Petition-linking maybe not best-of-web, maybe self-linking

December 13, 2005 10:19 AM

Sign my petition! It's generated a big discussion, but I'm thinking that maybe a link to a blog that links to a petition might not be mefi material, especially from someone who has an interest (1, 2, 3, 4, from the only other thread he's ever participated in) in getting people to go there. If it walks like a self-link and quacks like a self-link...
posted by mendel to Etiquette/Policy at 10:19 AM (19 comments total)

Not sure if it's a self link or not, but either way it doesn't seem to be for any profit, and it's generated a nice little discussion now.
posted by loquax at 10:24 AM on December 13, 2005

Right, at this point I'm more aiming for a "pucklermuskau, don't use MetaFilter to promote your political party's petition" consensus than deletion.
posted by mendel at 10:27 AM on December 13, 2005

I don't know how anyone could defend this guy. His behavior is a perfect example of using MetaFilter as your personal soap box. Not to mention that the "issue" is to get a political party elected (or garner attention). Open and shut case here. Good call mendel.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 10:37 AM on December 13, 2005

Metafilter, soapbox? Get out!
posted by furtive at 10:43 AM on December 13, 2005

What STD said.
posted by cillit bang at 10:44 AM on December 13, 2005

Those mefites not directly involved in the recent elections in the United States had to put up with a lot of political bickering on MetaFilter. Should not our northern neighbors be afforded the same opportunity?
posted by Cranberry at 10:56 AM on December 13, 2005

His behavior is a perfect example of using MetaFilter as your personal soap box. Not to mention that the "issue" is to get a political party elected (or garner attention).

And that never happens on MetaFilter. Nope. Never.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 11:01 AM on December 13, 2005 [1 favorite]

For the record, I've got no problem with news-y posts about the Canadian election. I actually kind of like seeing Canadian politics and news on here. But the petition makes it slimy.
posted by mendel at 11:02 AM on December 13, 2005

Those mefites not directly involved in the recent elections in the United States had to put up with a lot of political bickering on MetaFilter.

Yes, but most of the bickering was done by a select few and ruined the site for all of us (Americans and the rest of the world). Just because they took up a vast amount of the front page, and ensuing MeTa callouts does not mean that most of us wanted to hear it or participate.

And to those who think that MeFi is always used as a soapbox, I agreed with you here. But it's one thing to have a dash of substance; it's another all together to simply rant.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 11:03 AM on December 13, 2005

I would use this opportunity to campaign for the creation of politics.metafilter.com, but I am afraid Matt might ban me for flogging that dead horse again.
posted by LarryC at 11:19 AM on December 13, 2005

by the time I saw the post, there was already an ok discussion, but I think generally "sign my petition" links do not generate good discussion and are frequently flagged and removed.
posted by jessamyn at 11:33 AM on December 13, 2005

I would use this opportunity to campaign for the creation of politics.metafilter.com

As much as I agree witih you larryc, politics.metafilter.com will never happen.
posted by justgary at 11:56 AM on December 13, 2005

I would use this opportunity to campaign for the creation of politics.metafilter.com, but I am afraid Matt might ban me for flogging that dead horse again.

Paralipsis!
posted by painquale at 12:40 PM on December 13, 2005

hi folks. I should point out that im certainly not affiliated with the greens, and went out of the way to link to a discussion on the issue without directly pointing to the green petition. I just wanted to call attention to the whole 'lack of media representation' boondoggle, not out of any hope of getting anyone elected. And i would say there has been some good discussion generated from it. Regards...

...Leif
posted by pucklermuskau at 12:43 PM on December 13, 2005

todd lokken
posted by cortex at 12:49 PM on December 13, 2005

Paralipsis!

Also, I would like to thank painquale for teaching me a new word.
posted by cortex at 12:52 PM on December 13, 2005

I'd be shocked if this was a self-link; I've met Russell McOrmand before, and he's much, much more web-savvy than this puckersmc-too long name seems to be. At the very least, the actual blog entry by Russell is likely not related to the username here; perhaps the poster is affiliated with digital-copyright.ca generally, I don't know. That would be self-linkish but not quite so bad, I guess.

And it's fun to do Canadian politics here, yay! On the thread's topic - the Greens are just conservatives, please pay attention rather than voting for the name...
posted by livii at 1:08 PM on December 13, 2005

Paralipsis: Paralipsis is a kind of irony, a rhetorical trick by which the speaker or writer emphasises something by professing to ignore it. Key phrases that give you the clue to an approaching paralipsis include “not to mention”, “to say nothing of”, “leaving aside”, “without considering”, and “far be it from me to mention”. Some examples may make this clearer: “Far be it from me to mention Mr Smith’s many infidelities”; “It would be unseemly for me to dwell on the man’s drinking problem”, “I will not speak of her unsavoury past”, “I surely need not remind you to get your Christmas shopping done early”. You get the idea. It’s from Greek paraleipsis, passing over. The device goes around under several aliases, being also known as paraleipsis, paralepsis, preterition, and occupatio. Some writers argue that it’s the same thing as apophasis. They may say that: I couldn’t possibly comment.

Great word! Thanks, Painquale.
posted by LarryC at 8:05 PM on December 13, 2005

AKA praeteritio, if you prefer your rhetorical terms latinate.
posted by kenko at 12:27 AM on December 14, 2005