There has been a number of times I have found myself wondering lately if we are doing the right thing here in responding to certain posts the way we do. This includes three general areas I see growing as the site grows and I would like some input from others. The areas I encounter, but its by no means limited to this, are:

1. Repeatedly trying to help someone who demonstrates they aren't interested in actual help but only the attention/support they can garner. Its a waste of our efforts, certainly and sometimes feeds an attention addiction, frankly. Multiple threads - same topic, "yeah butting" or endless installments with a new twist are dead give aways.

2. Answering questions from children that seem a bit too adult for the topic, especially ones on dating, relationships and sex. I don't have kids so I feel particularly squeamish on this one.

3. Answering at all ones that appear to be for a sheer Jerry Springer effect or to have scored something to brag about to their friends or cleverly disguised attempts to answer someone's homework for them. Not really that harmful but not helping for sure.

To a certain extent, its answerer beware, I realise and we are all free to participate where we wish. But I'd like to know where are y'all at with these please?

Sentra

I am alongside that.

labman

Good point. I think you are talking more about areas I do little in. It is a shame I seldom even read questions in math and science because so many of them are just people wanting somebody to do their homework. With my degree in chemistry and industrial experience in resins and plastics, I am sure I could help people with legitimate questions.

I am refusing to answer many questions on breeding dogs both here and elsewhere. I am sick of people that are creating misery because they didn't do their homework before starting to breed dogs. I refuse to facilitate that.

Thomas1970

Hi Val,
I do agree that certain trends have definitely begun to appear. Well, anyhow, my two cents worth:

1. Anything worth saying is worth repeating once. After that, it's as Thomas Paine said, "Talking with a man who has abandoned reason, is like administering medicine to the dead." Sometimes it's just too late; people become deeply entrenched in their own perspectives, and are often seeking nothing more than a form of confirmation.

2. I don't have children myself, and though not always my favorite situations to tackle, I have certainly done enough work with children in the past to know, that they will continue to ask such questions of whomever they feel safe, and feel will adequately listen. Far better theirs parents of course, but they are bound to ask someone regardless. They are generally under a great deal more pressure, peer and otherwise, these days, as well as perhaps possessing either a lot more "knowledge" or questions, due to the very state of media, for one, and it's abundantly easy viewing access -- cable television, the internet, etc. Regardless, children have always been naturally curious, and I always feel it's better that they be properly informed and somewhat equipped to handle situations they are bound to encounter, regardless of their age. But I do respect that many people do not share this view. I guess it's really, mostly an issue about innocence, and being able to enjoy in a most carefree manner all that such encompasses in our younger years -- assuming that is still possible in this day and age.

3. Though I do feel every question deserves at least one answer, I do generally shy away from anything that seems likely to deteriorate into the proverbial "dog and pony show." As for homework... Well, if they are desperate. But if they are only taking the easy way out, they will learn in time, really only hurting themselves in the long run -- depriving themselves of satisfaction and self-esteem, as well as knowledge.

wizzkid89

Yeah I empathize with the majority of your statement. Where I give the majority of advice is relationships, teens, dating,i.e. personal things. And there are questions asked by very young children that they shouldn't even be asking about, in those scenarios I like to tip-toe that line of telling them they shouldn't care and being overtly informative. I always try to give them correct advice no matter what. But I stick to issues that aren't involved with a biology discussion. I don't asnwer questions about the physical nature of sex, but maybe feelings, or actions that go along with it. I don't care if anyone does, because honestly if they can reach this site they could have wikipedia sex a million times.

I don't answer hw questions, what I do is refer them to a web site with the information on it. And as for people who just want confirmation of their beliefs, I try to side-step as much as possible.

One of the biggest problems I have on this whole site, is repetiveness. It's coming on a year now for me. And I always help in the teen section, I just feel I am answering the same questions over and over again......"Does she like me?", "Do I like her?", "How do I flirt?", "Should I ask her/him out?", my favorite however is......"I like her, but I don't know if she likes me, we use to hang out, but we don't anymore, and we were good friends, but not right now, I think I like her, but I haven't seen in her in forever, o and we live in two different cities......". Seriously though it does at time get redundant, I always offer my advice however I sometimes I feel like just writing on a page and tell them to refer to a specific part.

Thomas1970

Good answers all around.
I certainly agree with the redundancy of many questions asked. You might be on to something there. Set the answers up in a branching format as in some medical questionnaires. If you have, feel or agree with #2 then proceed to #3, ortherwise skip to #6, etc. Who knows? It could work!

wizzkid89

I like your thinking thomas.......progress that's what we need! lol

Curlyben

Obviously everyone is free to post what ever they feel, but there are certain things that are not acceptable in polite society.
Unfortuneatly or maybe fortuneatly we cannot create rules to cover all areas of discussion, this is where common sense comes in.
The kind of posts that have been refered to aren't unique to this site.
Every Q&A site I've been involved with has the same issues with posts.

The question is how to proceed to improve the quality of this site.
Well as ever we are open to all ideas, yes really.

I have been making a start, especially with homework help and This Announcement. OK it's a little strong, but I think it makes our position clear.
Hey if you want to help people with their Homework feel free.

On repeated questions, I'm slowly but surely pointing people to the search feature and also other threads that have the same issues.

When it comes to spam posts then please report and Rick or I will deal with them as quickly as we can. The same is true of any "Iffy" teen, sex, attention seeking, etc
Please bear in mind that we are not here 24/7, yes really, so there maybe some lag from your report to our resolution.
Also Rick and I mod the site in our free time and for Zero pay.

wizzkid89

I wasn't complaing curlyben, just pointing out certain things that could be worked on in order to create a better environment for everyone...

Curlyben

whizz I wasn' t taking anything as a complaint and I'm always open to suggestions.