How to respond to "too long" internet communications when you don't have time?

Spirit

Hey everyone,

To make a long story short; what do you do when you feel really lacking the energy or time to respond to long e-mails or Facebook wall posts/comments on statuses..etc? A few days ago I posted a two-line status on Facebook about my opinion on a political thing. Some people did respond briefly so I was able to get back to them within few hours. But someone did respond with +500 words. I responded back the next day with a decently long, but shorter posts, to respectfully getting back and addressing his points, but then he responded with much longer posts within an hour! It's an important topic on my wall but really don't have the time to respond in detail. What do you guys do in such cases of written internet communication?

Sorry to sound naive or something, but if I didn't need help I would not be posting here in the first place

Evo

I tell them them their post is too long for me to bother with and they should break it down into smaller, more to the point posts.

Of course if it is a lot of blather and word salad extending something that could have been said in a few sentences, I tell them their post is incomprehensible as written and that they need to get to the point clearly and concisely if they expect a response.

It's a common troll tactic to make overly long, tedius, and often incorrect posts just to cause trouble. Or they could just be clueless. Let them know that you don't have the time or desire to wade through lengthy posts.

rootX

I don't read any message that doesn't come in one scroll bar (over 200 words). I wouldn't even read all of those 200 words, maybe 20 words to get the idea and then 150 if it is interesting.

That also goes to news articles, I wouldn't read anything that's over two scroll bars.

I don't think it is worth spending your time and thinking over messages that are too long.

QuarkCharmer

There is no way out of a back and forth with people that like to respond with a short essay. I would just get my point across and then stop following the conversation. I mean, is there some sort of etiquette that dictates you always reply? That would be pretty circular.

BobG

Quote by Spirit

Hey everyone,

To make a long story short; what do you do when you feel really lacking the energy or time to respond to long e-mails or Facebook wall posts/comments on statuses..etc? A few days ago I posted a two-line status on Facebook about my opinion on a political thing. Some people did respond briefly so I was able to get back to them within few hours. But someone did respond with +500 words. I responded back the next day with a decently long, but shorter posts, to respectfully getting back and addressing his points, but then he responded with much longer posts within an hour! It's an important topic on my wall but really don't have the time to respond in detail. What do you guys do in such cases of written internet communication?

Sorry to sound naive or something, but if I didn't need help I would not be posting here in the first place

I have a very clever way of handling posts that are too long.

Dembadon

I usually use the same approach Evo suggested; ask them to be more concise.

It could be a case of argumentum verbosium (Proof by intimidation):

Quote by Wiki

Proof by intimidation is a jocular term used mainly in mathematics to refer to a style of presenting a purported mathematical proof by giving an argument loaded with jargon and appeal to obscure results, so that the audience is simply obliged to accept it, lest they have to admit their ignorance and lack of understanding.[1] The term is also used when the author is an authority in his field presenting his proof to people who respect a priori his insistence that the proof is valid or when the author claims that his statement is true because it is trivial or because he simply says so. Usage of this term is for the most part in good humour, though it also appears in serious criticism.[2][3] More generally, "proof by intimidation" has also been used by critics of junk science to describe cases in which scientific evidence is thrown aside in favour of a litany of tragic individual cases presented to the public by articulate advocates who pose as experts in their field.[4]

emphasis mine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_by_intimidation

hypatia

I just delete their post. End of story.

Spirit

Quote by Evo

It's a common troll tactic to make overly long, tedius, and often incorrect posts just to cause trouble. Or they could just be clueless. Let them know that you don't have the time or desire to wade through lengthy posts.

Yep Evo's advice is the wise thing to do. And I would be glad if someone tells me that I cause some 'discomfort' to them and how it can be sorted out. But in reality, some people are ultra-sensitive to feedback and may be really offended when asking them to be more precise.

Quote by Dembadon

I usually use the same approach Evo suggested; ask them to be more concise.

It could be a case of argumentum verbosium (Proof by intimidation):

emphasis mine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_by_intimidation

This is a reason why I did feel that I have to reply, as I feel my page was abused to promote such kinds of proofs (Thanks for the link!). Or as what it's called in some bad debate tactics: "if someone speaks much, they can make the opponent to appear more or less 'speechless' and let people think they got no good response).

Quote by hypatia

I just delete their post. End of story.

But this may be misunderstood as chickening out, or 'silencing' the person?

Spirit

Quote by QuarkCharmer

There is no way out of a back and forth with people that like to respond with a short essay. I would just get my point across and then stop following the conversation. I mean, is there some sort of etiquette that dictates you always reply? That would be pretty circular.

Yeah it can be a bit tiring especially when the long posts are provocative. Usually when exchanging news with friends back and forth, it kinda cool down to "glad to know your news, keep it touch" or some hint of ending the exchange. And friends can cooperate haha. But in long written discussions which were kinda forced, it's kinda stressful.

Quote by BobG