> if we held strictly to a thread's original intent or even its overall drift

You misunderstand what I say. I'm not talking about holding to the thread topic but about holding (at least in a slight way) to the content of the message you chose to reply to by clicking its 'Reply' button. That's a difference.

> even you occasionally return to a topic previously mentioned.

Yes, and I always reply to an older message where my new message fits, both contentswise and in a formal way (by clicking the proper 'Reply' button).

> You've faulted me on this before

Yes, there. And it's only now that I realize you didn't follow my twofold advice to use threaded view mode to see what I'm about.

> but my reply while after your statement wasn't directed exclusively at you.

It was in *no* way directed at my message you replied to, and yet you specifically chose to reply to it by clicking its 'Reply' button.

> I am beginning to realize that your thinking is far
> more linear and precise than my own.

Just switch to threaded view mode and try to make any sense out of this discussion (or any other discussion where certain participants click random 'Reply' buttons or use the buggy one).