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Obscure Topic Titles

Formerly "Lemon Fool - Improve the Recipe" repurposed as Room 102 (see above).
dealtn
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439666

Postby dealtn » September 4th, 2021, 2:11 pm

XFool wrote:
dealtn wrote:
XFool wrote:You will note that:

1. The word "canceled" appears in the html link "new-puritans-mob-justice-canceled' ...


The link, at least for me, just says "The Atlantic", which along with the thread title says nothing to me, or suggests I should click on it.

Then don't... :roll:


I didn't.

Isn't that the thrust of this thread?

If people don't make it easy for others to understand what the thread is about, they won't engage. Why are you, or others, posting new threads if not to expect some engagement and discourse - the purpose of a discussion forum surely?

I am confused, as your interjection here appears to be one of "I didn't make it difficult, people should/could have engaged with me and my topic". Followed up by "If you found it difficult, then don't engage with me". Not surprised to see this particular thread you highlighted had no responses.

Dod101
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439671

Postby Dod101 » September 4th, 2021, 2:30 pm

Actually if TLF did not exist that would be too bad but I would not seek out another similar forum. My main interest is in the investment Boards and I find these quite useful because they often mention shares and ideas that I had not thought of. But let's face it, a lot of the other stuff are wonderful opportunities for barrack room lawyers and other highly opinionated people to sound off and I certainly would not care if I missed something, so obscure titles are fine by me.

Busy people to whom time is so precious cannot be that busy if they worry about missing something here.

Dod

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439672

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 2:36 pm

dealtn wrote:If people don't make it easy for others to understand what the thread is about, they won't engage. Why are you, or others, posting new threads if not to expect some engagement and discourse - the purpose of a discussion forum surely?

I am confused, as your interjection here appears to be one of "I didn't make it difficult, people should/could have engaged with me and my topic". Followed up by "If you found it difficult, then don't engage with me". Not surprised to see this particular thread you highlighted had no responses.

It had around 80 people look at it. I agree, given the subject ('Cancel Culture' - albeit in the US) it is somewhat surprising it didn't elicit any comments. :D

But I say again, as I already have above, if someone really cannot contextualize a subject titled Cancelled! in the thread Current Affairs & News, given today's political culture, culture wars etc. the simplest assumption I can make is that they are unlikely to be interested in the subject.

Perhaps those complaining would, instead, like to list their recommended alternatives to Cancelled!

XFool
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439674

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 2:45 pm

Should we henceforth simply assume any attempts or displays whatsoever of lightheartedness on TLF are strictly "Off Topic!", unless it is on the Laughing Lemons board?

:roll:

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439675

Postby richfool » September 4th, 2021, 2:47 pm

XFool wrote:
dealtn wrote:If people don't make it easy for others to understand what the thread is about, they won't engage. Why are you, or others, posting new threads if not to expect some engagement and discourse - the purpose of a discussion forum surely?

I am confused, as your interjection here appears to be one of "I didn't make it difficult, people should/could have engaged with me and my topic". Followed up by "If you found it difficult, then don't engage with me". Not surprised to see this particular thread you highlighted had no responses.

It had around 80 people look at it. I agree, given the subject ('Cancel Culture' - albeit in the US) it is somewhat surprising it didn't elicit any comments. :D

But I say again, as I already have above, if someone really cannot contextualize a subject titled Cancelled! in the thread Current Affairs & News, given today's political culture, culture wars etc. the simplest assumption I can make is that they are unlikely to be interested in the subject.

Perhaps those complaining would, instead, like to list their recommended alternatives to Cancelled!.

Surely this isn't rocket science. The title "cancelled" means nothing to me. I could only speculate on what is being cancelled, - the new HS2 rail project, the covid booster jab, the plan to take in 20,000 Afgan refugees, the covid traffic light system, the proposed NI increase, or what? I would have no idea, from the single word title: "cancelled", without opening the thread, - which is my point.

It had around 80 people look at it. I agree, given the subject ('Cancel Culture' - albeit in the US) it is somewhat surprising it didn't elicit any comments.
Might that be because 80 people had to open the thread to find out what it was about?!


I wasn't singling anyone particularly out for criticism, just picking a couple of recent examples. Surely, the title should indicate the subject, not be some sort of cryptic clue.
Last edited by richfool on September 4th, 2021, 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

XFool
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439676

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 2:54 pm

richfool wrote:
XFool wrote:Perhaps those complaining would, instead, like to list their recommended alternatives to Cancelled!.

Surely this isn't rocket science. The title "cancelled" means nothing to me. I could only speculate on what is being cancelled, - the new HS2 rail project, the covid booster jab, the plan to take in 20,000 Afgan refugees, the covid traffic light system, the proposed NI increase, or what? I would have no idea, from the single word title: "cancelled", without opening the thread, - which is my point.

So what it amounts to is you are complaining of the travails of using a mouse to click once on a link, on The Internet? (I remember how this same subject effectively came up when Windows 8 was originally released)

Personally, I would recommend MS DOS 5...

Still awaiting alternative titles. I may even have a go myself soon.

richfool
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439678

Postby richfool » September 4th, 2021, 2:58 pm

XFool wrote:
richfool wrote:
XFool wrote:Perhaps those complaining would, instead, like to list their recommended alternatives to Cancelled!.

Surely this isn't rocket science. The title "cancelled" means nothing to me. I could only speculate on what is being cancelled, - the new HS2 rail project, the covid booster jab, the plan to take in 20,000 Afgan refugees, the covid traffic light system, the proposed NI increase, or what? I would have no idea, from the single word title: "cancelled", without opening the thread, - which is my point.

So what it amounts to is you are complaining of the travails of using a mouse to click once on a link, on The Internet? (I remember how this same subject effectively came up when Windows 8 was originally released)

Personally, I would recommend MS DOS 5...

Still awaiting alternative titles. I may even have a go myself soon.

But why would one need to open the thread, and then click on a link, to simply find out whether that topic interests them, or not??!! The purpose of a topic title is so that one can decide whether the topic is of interest or not, and thus whether to open it. Otherwise, taken to its logical conclusion, a reader would have to open every thread to determine whether it is of interest to them..

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439680

Postby Lootman » September 4th, 2021, 3:09 pm

Dod101 wrote:Come, come. Surely if you are retired your time is not that important. In fact I find that I waste too much time here as I do on many other things but so what? My time is my own. Mind you, I now have no wife but I do have a biggish garden which needs attention!

JohnB wrote:Time is always important

Is it? That depends on your approach to life. If you see life as an endless list of tasks to be performed then you might see time as being a constrained resource.

But Dod mentioned being retired and certainly since I retired things are very different. I do not see my days as something to squeeze a lot of tasks into, but rather as a space to be filled. And depending on how I fill it, that time can pass quickly or slowly. My aim is to pass time pleasurably and not necessarily efficiently.

That said the cited problem seems to be limited to just one particular Lemon, who often demonstrates a rather cryptic and "alternative" view of the world. So if the problem bothers someone then it is easy to avoid those instances by simply not reading posts by that Lemon.

XFool
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439696

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 4:26 pm

Lootman wrote:That said the cited problem seems to be limited to just one particular Lemon, who often demonstrates a rather cryptic and "alternative" view of the world.

Really? :)

"alternative" to what? Or to "whom"? Perhaps it's a case of: "You say 'alternative', I say 'alternative'"? If that's not too cryptic for you...

Lootman wrote:So if the problem bothers someone then it is easy to avoid those instances by simply not reading posts by that Lemon.

A practical solution at last!

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439698

Postby JohnB » September 4th, 2021, 4:43 pm

The internet is a fire hose, its common courtesy not 5o make the confusion worse. I wish i could block whole areas of the board and people that waste my time.

XFool
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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439699

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 4:56 pm

richfool wrote:But why would one need to open the thread, and then click on a link, to simply find out whether that topic interests them, or not??!! The purpose of a topic title is so that one can decide whether the topic is of interest or not, and thus whether to open it. Otherwise, taken to its logical conclusion, a reader would have to open every thread to determine whether it is of interest to them..

On most boards on TLF, the subject is clear and definite. e.g. Property Investment Discussions, Banking Sector and one would be aware of the subjects under discussion. Likewise individual threads on such boards would likely be focussed and practical and hence easily described. Were I to post on such a board, likely my post would be a simple topic: "Getting a Mortgage" or "Rising Interest Rates".

But not all boards or subjects are like that. For instance: What is 'Snake Oil' about in Beerpig's Snug? (Perhaps about... harvesting oil from snakes?) or 'At first glance....?' on the same board (Perhaps about... looking at things?) or even 'Who chose this name?' - whose name, what name? I do not know. Do you? Where are the complaints?

Only the other day somebody (Dod101) started a thread (viewtopic.php?p=438309#p438309) recommending people who plaster their posts with EPICs should, at least in the first instance, use the full name of the company. I agreed, it seemed a helpful and considerate approach in that instance. Others felt it unnecessary, even pointing out it was possible to point at the EPIC (or indeed any text) with the mouse, select the text and, by right clicking on the mouse, conduct an Internet search for the relevant information. Seems to me more work there than one on-site mouse click!

As ever, it seems: "You can't please all of the people all of the time."


(I suspect there is more going on here than At first glance....?)

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439703

Postby XFool » September 4th, 2021, 5:31 pm

I cannot but notice that, on the TLF board Retirement Investing (inc FIRE) there is a thread entitled 'Fired!'. One wonders, does this mean:

1. I have just been fired from my job!

2. Success! I have just attained my goal of FIRE (Financial Independence Retired Early)

3. I have just been convicted of fire raising...

Well, not to keep you in suspense, after steeling myself before the Herculean task I clicked on the topic and found that it was, hopefully, a case of No. 2 (it seems they resigned from their job).

Anyway, that is probably more than enough from me for now.

"I'll be back!" :twisted:

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439704

Postby pje16 » September 4th, 2021, 5:39 pm

When I saw that one I assumed your No.1
Given the boot :!:

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439717

Postby 88V8 » September 4th, 2021, 7:05 pm

XFool wrote:I agree, given the subject ('Cancel Culture' - albeit in the US) it is somewhat surprising it didn't elicit any comments.
Perhaps those complaining would, instead, like to list their recommended alternatives to Cancelled!

Not complaining , but perhaps US Cancel Culture would have been more suitable, albeit with a hint that culture in the US is in danger of being cancelled which may also be true.

It was clear to me what the thread would be about. But I am of the right and you seem to be of the left so it's unlikely I'll have anything to say that would be agreeable to you and in any case I didn't think I had anything to say about it that hasn't already been said by many others more eloquently.

But as we're here... I think Cancel Culture is for morons who are incapable of conducting a debate. There you are, not very eloquent, I'm afraid.

V8

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439749

Postby tjh290633 » September 4th, 2021, 11:14 pm

I don't see what all the fuss is about. There are some forums which I totally ignore. If a title looks vaguely interesting, then I may click on it, but if one quick glance tells me I'm not interested, then I ignore it in future.

Some I have to read if I moderate that board. It can be a pain when 5 pages appear overnight.

TJH

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439778

Postby richfool » September 5th, 2021, 10:02 am

tjh290633 wrote:I don't see what all the fuss is about. There are some forums which I totally ignore. If a title looks vaguely interesting, then I may click on it, but if one quick glance tells me I'm not interested, then I ignore it in future.

Some I have to read if I moderate that board. It can be a pain when 5 pages appear overnight.

TJH

This one doesn't give me too many clues. It's entitled: "Just when you thought it safe to go out", and it's in "Beerpig's Snug"?

Another riddle. So I don't really know what that is about, without opening it.
viewtopic.php?p=431277#p431277

So guess, I'll give it a miss.

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439782

Postby CliffEdge » September 5th, 2021, 10:22 am

The op and much of this thread is a good example of the general descent into poverty of language and 'debate' nowadays.

The language of Shakespeare! - and Michael Gove, Priti Patel and the simpletons who admire their like...

There is no hope if it's even creeping into here, where I thought most members were half way literate with a reading age in double figures.

Sad and ignorant days in the decline of civilization.

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#439796

Postby csearle » September 5th, 2021, 10:43 am

CliffEdge wrote:The op and much of this thread is a good example of the general descent into poverty of language and 'debate' nowadays.

The language of Shakespeare! - and Michael Gove, Priti Patel and the simpletons who admire their like...

There is no hope if it's even creeping into here, where I thought most members were half way literate with a reading age in double figures.

Sad and ignorant days in the decline of civilization.
Not quite sure what you were expecting. I've just scan read this thread and see no great issue with the language used. Most of it is vaguely grammatically correct as far as I can see.

Calling people simpletons because they admire people you don't is, on the other hand, a descent.

Chris

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#443631

Postby XFool » September 19th, 2021, 5:24 pm

I'd just like to say that I think this entire thread really is extremely silly. It always has been and always will be.

Still, that's it! I'll leave it to people who want a thread discussing pointless things, pointlessly. Why not? Live and let live.

I seem to remember there was, on TMF, a harmless thread called 'Wheel Tappers & Shunters' Club', or somesuch. Perhaps this thread could be retitled to that and left to its own devices?

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Re: Obscure Topic Titles

#443664

Postby tjh290633 » September 19th, 2021, 7:30 pm

In my view this raises an important point. Do people use obscure titles as clickbait? After looking at the posts on Investors' Roundtable, I usually go to Unread Posts, and scan the titles. Any in Laughing Lemons, I ignore. Some have informative titles, but viewtopic.php?p=443296#p443296 is an example which tells me nothing without looking at the thread. viewtopic.php?p=434591#p434591 is another one.

Neither title gives any indication of the subject.

I think that we can do better.

TJH


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