Sincere question: Why do people make semi-dramatic farewell speeches in the form of questions on AB? Do they simply want attention?
by 
Jodie44
ANSWERS: 12
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I do think that's the reason, which now makes it difficult for me to post an answer to them. I think they're just waiting for people to say 'Oh no, don't go, we love you, super Answerbagger!' There are a few users who have left and not made any announcement whatsoever, others who leave messages in their blog. Part of the ironic thing is most of the users who are so dramatic are the ones who come back under a different name, or even use their original profile. I also don't really see the point in doing it. The 'questions' never really are questions, though I've noted one or two are attempts to hide the message behind an actual question. The 'questions' are usually rejected as nonsense, so people who weren't around when it was posted don't actually get to read or 'answer' it. Therefore, you're not getting a fair idea of who 'cares' (though I'm sure if people really cared they'd email you if it's in your profile, or get Joel to if it isn't. I remember that happening with another user once) If your idea is to attract attention, then once the 'question' is rejected, you won't get much of it.
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When a person says goodbye and offers some kind of explination, at least we get a bit of reasoning and closure. At least we don;t ask endless questions about why they left. Does it really even matter what they do? Maybe they do want attention, maybe they want everyone to give two sh*ts about them, is that such a bad thing? Sometimes all of us would like to be liked, want people to care and as a form of escapism this is a great place to fool yourself into thinking people really do care, and some really do. When you leave, I guess it'd be nice to think you contributed enough to here for people to care.
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YES - And some are very dramatic and aren't even a question -
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I think that for some people it is about attention, for others it could simply be to let others know why they have left. Personally I think the best method is to leave some information on your profile and leave it at that.
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I did it because I didn't want to be rude and just leave. I didn't say I was gone forever, I was taking a break. Also I see that people get very upset about "bagacide" so I thought it would be a nice gesture to give a little reason about my little leave of absence.
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People don't just do it in the form of questions on AB. They do it in their answers, and via comments threads, as well. Which method is more "acceptable" and less "attention seeking"? Some people have genuine reasons for leaving AB or for taking a break and, as BAM said so well, they have made friends here and they want to know that they are going to be missed and that their contribution wasn't for nothing. Nobody likes to feel that no one is going to care if they aren't there anymore. EVERYONE cares about that, whether they admit it or not. And so people hint at leaving, or comment to others about wanting to leave, and in doing this they are seeking reassurance that they will be missed and that people don't want them to go. Is that attention seeking, or human nature? I do agree that people mis-use the question feature, and that can be annoying. Obviously, it would be preferable if they left a message in their profile, if they so choose.
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Partially, but I don't think attention is the whole of it, I'm sure that some of them also want to warn people that they're leaving, make it "Official" so that they can better vanish without a trace, kind of the same logic that goes into a suicide note. Some may just want to have a page they can look at, and see how many people they got responding to their dramatic farewell speach, a way of cheering themselves up by thinking of how many people seemed to care that they left. Whatever reason people have for doing it in that format, I think the profile is a better way to go, anyone who *Really* wondering where you are would at least bother to check your profile.
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They may just be judging their impact on here. I think they just want to know that their time here mattered to some one.
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People probably do that for the attention, however what is wrong with that? Perhaps these people feel that nobody cares about them, or their Questions/Answers are insignificant. If I can post one answer to those people and make them feel better , or more wanted, why not? I have been through a lot of crap in my life and have felt that nobody cared about me. If someone showed at least a little care in me, it would make a world of difference to me.
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You know what, I don't mind if another user asks a "Departing User" question about another. But if it is asked by the same user, it's rather inane, in my opinion. Why? How can other users answer that question, when it is about himself or herself? If they want their friends to know about their "departure," they can simply write a note on their profile, or email them. I think it was Talim or Sheriff-Raff who said once that if "departing users" had really wanted to leave, they would have just left. No more grand farewell speeches. People who want to leave, just leave. Answerbag isn't an airport where departures need to be announced. Especially if it's in the form of a "question."
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Not necessarily.
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I think that is a huge part of it. I think the thought is that people will beg them to stay and tell them how great they are and on and on and on. I think the snarky screen names that often accompany such actions are ridiculous (great question from MG1942 here): http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/786353 It's tacky. Some ask just so they can let people know they are leaving. Either way, I think a farewell speech is more appropriate for a profile than a question.
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