Tagged as batshitinsane February 4, 2008 3:31 PM Subscribe
MeFi wiki: Some help needed with Batshitinsane.
For no good reason I started an article on the batshitinsane tag a while ago, but a little bit of help is required to make it a worthwhile article - for instance though the earliest article tagged with batshitinsane is the Timecube one, I beleive that's a retroactive tag and not the first actual usage of Batshitinsane (tagging only started in 2003 or so didn't it? It's be good to get a date on that).
I've a memory of some comments on a thread regarding the use of batshitinsane, in what was probably it's first true usuage, and it would be great to get a link in to that thread.
A similar article on the Science! tag might be fun too, does anyone have any idea of the origins of that? I've an idea it might be a GURPs thing
For no good reason I started an article on the batshitinsane tag a while ago, but a little bit of help is required to make it a worthwhile article - for instance though the earliest article tagged with batshitinsane is the Timecube one, I beleive that's a retroactive tag and not the first actual usage of Batshitinsane (tagging only started in 2003 or so didn't it? It's be good to get a date on that).
I've a memory of some comments on a thread regarding the use of batshitinsane, in what was probably it's first true usuage, and it would be great to get a link in to that thread.
A similar article on the Science! tag might be fun too, does anyone have any idea of the origins of that? I've an idea it might be a GURPs thing
I'm planning to add a tag dump to the Infodump later this week, which will make it a bit easier to deal with the time-sequencing of tagging, insofar as that's a useful part of what you're looking at doing here.
In the mean time, the new site search made it easy to find this comment as evidence for a (likely) first use of the batshitinsane tag on the blue.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:39 PM on February 4, 2008
In the mean time, the new site search made it easy to find this comment as evidence for a (likely) first use of the batshitinsane tag on the blue.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:39 PM on February 4, 2008
(Also, go taz with the prior art, and vacapinta with the key metatalk thread.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:41 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:41 PM on February 4, 2008
Wow, that tag has been used way more often than I would have expected.
posted by PercussivePaul at 3:52 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by PercussivePaul at 3:52 PM on February 4, 2008
As a quick and ugly appetite-whetter, though, here's every post that was given a batshitinsane tag between 7/30/05 and 4/13/06:
39381 38463 36399 27503 43910 43954 40899 18790 18757
19162 32333 36854 44049 44175 44188 44222 44469 44814
43189 45001 45029 45178 45280 45297 45423 45456 45850
45547 46056 46396 46514 43820 46630 46896 46982 46997
47026 47188 47365 47582 48112 48037 48227 48339 48510
48697 48777 48815 48821 48831 48867 48955 49055 7589
49304 49479 49569 49609 50011 50254 50282 50310 50435
50461 50469 50489 50675 50716 50844 50874
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:58 PM on February 4, 2008
39381 38463 36399 27503 43910 43954 40899 18790 18757
19162 32333 36854 44049 44175 44188 44222 44469 44814
43189 45001 45029 45178 45280 45297 45423 45456 45850
45547 46056 46396 46514 43820 46630 46896 46982 46997
47026 47188 47365 47582 48112 48037 48227 48339 48510
48697 48777 48815 48821 48831 48867 48955 49055 7589
49304 49479 49569 49609 50011 50254 50282 50310 50435
50461 50469 50489 50675 50716 50844 50874
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:58 PM on February 4, 2008
I had forgotten how great the TimeCube site is.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:58 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by shakespeherian at 3:58 PM on February 4, 2008
Wow that tag has been used way more often than I would have expected.
posted by PercussivePaul at 5:52 PM on February 4
Yeah. It's unfortunate because it has been appropriated and applied as commentary that means "I disagree with these people and think they are wrong." While I will stipulate that any application of "batshitinsane" is wholly subjective, there is a certain degree of obscure oddness that one would expect from something applied with the tag. Unfortunately, some people use as a rhetoric device to stifle discussion and apply it to posts wherein they disagree with a not-obscure political/religion/law/music/policy.
posted by dios at 3:59 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by PercussivePaul at 5:52 PM on February 4
Yeah. It's unfortunate because it has been appropriated and applied as commentary that means "I disagree with these people and think they are wrong." While I will stipulate that any application of "batshitinsane" is wholly subjective, there is a certain degree of obscure oddness that one would expect from something applied with the tag. Unfortunately, some people use as a rhetoric device to stifle discussion and apply it to posts wherein they disagree with a not-obscure political/religion/law/music/policy.
posted by dios at 3:59 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately, some people use [sic] as a rhetoric device to stifle discussion ...
Discussion being stifled on MeFi? No way.
posted by ericb at 4:07 PM on February 4, 2008
Discussion being stifled on MeFi? No way.
posted by ericb at 4:07 PM on February 4, 2008
some people use as a rhetoric device to stifle discussion and apply it to posts wherein they disagree with a not-obscure political/religion/law/music/policy.
That almost never happens and we generally frown on posts where people play the post straight and do all the editorializing in the tags.
Seriously, cortex linked to seventy, go nuts and see if you can even find 3-4 that meet your criteria, keeping in mind that even not-obscure stuff can still be batshitinsane unless you're using the term pretty narrowly in which case go talk to languagehat about prescriptivist grammar.
The backtaggers have specifically been told "pleased don't use batshitinsane as a tag unless it really really fits" I picked five from that group at random and only one had even a whiff of LOLXIAN about it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [2 favorites]
That almost never happens and we generally frown on posts where people play the post straight and do all the editorializing in the tags.
Seriously, cortex linked to seventy, go nuts and see if you can even find 3-4 that meet your criteria, keeping in mind that even not-obscure stuff can still be batshitinsane unless you're using the term pretty narrowly in which case go talk to languagehat about prescriptivist grammar.
The backtaggers have specifically been told "pleased don't use batshitinsane as a tag unless it really really fits" I picked five from that group at random and only one had even a whiff of LOLXIAN about it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:18 PM on February 4, 2008 [2 favorites]
This is guanocrazy pooplooniness.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:21 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:21 PM on February 4, 2008
The original "...I was quoting SCIENCE." comment and thread. No exclamation mark. We're a bunch of hyperbolizers.
posted by youarenothere at 4:29 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by youarenothere at 4:29 PM on February 4, 2008
I almost backtagged the TimeCube post as batshitinsane, but I didn't (per the "use sparingly" admonition), then I thought better of it and MeFiMailed jessamyn, who retroactively backtagged it on my behalf on January 6, 2008. It seems apropos that timecube—which has itself become synonymous with batshit insanity—should be the first instance of the batshitinsane tag, particularly in such a temporally-inverted way. Err, so yeah, that's not an original tag on that post. And it has four corners.
posted by mumkin at 4:32 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by mumkin at 4:32 PM on February 4, 2008
The backtaggers have specifically been told "pleased don't use batshitinsane as a tag unless it really really fits"
Yup. I think I've only used it once or twice, and only when the post was obviously intended as batshitinsane.
On that note... Yikes, the untagged count hasn't budged much since I last checked. Tagging, ho!
posted by CKmtl at 4:34 PM on February 4, 2008
Yup. I think I've only used it once or twice, and only when the post was obviously intended as batshitinsane.
On that note... Yikes, the untagged count hasn't budged much since I last checked. Tagging, ho!
posted by CKmtl at 4:34 PM on February 4, 2008
jessamyn: I was not accusing the backtaggers of doing that. But what I said is pretty well documented. Look at the use of the tag+politics or tag+law or tag+bush or tag+war or any of the uses of it by homoculus. It's exactly as a I described: they are all commentary for some policy or another the poster disagrees with. I could link to specific examples, but they are pretty numerous. I get the impression you take offense to what I said, and I'm not sure why. I wasn't insulting you. I was noting that people over-employ the term.
posted by dios at 4:53 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by dios at 4:53 PM on February 4, 2008
then I thought better of it and MeFiMailed jessamyn, who retroactively backtagged it on my behalf on January 6, 2008.
That really brings it back around upon itself, in a nice timecubey way, as it was (arguably) Jessamyn's deletion of the first (?) use of the tag that inspired the thread vacapinta linked to and gave the tag life. Surely if she had let it stand in that first usage it would have gone unremarked and would not have required an article in the Wiki at all. Clearly, Jessamyn orchestrated this whole chain of events (from the future?) to ensure that the timecube post would get the tag it clearly deserves.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:11 PM on February 4, 2008
That really brings it back around upon itself, in a nice timecubey way, as it was (arguably) Jessamyn's deletion of the first (?) use of the tag that inspired the thread vacapinta linked to and gave the tag life. Surely if she had let it stand in that first usage it would have gone unremarked and would not have required an article in the Wiki at all. Clearly, Jessamyn orchestrated this whole chain of events (from the future?) to ensure that the timecube post would get the tag it clearly deserves.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:11 PM on February 4, 2008
It's exactly as a I described: they are all commentary for some policy or another the poster disagrees with. I could link to specific examples, but they are pretty numerous. I get the impression you take offense to what I said, and I'm not sure why. I wasn't insulting you. I was noting that people over-employ the term.
They're the exception. There are over 1000 posts tagged bush and thirteen tagged batshitinsane. There are 1905 posts tagged politics and twenty-three also tagged batshitinsane. homunculus overuses it, probably. If you have an issue with a user or users, just say it out loud or better yet, make your own callout. Just because what you say is technically correct doesn't mean you've chosen an appropriate time or place to say it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:12 PM on February 4, 2008
They're the exception. There are over 1000 posts tagged bush and thirteen tagged batshitinsane. There are 1905 posts tagged politics and twenty-three also tagged batshitinsane. homunculus overuses it, probably. If you have an issue with a user or users, just say it out loud or better yet, make your own callout. Just because what you say is technically correct doesn't mean you've chosen an appropriate time or place to say it.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:12 PM on February 4, 2008
You want to talk to me about prescriptivist grammar? Huh? Do you, punk?
posted by languagehat at 5:28 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by languagehat at 5:28 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
From the original SCIENCE! thread linked by youarenothere, wtf is this?
I know, seeing an image on the blue after the image tag ban is wierd these days, but seeing that image? Is it a waffle? A pillow face? Some wierd kind of contraceptive I've never even imagined possible?
I'm not going home until I get a satisfactory explanation.
posted by localhuman at 5:29 PM on February 4, 2008
I know, seeing an image on the blue after the image tag ban is wierd these days, but seeing that image? Is it a waffle? A pillow face? Some wierd kind of contraceptive I've never even imagined possible?
I'm not going home until I get a satisfactory explanation.
posted by localhuman at 5:29 PM on February 4, 2008
Seeing that the file is named Matzah Toy Big.jpg, I reckon it's supposed to be a very friendly piece of very unleavened bread. Satisfactory?
posted by mumkin at 5:34 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by mumkin at 5:34 PM on February 4, 2008
Thanks mumkin. I can go home now!
posted by localhuman at 5:45 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by localhuman at 5:45 PM on February 4, 2008
Look at the use of the tag+politics or tag+law or tag+bush or tag+war or any of the uses of it by homoculus.
Who?
posted by homunculus at 7:33 PM on February 4, 2008
Who?
posted by homunculus at 7:33 PM on February 4, 2008
Homo cumulus. Like most humans, only full of hot air.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:48 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:48 PM on February 4, 2008 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the great response guys! This is all very useful, except for the bits that aren't.
posted by Artw at 7:49 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by Artw at 7:49 PM on February 4, 2008
The batshitinsane tag is usually applied to posts that document a clearly crazy action or belief system. The earliest post tagged with batshitinsane is dated March 8, 2000, and links to the timecube site.
THIS IS WRONG. STOP THAT.
The batshitinsane tag is not to be used as an indication of how wrong-headed you think something might be.
The batshitinsane tag is to indicate how wrongly something fucked up your head. Those things you just can't unlearn, those totally impossible insanities that do more to confuse you about the things in this world than anything else.
It's for posts about things like "naked zebra polo, with bacon!", "glow in the dark three headed cats that speak sanskrit", "rocket propelled skateboarder wile-e-coyotes self into Darwin Awards gold" or even "man builds entire belief system around the particular smells of aglets of different socioeconomic classes".
It is not a judgement to hand down from upon high. It's something that happens to you.
I actually recently removed the batshitinsane tag from a couple of posts because they were lacking. I'm considering a few more.
posted by loquacious at 7:55 PM on February 4, 2008 [2 favorites]
THIS IS WRONG. STOP THAT.
The batshitinsane tag is not to be used as an indication of how wrong-headed you think something might be.
The batshitinsane tag is to indicate how wrongly something fucked up your head. Those things you just can't unlearn, those totally impossible insanities that do more to confuse you about the things in this world than anything else.
It's for posts about things like "naked zebra polo, with bacon!", "glow in the dark three headed cats that speak sanskrit", "rocket propelled skateboarder wile-e-coyotes self into Darwin Awards gold" or even "man builds entire belief system around the particular smells of aglets of different socioeconomic classes".
It is not a judgement to hand down from upon high. It's something that happens to you.
I actually recently removed the batshitinsane tag from a couple of posts because they were lacking. I'm considering a few more.
posted by loquacious at 7:55 PM on February 4, 2008 [2 favorites]
Err, my own posts, of course.
posted by loquacious at 8:22 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by loquacious at 8:22 PM on February 4, 2008
Who?
Go back to your underage boys and ass beads, homoculus. No way I'm voting for Obama now. And tell Bisexualenstein I've got an earful for him, too.
posted by middleclasstool at 9:11 PM on February 4, 2008
Go back to your underage boys and ass beads, homoculus. No way I'm voting for Obama now. And tell Bisexualenstein I've got an earful for him, too.
posted by middleclasstool at 9:11 PM on February 4, 2008
I've taken a stab at incorporating some of your feedback.
New and improved batshitinsane
Probably it could do with a little more coverage on controversial uses of batshitinsane and when backtagging with batshitinsane has been deemed appropriate, but that is for another day.
posted by Artw at 10:23 PM on February 4, 2008
New and improved batshitinsane
Probably it could do with a little more coverage on controversial uses of batshitinsane and when backtagging with batshitinsane has been deemed appropriate, but that is for another day.
posted by Artw at 10:23 PM on February 4, 2008
I am very much in favour of the word 'pooplooniness'. That is all.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:43 PM on February 4, 2008
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:43 PM on February 4, 2008
Use it as you like. It's public domain.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:40 AM on February 5, 2008
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:40 AM on February 5, 2008
⇒loquacious: "It's for posts about things like "naked zebra polo, with bacon!", "glow in the dark three headed cats that speak sanskrit", "rocket propelled skateboarder wile-e-coyotes self into Darwin Awards gold" or even "man builds entire belief system around the particular smells of aglets of different socioeconomic classes"."
I'd tag those with "runofthemillinsane", but that's just me. I guess guano is relative.
posted by Plutor at 6:13 AM on February 5, 2008
I'd tag those with "runofthemillinsane", but that's just me. I guess guano is relative.
posted by Plutor at 6:13 AM on February 5, 2008
youarenothere : The original "...I was quoting SCIENCE." comment and thread. No exclamation mark. We're a bunch of hyperbolizers.
Huh, that's funny; I never thought of it as a quote from a MeFite, whenever I've used it, I always thought of it as being said by Professor Membrane from Invader Zim.
Because he definitely pronounces the exclamation point.
posted by quin at 7:30 AM on February 5, 2008
Huh, that's funny; I never thought of it as a quote from a MeFite, whenever I've used it, I always thought of it as being said by Professor Membrane from Invader Zim.
Because he definitely pronounces the exclamation point.
posted by quin at 7:30 AM on February 5, 2008
I always thought of it as being said by Professor Membrane from Invader Zim.I always thought it was from Bill Nye the Science Guy, who stole it from Thomas Dolby.
Because he definitely pronounces the exclamation point.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:49 AM on February 5, 2008
Most zebras are naked, most of the time. Naked zebra polo is perfectly ordinary.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:20 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by five fresh fish at 6:20 PM on February 5, 2008
Yeah, but you'd be surprised at the wellspring of anti-sulfite sentiment in the zebra community.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:27 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:27 PM on February 5, 2008
Huh. I had 'em pegged as Jewish. What are the black and white stripes all about, then?
posted by five fresh fish at 9:49 PM on February 5, 2008
posted by five fresh fish at 9:49 PM on February 5, 2008
Found this askme on where the term came from in the first place (me, I'd have gone for Hunter S Thompson but I guess it's been around a lot longer than that)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:56 AM on February 6, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:56 AM on February 6, 2008
I agree that oddness and perversity are a requirement for the batshitinsane tag. It appears that I was the first person to use the tag + bush but it wasn't political commentary. It was about invoking a mystical chinese warrior named Chang in order to try and get your way and explain your family. And really, I'm standing by the batshitinsane designation on that post.
It may be Bush, it be politics, but it doesn't mean that is isn't totally bizarre and worthy of a surrealist poem.
That being said, I'd love to see a history of the tag and several well used examples.
posted by afflatus at 11:40 PM on February 6, 2008
It may be Bush, it be politics, but it doesn't mean that is isn't totally bizarre and worthy of a surrealist poem.
That being said, I'd love to see a history of the tag and several well used examples.
posted by afflatus at 11:40 PM on February 6, 2008
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posted by vacapinta at 3:38 PM on February 4, 2008