What exactly is the cause of template posts? Is it laziness on

It's the catalog

What is a template post?

Newfags are overly preoccupied with fitting in, and it's easier to do that (or convince yourself that you're doing it) by repeating catchphrases than actually learning about the board's topic, culture or etiquette.

They're an easy way to get replies - we all know how much newfags love their (You)'s - and they're versatile while still being related to the boards subject, you can create a simple circlejerk, "get one over" on somebody or something that you don't like, proclaim that x is the best thing ever, etc.

What annoys me more than template posts are the people that reply to them instead of letting them die off.

Oh and as >>1470637 says the catalog doesn't help, template threads are usually attention grabbing because you can read the entirety of the post in the catalog, and low effort posts generally yield low effort replies, because who the hell wants to put effort into a post when you can call the other guy a faggot?

>>1470644
Think of it like a text "meme", with all the implications of a braindead underage memer included.
Examples:
>what did he mean by this?
>this is ___, say something nice about her!
>really makes me think
...and other vomit that requires no thought, just parroting phrases everyone has seen thousands of times before

>>1470646
>implying boards have culture or etiquette
Fucking lol
You realize this is 4chan, right?

>>1470690
wayq

>>1470646
>board """""culture"""""
kys

>>1470686
Where were you when X?
X is a Y!
There is nothing wrong with X
Well, /board/?
X is for Y
Would you X a Y?
Why is X so Y?
I pulled most of these directly from /a/ threads up now.

>>1470644
tenshi eating corndog
perro caca

>>1471662
tenshi eating caca

>>1472694
lmao

>>1472694
lmao

>>1470635
I love template threads.

File: image.jpg (29KB, 248x459px)

29KB, 248x459px

Hello welcome to 4chan hope you have a nice stay

>>1470690

Could you stop trying so hard to fit in?

>>1470635
Low knowledge requirement about a subject

Original threads don't get as many replies.

It generally has to do with popularity and lowest common denominator. It's kind of natural process and it's something that boards would generally always gravitate towards.

I think smartphones play a role too, but then again what AREN'T they responsible for when it comes to things that make 4chan worse?