Why do people respond to tell you that they aren't going to respond?

I’m not answering this.
There. I just had to be a smart ass about it.

In all seriousness though, I don’t get it either.
Hmmm…is answering something to the effect of I don’t know also silly?

Well it could indicate their disgust at the topic, although mainly it seems people like to put their little avatar all over the screen.

Sometimes I do it to indicate that I realize I’m off topic, but I really want to respond to something someone else has said. Then I might start with, “Off topic, but…” or “I know I’m not answering the question, but…”

I guess they just can’t resist putting their 2 cents in. (Kinda like I just did, ha ha!!)

That’s different EmpressPixie. That I can understand.

What I can’t understand is when people take the time to answer that they simply aren’t answering. It seems like all they are doing is junking up the answers.

Why don’t they just not respond at all?

If they are doing it jsut to say “I don’t like this Q, why not either just ignore the Q or straight up say “I don’t like this topic…discussion-etc”.

I find it bizarre.

If I don’t like a Q I ignore it.

Same here Spatzie. If I don’t want to answer a question, I just don’t answer it. I don’t waste everyone’s time by making sure everyone knows that I’m not going to answer it.

Because they are who they are.

I ran into that before. Had people answer a question just to say they didn’t like the question! If you don’t know the answer / like the question, just click to another. I think maybe it is because they like to be seen, and hope to get lurve by popping up on a lot of questions. That or they are just smart-a**es.

I have responded that I don’t know but wanted to follow the question and give the reason why i was interested in knowing.

Some people could do it to run up their lurve

have some lurve, bri

Thanks knot

Back atcha

to be poliet i would believe.

i don’t do that. maybe it’s the fluther snobs and it’s their way of insulting you that your question wasn’t of high enough quality for them to answer.

Im guilty of doing this at times. I only do it when its a multi-part questions though. So ill answer the main question and some of the sub questions but maybe dont feel like answering all parts or one part is really asinine so i will say im not answering that part. Because A)im a lazy person, or B) i really dont feel like getting in the middle of whatever controversy that question is about to start.
example

I once answered someone who wanted to know how to do something dangerous and illegal by telling him I wasn’t going to help him. We aren’t required to be silent about our disagreements, and I thought that deserved the response I gave.

And sometimes I’ll answer parts of a multi-part question and just want to acknowledge that I did see the rest.

I suspect the sheeple…

What does that mean, cheebdragon?

meaning they answer because it’s there to answer.

There are fluther snobs?

i think so. the ones who think they’re to intelligent to answer, so they make a nasty comment instead of just letting it go. and the ones who correct every little thing, like this was a school project and they’re the teachers. lol

ahem. Are we forgetting our capitalization??? We are not e.e. cummings, missy. You will be banging erasers after school until THAT lesson is learned. Back of the class with you.

i love being in the back of the class. no time for those caps…
sorry.

Why do I hear bow chicka bow bow music and see overly short pleated tarton skirts and large men named “Eraser”? deaddolly has a thing for being naughty. shame shame on you.

Ok, that’s enough from me for now. Yikes.

My mind is now reeling with imagery. Time to take a break.

Yeah, me too. :^>

i think it’s mostly because they feel that their dislike of the question or whatever has to be known, but they want to seem above answering your question, but the only way to do that is to let you KNOW. haha.

WELL, GIVE ME A DAMN QUESTION AND I’LL ANSWER IT.

I was going to respond to say I wasn’t going to respond but then I realised I had already responded. Ho hum.