How many of you that answer regularly do so:

a) prior to reading other responses to the letters

b) after reading responses to the letters?

Just curious. I prefer to respond without the benefit/liability of having read other responses.

I read some responses and ignore others before I post SHADDAP! Occasionally, I will lambaste some of the commentary for overbearing foolishness, just to be contrary.

Reading the other responses first keeps me from inadvertantly parroting 20 previous responses.

Gets kinda old when post after post paraphrases the same talkin' points, eh?

Leg,

I guess that's why I don't read other's postings. My mind is so feeble that I am afraid I might inadvertantly paraphrase/plagiarize someone.

I also try to respond early on to avoid the pitfalls you mention. This can backfire though because unless I've had my recommended daily dose of caffeine, sometimes my grammar suffers.

Dearest Messy,

I have noticed this trend in your work and greatly appreciate it. I encourage you to continue this benevolent form of philanthropy.

Hoping this finds you flourishing,

Top

downright contrary SOB.
It'd piss me off to find out that I'd been "going with the flow", albiet inadvertantly...

|-)

The first couple of days into a new set of letters, I read the other posts first. I usually prefer to reply to threads rather than start new topics anyway (although I do occasionally start a new one.) But once the posts reach the hundreds (it seems) and replies are numerous and clearly threads are getting bogged down in squabbles, etc, I'm more likely to post a new thread without sifting through it all to see if it's been mentioned already (but again, even that is rare for me.)

Usually, I don't even read Prudie's response before typing mine. I usually will read hers before posting, so I can complain about the quality of her response. Then, after posting, I'll read everyone else's, and fairly often see that I hadn't considered one aspect of the situation, which makes the conversation more interesting.

*circles B*

Oops, forgot this wasn't a college exam. :)

Generally, I read and reply to that which I find interesting. I ignore that which I don't find interesting. I find that I will read someone elses reply that spins the letters in a way that I hadn't thought of.

I cunningly avoid parrotting others answers by composing a reply that is completely pointless and silly, verging on the puerile but not quite asinine.

Today, I'm proving that one can indeed flourish when there's a perpetual tornado warning. If I get swept to Oz, or somewhere equally exotic, like Milwaukee, for instance, I'll make sure to hang on to my laptop and demand good wireless access so I can send regular reports.

;-)

If I have the time to post early thursday.I just post. If feel like I'm responding to the LW, who incidentaly I believe are all at least compositions, is not completely fake. I don't feel bad about anything I twist, exaggerate or reduce to absurdity.

Later on I read, and I personally hate when I see three threads in a row that say Baby Names or Annoyed Youth that all say the same thing and even worse say it the same way. Sometimes the debate is inspiring later on. I do enjoy the real debates but I'm usually not smart enough to make more that a lame point. I find this a very nice break from real life checking in occasionally on the alternative reality.

I prefer to be the rational type and read other responses first, if only so I don't post something redundant and waste your valuable reading time. Sometimes though, I just don't know what comes over me.

If I have time to read Prudie and respond early in the game I may do so, but only if I feel like I have something useful or hopefully entertaining to offer. If I don't feel like I have anything to offer I try (really hard) to STFU.

If someone posts something inane, goofy, or outrageously stupid, I will either try to aggravate them further or I might try to load them down with relevant or irrelevant questions about their post.

If a post turns away from the original topic, I am glad to discuss cats, gardening, movies, or dirty jokes.

I generally don't read the other responses to the letters, but I'm usually posting early enough on Thursday that there aren't all that many to begin with.