Craigslist Encounters: Non-Discussion Discussion

We're generally not one to sneer at anything Craigslist related, but oftentimes the "discussion" (if anyone can really call it that), which occurs on Craigslist's discussion forums look more like the redundant, back and forth of 3-year olds fighting over a toy. Don't get us wrong; there are some forum conversations which actually contain information. Just not most of them.

Which is why it is so surprising that we find the spontaneous conversations which occur in other areas of Craigslist so delightful. Looking over the missed connection page today we found a few fragments of a man being attacked at Starbucks. Unfortunately, we couldn't find the rest of the Re:Re: Non-talented artist at therapy nor the truly scummy husbands. Similarly you can half-follow the saga of Joe Six Pack, who has been banned from the Craigslist community for some of the political things that he has said. Or so it seems.

We guess the lesson to be learned is that active participants go to discussion forums. For a person to post a reply in a non-discussion forum they must be energized to the point where, though they were not looking to speak, their feelings regarding a particular subject overwhelm their natural inhibitions and laziness. So, as opposed to the discussion forums, the rest of Craigslist includes only the most frenzied, energized, heated and heartfelt discussions. Which, in our simple minds, makes it all the more interesting.

SFist Nick, contributing. Image from www.tns.com.