Interesting finding...
Background
A nifty little AppleInsider feature is the capability to view a ranked list of the number of posts in a certain thread by a participating member. To those who haven't discovered it, you can access the list by simply clicking on the replies number in the replies column. Here's an example. For Moogs' epic thread, "Everyone, it's going to be OK: George Knows.," the list looks like this:
.
Pattern
In this thread, note that SDW2001 has over twice as many posts as the next highest liberal poster, and NaplesX has nearly one-third more posts. I thought it was peculiar to say the least that one or two posters could have so many more posts than the next highest member. The results seem a little exaggerated given the scale of the thread.
But I checked out other threads and noticed the same pattern. One or two posters-- almost always among the most outspokenly conservative-- are at the top of almost every political thread with more than two pages. Just in the last 60 days, here's a quick breakdown of the threads I'm talking about that support this finding:
Other threads are more even in participation. Still, there's a definite tendency of some of our more outspoken conservatives to post nearly twice as many times as the next highest poster in any given political thread. Are they just responding to the clear majority of moderate-liberal posters at AO, compensating for their deficit in numbers? So my questions is, how do AO participants account for this phenomenon? It's a strange but unmistakable pattern...
A nifty little AppleInsider feature is the capability to view a ranked list of the number of posts in a certain thread by a participating member. To those who haven't discovered it, you can access the list by simply clicking on the replies number in the replies column. Here's an example. For Moogs' epic thread, "Everyone, it's going to be OK: George Knows.," the list looks like this:
.
Pattern
In this thread, note that SDW2001 has over twice as many posts as the next highest liberal poster, and NaplesX has nearly one-third more posts. I thought it was peculiar to say the least that one or two posters could have so many more posts than the next highest member. The results seem a little exaggerated given the scale of the thread.
But I checked out other threads and noticed the same pattern. One or two posters-- almost always among the most outspokenly conservative-- are at the top of almost every political thread with more than two pages. Just in the last 60 days, here's a quick breakdown of the threads I'm talking about that support this finding:
- Everyone, it's going to be OK: George Knows.
SDW2001: 132, NaplesX: 89, jimmac: 60. - this is appalling, abuse of Iraqi prisoners
NaplesX: 56, giant: 30. - Richard Clarke
NaplesX: 58, faust9: 40. - Yet another ex-admin says they wanted Iraq right at 911
NaplesX: 77, faust9: 59. - Bush *jokes* about not finding WMD...
rageous: 45, jimmac: 31. - Hamas's Spiritual Leader / Founder Killed
NaplesX: 32, segovius; 18 (or bunge: 14) - Nick Berg Beheaded
NaplesX:15, piwozniak: 9 - escalation of violence in the middle east
johnq: 24, giant: 17 - "Kerry Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief" (Letter)
SDW2001: 39, jimmac 23 - Kerry a liar?
Messiahtosh: 47, billlybobsky: 26
Other threads are more even in participation. Still, there's a definite tendency of some of our more outspoken conservatives to post nearly twice as many times as the next highest poster in any given political thread. Are they just responding to the clear majority of moderate-liberal posters at AO, compensating for their deficit in numbers? So my questions is, how do AO participants account for this phenomenon? It's a strange but unmistakable pattern...
Comments
It is indeed interesting the tactics and trends of posters here at AO AI.
We do keep a good eye on you all.
Fellowship
- Obligatory 2004 NHL Playoffs Total 186 posts
- Official Mars Exploration Thread (merged) Total 310 posts
two bits says mandolux and/or salmonstk own versions of the "Post Your Desktop" threadMoogs 54, curiousuburb 15, InactionMan 14, BuonRotto 14, murbot 12, Chinney 12, Cam'ron 11
>75% of the posters are Canadian
curiousuburb 86, drewprops 67, Moogs 33, DiscoCow 14, Anders 13, Scott 12, Ganondorf 7, BuonRotto 7
steeper drop off in interest, it seems.
wonder if the same function works for 'views' but isn't linked. probably mostly 'guest'.
Originally posted by curiousuburb
Obligatory 2004 NHL Playoffs Total 186 posts
Moogs 54, curiousuburb 15, InactionMan 14, BuonRotto 14, murbot 12, Chinney 12, Cam'ron 11
>75% of the posters are Canadian
Funny, only 25% of the teams left in the playoffs are Canadian
(no comments about how many "U.S." hockey players are canadian please )
Seriously,
We are outnumbered, which I think explains some of it. Interesting observation.
Originally posted by murbot
Post your desktop
Woohoo! Bringing up the rear.
In response to the original investigation, yes, it's obvious that the conservative fellas are making up for numbers by spending all of their waking life defending their positions.
On another note, "smart scrolling" sucks. you guys are tools.
The reason I think that some of us post more is that AO seems to be overwhelmingly left leaning.
I have been accused of leaning the other way and I guess I do to a point, but when I post a comment it seams that sometimes half a dozen left leaners post attacks and tell me I should read more and how misguided I am.
I of course feel obligated to reply to them, which sufficed to say keeps me busy. I have seen this tactic used many time, although it has gotten a lot better since I have stopped taking it as personally. So part of it was my fault for not ignoring some things.
I like to call it the swarming factor.
Look back and you will see a lot of that going on.
Originally posted by billybobsky
That is the exact type of thinking you would expect from a conservative lap-dog of dubya...
I completely agree with you, billybobsky. ShawnJ?
Pun intended.
Nick