Does it bother anyone else when you lose out to an answer that simply says "I agree"?

Question

I'm not in this for the points. I'm just trying to share knowledge and answer questions to the best of my ability.

Does anyone else get frustrated when you spend a long time writing and researching an answer that is thoughtful and insightful with careful documentation to back up your points - only to lose out to someone whose answer consists of a terse "I agree". What's up with that?

It's especially baffling when your answer also agreed with the questioner. Are they just picking their friends' answers? Are they point-gaming and picking their own answer (by using multiple avatars)? Or are my answers too darn long for people's attention span? Just curious if anyone else can relate.

Now I get to decide which "I agree" to choose. Hmmmm.....

Answer 1

They just want to hear certain things, all of which can basically be reduced to: "I agree." I guess they don't even have the shame to choose an answer that isn't so blatant.

It is frustrating, yes, and it makes me not want to be here... but remember that none of us is forced, nor do we NEED the points from every question.

Answer 2

You can bet that all of what you said is going on. The very long answers better be REAL good or else you lose people's attention. I tend to start reading them until they bore me. Some of my own answers were too long. After looking at it once I submitted it, I wished I could thumbs down myself. But I thought since I spent so much time typing it that I'd leave it there. Hey, the questions/answers are buried very quickly anyway. Embarrassment only lasts for a few minutes. This forum seems to be a place where insults are thrown in the form of questions. There are some very good questions from time to time though. When this forum first opened there were some real good people answering questions. Most have moved on to other things.

Answer 3

Yes I know what you mean. The questions just seem to go on and on forever and some are really long they have to add more details because they couldn't fit them all in. I sometimes just read the top bit or a few lines but I never answer with out reading the whole thing. Sometimes you just look at the question and it's so long just looks to daunting to read. Some people just waffle on and some questions don't make sense etc. Some answerer's reply with really, really long answers like they have written a book and some even have cut and pasted it from a book. Or just wrote a load of long rubbish. I did some knitting today and now I'm about to watch neighbours. What about you? I think later I might make something to eat. Oh dear I missed the beginning of neighbours. What was the questions again? Oh yeah long questions. It's so annoying how people write really long questions and answers. I never writ very long questions and answers. It just takes to long to read.

Answer 4

I agree.

no, just kidding. I think a lot of that is because people like to know that they are not alone, to know that they are correct, and that other people find their thought or idea especially good. It's a confidence thing.
And what's horrible is that if the question can simply be anwsered with "I agree", then it's not really a question.
Lastly, what i hate the most is people who write things like, "lol, now i remember why i don't look at this category any more!" You know, the people who are writing unrelated things for their own entertainment and for a measly two points.
Scum.

Answer 5

calm down a little. not every one likes or agrees with ones answers. there are times i thought i gave a good answer and i didnt get chosed. i dont think i would go into long hard search, and yeah probably cutting it in half will work too. i know when going through, if i see a long answer i wont even bother thumbs up or down cause i just dont feel like reading it. EDIT you mean you hate what the top answers did ? ill have to say that was kinda funny, that they just put "agreed" well heres your chance to over look everyone else and choose "agree" as best answer. you might get some ppl back for doing you like that.

Answer 6

LOL...

Shake it off, bro... It happens to me all of the time here.

Before I started posting in R&S my BA percentage was 24...
It is now 19% and falling, - and I've only been posting on here regularly for about 2 months!...:-))

I think a lot of the reason for this is that there are many in
Y!A who have developed cliques within certain categories, - and those within those cliques tend to give BAs, thumbs-up, and other approbations based on that relationship.

Don't get me wrong, because none of this upsets me...
I could give a rat's @ss what my BA percentage is,
- nor does it bother me that I often do expend a great deal of effort to post serious thoughts to serious questions,...
...only to have them disregarded in favor of some lame, 3-word answer.

I'm here for two reasons:
1 - To give the best answers and opinions I can to serious and thought-provoking questions, as well as be grateful for any approbation they may receive, and......
2 - To hand out vitriol and sarcasm, without mercy and with reckless abandon, to those who would post questions which I feel call for my utmost brutal attention...:-))

All in all, R&S is really a cool place to hang out in Y!A,...
... and I imagine I'll still be here when my BA percentage hits 1%...;-)
-

Answer 7

I think you should pick the first guy as the best answer...lol. But yea I agree, it is pretty frustrating when you actually put effort and care into an answer and it gets side swiped by a two word affirmation.

Answer 8

I totally understand what you're saying. I go out of my way to answer questions informatively and still get dumped. Or what about answering a question well and then someone else uses everything you say for their answer after and they get the points. What ever happened to giving credit where credit is due.
Good thing I don't care about the points either but it sure makes me wonder why I go out of my way to help!!

Answer 9

I was just thinking this too! I was thinking about posting a question that asks "when you answer a question in Yahoo! Answers, are you aiming for 'best answer' or are you just aiming for the two points?" actually I might post that question. Also...when I go all out and ask a question and think I'll get some good answers but most answers are just side stepping my question.

Answer 10

Its because your answers are to long for the persons attention span. I can relate, but I think it might be hard for some people to read or understand any kind or complexity cause they are little kids or something, so I wouldn't take it to personally if I were you.