If you don't want people to make assumptions then don't start a discussion

I never (as I remember) fell annoyed or upset when someone made an assumption on what I say. Each individual is different from other individual and each one has their own thought, experiences and knowledge. All these lead to one's assumption on the picture being potrayed. It's not their fault to make such assumption from what they understood. As I said just now, it depends a bit if not a lot on those three factors. Have a great life.

Good point, but where's the fun if they can't assume? I've had it happen to me a couple of times that I can remember. Each time I gave out as much information as I thought was needed. And had the respondents read the entire posts that I had started they may not have jumped to the conclusions that they did. But since they obviously didn't they made assumptions instead. So even if you put enough information some people may not bother reading it in it's entirety. The last time it happened I told the person this. I didn't appreciate them jumping to conclusions. If they had any questions or concerns all they had to do was ask me, or like I said before read the entire discussion I had started. And when I say the entire discussion, I don't mean all the responses from others or my comments back to them, but rather the discussion itself that I had started. Because if they would have done that they wouldn't have made assumptions in the first place.

Well, as far as assumptions go, we can't control how some people think as there are those who do like to assume the worst about anyone. I know what you mean especially when there are discussions that started out as controversial in the first place. When the responses come in and the argument is not to the original poster's liking, he/she blows steam :p I actually had an experience on one of my posts yesterday. I responded to a discussion with good intentions and worded it appropriately. The last thing I wanted was to offend. The person who started the discussion didn't respond but another person did and questioned my reply! I can't understand why he took offense when I wasn't responding to him at all. Duh?

Yes I have noticed this happen to with sad consequences on several occasions. I feel that if you're going to discuss something personal you must be prepared to hear what users will say from every angle or they is no point in discussing it in the first place. I might well be upset if people make assumptions and therefore I do not start my own discussions about very personal things. I am also amazed at how much detailed information some users place in their discussions regarding family affairs. Anyone could be reading including the neighbours! I would want some of my neighbours to know less about some of the things I have done in my life than I would my myLot friends but surely I could inform them by other means. Some users assume that they are discussing with a male or user just because the avatar has a male or female photoin the avatar too not to mention the age of the user. So then they all get their lines crossed and the heat turns on and it all ets out of hand. Yes I might be upset so I avoid it - best to be safe than sorry

i think u are right! one should explain properly, in other to get a befitting response, and not assumptions. i've not experienced it though, but with out proper briefing, one can never get u right. so let's try and be more specific, to avoid assumptions.

Yes, I've noticed that people often do make assumptions based on a discussion, but I think this is human nature...we like to categorize things and organize things which helps us make sense of the world (that's why stereotyping is so hard not to do). However, even if assumptions are made, the response should be curteous and respectiful, not just dissing the original poster.