Twice as often as I post for me. Something has killed of the spontaneity I feel.
EDIT: doesn't matter
I did it earlier, typed it and realised it's a thread where actually it's more about writing it down than reading what anyone else has said
And that what I wrote was of no use or interest for anyone else ☺️
🤣🤣🤔
Every time a big hitter lays down the law when it's patently bollocks.
Loads.
In politics threads, all the bloody time! 😅
You’d be suprised how often, given the crap that that makes it through to me posting it….
Yeah loads. A combination of a couple of historic (and justified) warnings and 1 banning has meant that I often delete....
What doomanic and doris said.
Yep, self moderation sometimes, other times I just think "nope, can't be arsed...."
Never.
If I've started typing then you all get to see it, even if it's absolute gibberish.
Loads of self editing going on. So many occasions in the media where people are quoted out of context and then pilloried. It is making the world a much more bland place as people are scared to express opinions or thoughts that risk not being mainstream. Horrid situation.
Totally agree, it seems to be permeating throughout life and all social interactions. Although when I self edit I do often find I'm talking unsubstantiated shite.
.
Never
.
Often
You’d be suprised how often, given the crap that that makes it through to me posting it….
Was going to be my answer.
Some topics/posters it's easy to be taken out of context, or end up in a pointless argument. I've learnt to step back and reconsider.
Think twice, press submit once
brian2 Free Member
Twice as often as I post for me. Something has killed of the spontaneity I feel.
This feels like one of those "there are two types of people" things. Some people read a discussion on the Internet and when they get to the text box they seem to quickly type out their immediate thoughts/reactions/opinions and click on "Submit".
When I get to the text box I make use the non real time nature of the medium so that I can (attempt to) draft out and revise my response so that it makes sense and attempts to reflect my measured opinion. Often I end up deciding that I don't have anything worthwhile to say, or just don't want to attract attention in a discussion where there seems to be a lot of angry and volatile people involved, so I delete what I've written and move on. I can trip over my words and be misunderstood easily enough when communicating face-to-face, I have no desire to replicate that online.
I find it interesting that some people like the immediacy and spontaneity offered by forums while others like the ability to take their time and hone what they want to say. Same medium, different responses.
Probably 75% of the time on politics threads... generally when the chief sealion turns up 😂
Often. TBH getting a bit fed up. Used to think this place did more good than harm but starting to think my life doesn’t need it.
I genuinely was going to start a thread for people to put the titles of all the threads they didn’t start. Nostalgia for things that never happened. Then I realised that, well…
In agreement with db above.
I've got rid of most forms of social media.
ST used to be different, more reasoned and open to discussion. Recently I've found it's become disappointingly like everywhere else, threads become a place to shout your superior knowledge or prove you can Google quicker than the next person.
I'm probably too thin skinned for social media, don't see the point in arguing and insulting for the sake of feeling superior.
So yes, now delete most posts before submitting.
(Yes, appreciate the irony and fully expect a response telling me why my open is wrong!)
usually if i reply, noone else bothers to comment, so i try not to spoil the threads anymore
On the other hand, i dont have lots of wisdom to add and try to put it in a form that people can relate to, consequently it never looks good so i dont bother that often
More often than not, I find myself recalling the following quote when I write a post. It then gets edited or binned.
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Not as often as I should
Quite often, usually because I type out a stream of consciousness and realise it's entirely cobblers. The rest of the time it's because I simply cannot be arsed trying to read an already pages long thread to see if someone has already said it, and even if I do write something worth posting I haven't got the inclination to keep tabs on whether anyone has replied/shouted from on high/called BS.
With apologies to those above who may qualify...not many of the chief sealions...
Ah mebbe not 🤔
I find that STW often deletes my reply for me.
Often, especially on, er, contentious threads.
I'm just about to hit 'submit' then think "what good will come of this?" and delete instead. If I've got something that I believe really needs saying I'll post. If I've got something I think might be useful to someone I'll post. If I thought it might get a funny response from PerchyPanther I'd post
... oh, and occasionally I forget all this and post something I shouldn't. Not too often though I hope.
Whenever I think of this (which is not often enough):

Quite often on anything that might be connected to my work area of expertise in some direct or indirect way. Basically this posted above.
Quite often on a thread where I actually know what I’m talking about – it’s too frustrating
And there's a lot of truth in what @ChrisL wrote. In my case I'm sure it's a work influence. I can't impulse punch out an email reply because it tends to end badly given the complexity and sensitivity of my work. Same sticks in all aspects of life I guess.
Same on Facebook and LinkedIn. Think before you post.
About half the time, even on my own threads!
I just always think that what other people have to say is more important than what I want to say. I've done the same with posting new topics too, occasionally someone will start the same topic later that day and get loads of replies, that annoys me more than anything but also happy that someone else found it worthy of a topic being started and that other people have engaged with it.
I have issues 🤣
suprisingly a fair bit. Trying always to reign it in!
+1 to polite camera action as well
Fairly often, in fact I'll regularly type something out with no intention of ever submitting it just as a little thought exercise for myself. What I often find is on threads with a thoughtful/helpful tone, my input is just a variation on what others have said so my voice won't add anything. On the more contentious threads (which I usually just plain avoid) I sometimes like to write something to help me clarify my own thoughts. I've found if I post there then what I say tends to get roundly ignored by the folk who are just there for an argument.
Always/Sometimes/Never
Delete which is applicable.
Oh, and this:
“Less often than getting the 403 bad gateway and the post I have spent literally minutes typing disappearing into binary heaven ”
I'd love to chat but something needs to keep my right arm looking so muscular 🙂
I’m probably too thin skinned for social media, don’t see the point in arguing and insulting for the sake of feeling superior.
So yes, now delete most posts before submitting.
👆🏻This👆🏻
This forum can be all levels of kind & caring, yet some threads bring out the absolute worst in a very specific group (politics threads I’m looking at you)… often referred to as “the big hitters”.
Recently I was sat pondering something & typed, re-typed & typed again a questions, just KNOWING someone would find fault with the question (to make me look shit, thick, cynical, uncaring… whatever) rather than actually answer the question. I wasn’t looking for debate, I actually wanted an asnseer so went ahead anyway, against all my instincts. Like 90% of my posts I simply wished I’d never bothered.
I do wonder what kick folks get out of pointing out someone else’s foibles. It’s bizarre. As someone who’s been here pretty much since the beginning I find myself contributing less & less, which also makes me a bit sad.
ST used to be different, more reasoned and open to discussion. Recently I’ve found it’s become disappointingly like everywhere else, threads become a place to shout your superior knowledge or prove you can Google quicker than the next person.
Having been here a long time, this is particularly true. There has been a definite sea change. To paraphrase Viz, it's not as funny as it used to be.
Rarely do I delete stuff prior to posting. I usually need to edit what I've posted due to typing errors.
A few of my attempted inputs disappear without trace when I accidently press Overview rather than Submit at which point I probably won't bother re typing it.
