Recently I had a vent about a topic. I had 121 people look at it and no-one replied. It got me wondering, do people not respond because they think the topic is dumb, the P even dumber, they are just not interested, don't have an opinion either way, don't know the answer to the topic or are just waiting for someone else to do it first.

Sometimes if I see a post that hasn't had a reply, i'll make a quick comment to bump it up to see if someone else will follow on.

It doesn't bother me but sometimes I am surprised that's all. So what makes you NOT respond.

Now if everyone gangs up on me and doesn't reply I am going to look really stupid. So please be nice....

Thanks in advance

I think it could be any one of the possibilities you've already suggested. But one that I'll add - quite often I'm just lurking, reading but not really concentrating enough to reply if that makes sense. I could be just tired, or talking to the kids at the same time.

All depends ... but I do try and respond to a post that has no replies but lots of views. Can totally understand why you would have been wondering why you didn't get any replies!

I don't usually reply if

a) I don't have time
b) I can't think of anything to say
c) I can't think of anything constructive to say
d) I can't think of a nice way to put my constructive thing
e) I'm just not interested.

I think it depends on the topic. If noone has anything constructive to say, then they may not answer. Also, as you weren't looking for advice, (rather, just getting something off your chest) it's possible people aren't really sure how to respond.

It can also depend on timing. If something major was happening that day, then some posts can fall to the side a bit, or get lost down the page. It's not intentional, just the way it goes. This site moves pretty quickly.

Keep at it, I don't think you'll find it happens all that often.

I often sit down to write an answer, then one of my children wakes, or the phone rings... or I need to pee...


and then I forget.

I read and post, but only if i have an opinion on the persons topic, or just want to reply in sympathy etc

I agree with Di's reply:



I also feel quite "shy" at times, so I don't repy to some posts as I am hesitant to put my true response out there.

There are a number of reasons i dont reply..

Main one being that i am reading and dont have the time to reply, second one being that post gives me the and many many more

Dont think that no replies is a reflection on you (if thats what you are thinking)

Thanks for your replies on this one. I don't really know what I was thinking to be honest. I wasn't upset or taking it personally, kind of just surprised really. It was a vent after all not a question - but it was something that i thought at least one person could relate to and maybe want to share their story... and then i got paranoid LOL.

Maybe eb should look in to get ridding of the silly how many views counts ? .. that way no one has to explains reasons, they take can take the time to read a thread but not reply due to family, work, etc constructive or not or what not so maybe that is the best solution is to get rid of the evil thing LOL

I don't always reply to the posts I look at because of the reasons already stated. Mostly it's because I don't know what to say or I haven't got any experience in the matter.

I agree, as is not uncommon, with dogmac.

I also agree about the vague titles. Often such a silly and obvious ploy for attention.

Sometime why i don't reply: Because others have basically said what i wanted to say and you don't need to hear the same thing again and again. IYKWIM

Or I'll type a reply out then delete it. As there are a "few" people on EB who make mountains out of little molehills.

I've bumped it up for you hun, hopefully someone will answer this time, I don't buy/sell on line so couldn't contribute.

Yep lots of people are replying now

The reason I often don't reply is because I don't feel as if I have anything to contribute.

Two other reasons:

(1) Don't have time
(2) Quite often when I reply, I appear to be the last person to reply (there's a name for that isn't there)

I used to try and make sure everyone got at least one reply in the forums I visited, but I don't bother any more.

Usually I dont reply if

I dont have time
I cant think of anything uselful to say
I'm not in the mood

Or often if the topic title is vague I will look at it, but then realise I dont know anything about it so cant give advice.

Also if the OP's post is so bad grammatically/spelling wise that it takes a lot of my energy to figure out what they are trying to say, I often wont reply.

But I like you babypenguin so I thought I would say hi! And give you a reply.

Thanks snuffles. I like you to.

I like you to Babypenguin!

Awww this is getting nice. Thanks Rosie.

Olliandy, I read your post in venting, and, truthfully, I couldn't think of a thing to say in response. What I DID think was "I wonder if I need to get Adara's eyes checked", but I couldn't think of anything that would be of any use to you, or anything besides "That sucks", though as a glasses wearer, I don't think it is the end of the world.

I normally read and don't reply because I am breast-feeding and am too slow at 1-handed typing

Reasons why I may not reply:

* Because I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said
* Don't have time
* Have not had the experience and don't feel qualified to respond
* I will never ever even open a BF topic again because from someone who struggled and tried so hard for many months only to fail, I am not going to put myself through the heartache of reading one of those judgemental uneducated posts ever again. **end mini rant***

I have asked this question myself when I never seemed to get answers to many of my posts.

Someone hinted my posts were dumb

But I'd have to say the title is what draws me into clicking on a post.

I don't bother opening the ones that just say:

Help....
Advice Needed
TMI
WDYT

and things to that effect. If I go into a post its because I know why I'm going to go into it. I hate reading posts, only to find they have nothing to interest me, or that I know anything about it

Lynn