No, I'm not talking about Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). The subject of this thread is people who are the first to add a response to a new thread ~ those who post message #2, in other words.
Bee-Dubya-Ell said it perfectly earlier today in another thread:
Mudcat Dynamics 101: The general tone of responses to a thread topic is established by the first respondent. If the initial response is lighthearted and favorable, then subsequent responses will be likewise. If the initial response is unfavorable, then the thread-starter is automatically an outcast and a moron and the bite of that first respondent will start a feeding frenzy that makes a school of blue sharks look like a buncha pikers.
Amen brother!
If the first-responder says anything along the lines of "You can't say that! What's the matter with you?" the initiator and all sympathetic parties are drawn into a defense of their right to joke about whatever taboo subject they have chosen, and the intended topic of the discussion is set aside, temporarily if not forever.
So, perhaps the second message in a thread is indeed the most important. Undoubtedly, this is not news to everyone ~ I'm sure that some folks are already diligently checking every new thread to appear, ready to jump in quickly to set the tone for all subsequent discussion.
The first-responder might be a dedicated killjoy, determined to police all subject matter, or may, on the other hand, be a jolly old elf dedicated to maintaining good humor, harmony, and openness.
Hmmmm. I wonder which personality type is more likely to maintain a constant first-response vigil... Not me! I'm very sorry to report that I'm pretty sure that folks of the more repressive persuasion are much more likely to keep their noses to this particular grindstone.