i am i am not going to force a response out of myself if i cant post one that makes sense.
@Bethany1202 (3431)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I try to stick to the topic in a discussion, but once in awhile I do admit I go off on a tangent and start to discuss other things as well. Sometimes people have too many questions in their topic and I answer some of them but leave others unanswered. However, I do know what you mean about the stupid and irrelevant responses. It is just because they want to post whatever they can to make money. I think that's a waste of time. There are plenty of discussions they can post on and it would make more sense to post somewhere related to their discussion rather than just posting any response anywhere!
• United States
29 Jul 08
You might just be expecting too much from people who are pretty much strangers. Like I said...people have been very friendly and sincere to me.