The Chilling Effect of Self-Policing. January 8, 2002 7:56 PM Subscribe
The Chilling Effect of Self-Policing. Step inside, won't you? (more)
Perhaps he self-policed himself and decided not to post more.
posted by gluechunk at 8:10 PM on January 8, 2002
posted by gluechunk at 8:10 PM on January 8, 2002
Now, at the risk of seeming to start another "woe is that Metafilter of yore" thread, I must say that I'm extremely concerned about the jitteriness and anxiousness that seems to have shrouded the old place as of late.
With every new thread that seems to be started, the postee seems to be looking over both shoulders, terrified that his/her ass will be hauled into Metafilter. This is the absolute antithesis of the atmosphere that should be fostered here.
Now, granted, there are some bad threads. And there are legitimate reasons for calling someone into MeTa. But people: it's a blog. Moreover, it's a blog with over 10,000 people who have the FTP password. Diversity of all kinds - in political thought, in specialized interest, in religious and moral beliefs, and yes, in post quality - should be our strength and our calling card. The very fact that some stupid Flash movie can be linked next to a collection of links on Wittgenstein (sic?) next to a shouting match about Bush and Ashcroft next to a thread about who should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - this is the reason Metafilter is as great as it is.
But in our zeal to ensure "quality front-page posts" - and I'm as guilty of this as anyone else - we've created a situation with four major, and negative consequences:
- We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down;
- The zealous attitude about "quality" only breeds a stronger reaction of silly, infantile or just plain dumb posts;
- Instead of ignoring someone's "inferior" comments or engaging them in the thread, people now go running to MeTa at the least sign of offense; and
- Metafilter's reputation suffers, because people who actually have something to contribute get disgusted by all these things.
I have a love-hate relationship with MeFi, but the reason I keep coming back is because the good does tend to outweigh the bad. But it's the free-for-all nature of MeFi that is its strength. The more diverse, the better, and the bad has to be accepted with the good, and I think MeTa is being abused, inadvertently or not. I think that instead of starting a MeTa thread at the least perceived offense, it's a better - and healthier - strategy to increase your own personal quality, to lead by example rather than chiding, because we just spend more time arguing over "the rules" than actually enjoying the site.
And if you need any more reason to relax on the MeTa scoldings: I don't think Matt started MeFi to babysit 10,000 people.
My two cents.
(P.S. You people are impatient, aren't you? ;) )
posted by solistrato at 8:11 PM on January 8, 2002
With every new thread that seems to be started, the postee seems to be looking over both shoulders, terrified that his/her ass will be hauled into Metafilter. This is the absolute antithesis of the atmosphere that should be fostered here.
Now, granted, there are some bad threads. And there are legitimate reasons for calling someone into MeTa. But people: it's a blog. Moreover, it's a blog with over 10,000 people who have the FTP password. Diversity of all kinds - in political thought, in specialized interest, in religious and moral beliefs, and yes, in post quality - should be our strength and our calling card. The very fact that some stupid Flash movie can be linked next to a collection of links on Wittgenstein (sic?) next to a shouting match about Bush and Ashcroft next to a thread about who should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - this is the reason Metafilter is as great as it is.
But in our zeal to ensure "quality front-page posts" - and I'm as guilty of this as anyone else - we've created a situation with four major, and negative consequences:
- We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down;
- The zealous attitude about "quality" only breeds a stronger reaction of silly, infantile or just plain dumb posts;
- Instead of ignoring someone's "inferior" comments or engaging them in the thread, people now go running to MeTa at the least sign of offense; and
- Metafilter's reputation suffers, because people who actually have something to contribute get disgusted by all these things.
I have a love-hate relationship with MeFi, but the reason I keep coming back is because the good does tend to outweigh the bad. But it's the free-for-all nature of MeFi that is its strength. The more diverse, the better, and the bad has to be accepted with the good, and I think MeTa is being abused, inadvertently or not. I think that instead of starting a MeTa thread at the least perceived offense, it's a better - and healthier - strategy to increase your own personal quality, to lead by example rather than chiding, because we just spend more time arguing over "the rules" than actually enjoying the site.
And if you need any more reason to relax on the MeTa scoldings: I don't think Matt started MeFi to babysit 10,000 people.
My two cents.
(P.S. You people are impatient, aren't you? ;) )
posted by solistrato at 8:11 PM on January 8, 2002
The least you guys could do was wait, rather than ruining the thread even before it's started. It's common courtesy.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:13 PM on January 8, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:13 PM on January 8, 2002
sjc- well said. There has been a bit of "there goes the neighboorhood" aroun here lately. But I believe that as time goes on the trollers will disappear when we don't rise to the bait.
Now other people will hang on and contribute to our little contribution to posterity. In the early days MeFi was primarily made up of highly-educated, tech-savvy people who read omnivourously and were highly informed on just about everything. As the site gets more publicity, newer and yes somewhat different users will join to see what all the fuss is about. I believe they will only add to the broad spectrum of taste and opinion we already have. In the year or so that I've been active here, I've conversed with numerous people(caroleanne, rodii, MiguelCardoso,stavrosthewonderchicken all spring to mind)whose backgrounds and experiences are wildly different from my own, I may not always agree with them but I've definitely benefitted from discoursing with them, and I hope the same is true for them.
I say we should lead the newbies by example. My buddy JakeExtreme is one of the new users under discussion and once I told him what the site was about, he joined up and has been having a blast. The rest of us should do the same and broaden our little community even more.
posted by jonmc at 8:29 PM on January 8, 2002
Now other people will hang on and contribute to our little contribution to posterity. In the early days MeFi was primarily made up of highly-educated, tech-savvy people who read omnivourously and were highly informed on just about everything. As the site gets more publicity, newer and yes somewhat different users will join to see what all the fuss is about. I believe they will only add to the broad spectrum of taste and opinion we already have. In the year or so that I've been active here, I've conversed with numerous people(caroleanne, rodii, MiguelCardoso,stavrosthewonderchicken all spring to mind)whose backgrounds and experiences are wildly different from my own, I may not always agree with them but I've definitely benefitted from discoursing with them, and I hope the same is true for them.
I say we should lead the newbies by example. My buddy JakeExtreme is one of the new users under discussion and once I told him what the site was about, he joined up and has been having a blast. The rest of us should do the same and broaden our little community even more.
posted by jonmc at 8:29 PM on January 8, 2002
sjc:
- We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down;
nothing wrong with thinking hard about your words (i don't do it as often as i should myself). however, being shouted down is something else. i would say, though, that if you're being shouted down for no good reason, you may as well let the shouting stand. after all, who looks like the asshole -- you or the shouter?
- The zealous attitude about "quality" only breeds a stronger reaction of silly, infantile or just plain dumb posts;
i guess i don't see silly, infantile or dumb posts as a necessary consequence of the "zealous attitude" among some here. couldn't the rise of silly postings simply correlate with the large number of users at metafilter? couldn't there be a whole bunch of factors i'm not mentioning, including the rebellious attitude you describe?
- Instead of ignoring someone's "inferior" comments or engaging them in the thread, people now go running to MeTa at the least sign of offense; and
that's what metatalk is for. if the offense is deemed petty, it'll probably be outed as such on metatalk, so what have you to worry about? perhaps, in the case of bringing the topic to metafilter, you might change the metatalk poster's mind and they won't fuss so much over such a small thing in the future. in that, some good may be done.
posted by moz at 9:16 PM on January 8, 2002
- We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down;
nothing wrong with thinking hard about your words (i don't do it as often as i should myself). however, being shouted down is something else. i would say, though, that if you're being shouted down for no good reason, you may as well let the shouting stand. after all, who looks like the asshole -- you or the shouter?
- The zealous attitude about "quality" only breeds a stronger reaction of silly, infantile or just plain dumb posts;
i guess i don't see silly, infantile or dumb posts as a necessary consequence of the "zealous attitude" among some here. couldn't the rise of silly postings simply correlate with the large number of users at metafilter? couldn't there be a whole bunch of factors i'm not mentioning, including the rebellious attitude you describe?
- Instead of ignoring someone's "inferior" comments or engaging them in the thread, people now go running to MeTa at the least sign of offense; and
that's what metatalk is for. if the offense is deemed petty, it'll probably be outed as such on metatalk, so what have you to worry about? perhaps, in the case of bringing the topic to metafilter, you might change the metatalk poster's mind and they won't fuss so much over such a small thing in the future. in that, some good may be done.
posted by moz at 9:16 PM on January 8, 2002
Knowing Mefi mind police are out there, exercising a semi-rule of law, within a semi-court system (Meta), and under the caring eye of a semi-supreme court justice (Matt), indeed keeps my online thoughts in-line (I dare say, even offline thoughts are sometimes kept in-line because of this.)
posted by Voyageman at 5:39 AM on January 9, 2002
posted by Voyageman at 5:39 AM on January 9, 2002
From where I sit, sjc, what's characterized MeFi of late has been a rise in almost-troll posts (which stake out very contentious political/ideological territory from the get-go) and threads dominated less by a kind of talk-radio tone of angry hostility. Recent examples include threads on the death penalty for Andrea Yates, homelessness in San Francisco, and bad corporate behavior. In all of these cases, the discussion has been dominated by pigheaded or self-righteous argument. I don't think this is a question of Right or Left, either; rather, there's been a collective movement toward a Let's-Debate-Current-Affairs that seems to me to be deeply unsatisfying. I'm all for argument, but I'm seeing repeated threads locked in a sterile back-n-forth which just raises the collective blood pressure.
Maybe it's just me, or an ordinary dip in the usual high quality around here that will fix itself. It does seem like the increase in the userbase has changed things: and that may be inevitable. I've been around (though more a lurker than a poster) since March of last year, which makes me not quite a newbie but certainly not from way-back-when: I'm part of the neighborhood's change myself. I'd like to agree with jonmc that "not rising to the bait" is the best way to deal with trolls -- or with those you perceive as "overzealous police" (to be honest, I think the chilling effect of self-policing on the site is overestimated: people have to work damned hard to shut anyone up around here, which is probably for the best). It may be that the current short-fuse atmosphere has caused an increase in people calling "foul" on individual posts, because now that the camel is overloaded, each individual straw (i.e., a rude or snarky post) seems more like a back-breaker.
Perhaps some active (rather than reactive) steps should be taken: I'd like to see a conscious re-engagement by some of those omnivorous readers jonmc mentioned; the sniffing out of good links, the sharing of knowledge (punctuated by the occasionally sharp argument) that has brought me back here day after day.
By the way, I'd like to apologize for the many mixed metaphors above.
posted by BT at 5:50 AM on January 9, 2002
Maybe it's just me, or an ordinary dip in the usual high quality around here that will fix itself. It does seem like the increase in the userbase has changed things: and that may be inevitable. I've been around (though more a lurker than a poster) since March of last year, which makes me not quite a newbie but certainly not from way-back-when: I'm part of the neighborhood's change myself. I'd like to agree with jonmc that "not rising to the bait" is the best way to deal with trolls -- or with those you perceive as "overzealous police" (to be honest, I think the chilling effect of self-policing on the site is overestimated: people have to work damned hard to shut anyone up around here, which is probably for the best). It may be that the current short-fuse atmosphere has caused an increase in people calling "foul" on individual posts, because now that the camel is overloaded, each individual straw (i.e., a rude or snarky post) seems more like a back-breaker.
Perhaps some active (rather than reactive) steps should be taken: I'd like to see a conscious re-engagement by some of those omnivorous readers jonmc mentioned; the sniffing out of good links, the sharing of knowledge (punctuated by the occasionally sharp argument) that has brought me back here day after day.
By the way, I'd like to apologize for the many mixed metaphors above.
posted by BT at 5:50 AM on January 9, 2002
Aargh. That first sentence above should read:
From where I sit, sjc, what's characterized MeFi of late has been a rise in almost-troll posts (which stake out very contentious political/ideological territory from the get-go) and threads dominated by a kind of talk-radio tone of angry hostility.
...i.e., I meant to delete the word less in the original.
Great. I start out my rant with incoherence.
posted by BT at 5:55 AM on January 9, 2002
From where I sit, sjc, what's characterized MeFi of late has been a rise in almost-troll posts (which stake out very contentious political/ideological territory from the get-go) and threads dominated by a kind of talk-radio tone of angry hostility.
...i.e., I meant to delete the word less in the original.
Great. I start out my rant with incoherence.
posted by BT at 5:55 AM on January 9, 2002
We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down
How is that a problem? Fear of MetaTalk is one of the main reasons why the site is still useful.
posted by rcade at 6:25 AM on January 9, 2002
How is that a problem? Fear of MetaTalk is one of the main reasons why the site is still useful.
posted by rcade at 6:25 AM on January 9, 2002
Fear of MetaTalk is one of the main reasons why the site is still useful.
It seems like some people see MeFi as a community, and some people see it more like a website with interesting links and (sometimes) interesting comments.
If you think of this place as a community, then fear is damaging to the site, even if it discourages some poorer posts. On the other hand, if all you care about are the posts themselves, then (in your view) fear is just fine (so long as people fear the "right" things).
I'm with sjc, I think it's bullshit that some people feel justified in shouting other people down in the name of defending MetaFilter, when in fact they're defending some ideal they've invented to suit themselves (and that only exists in their head), and hurting the things that make the site worthwhile.
(Ironically, I see that happen more on MeTa than on MeFi....)
posted by mattpfeff at 8:00 AM on January 9, 2002
It seems like some people see MeFi as a community, and some people see it more like a website with interesting links and (sometimes) interesting comments.
If you think of this place as a community, then fear is damaging to the site, even if it discourages some poorer posts. On the other hand, if all you care about are the posts themselves, then (in your view) fear is just fine (so long as people fear the "right" things).
I'm with sjc, I think it's bullshit that some people feel justified in shouting other people down in the name of defending MetaFilter, when in fact they're defending some ideal they've invented to suit themselves (and that only exists in their head), and hurting the things that make the site worthwhile.
(Ironically, I see that happen more on MeTa than on MeFi....)
posted by mattpfeff at 8:00 AM on January 9, 2002
The least you guys could do was wait, rather than ruining the thread even before it's started. It's common courtesy.
Whereupon Miguel publicly reaches his MetaFilter mature veteran status. Shame and a raspberry to those folks who can't keep their mouths shut for a whole 10 minutes.
posted by werty at 8:05 AM on January 9, 2002
Whereupon Miguel publicly reaches his MetaFilter mature veteran status. Shame and a raspberry to those folks who can't keep their mouths shut for a whole 10 minutes.
posted by werty at 8:05 AM on January 9, 2002
jemmy, fetch the beadle...if i want "top drawer", i'll go to Debeers, then have to pay, get jerked around, wade through the high- fluttin words. MeFi is great because of that term SELF_POLICING. hence, do not police thine self, others will help (and some help that can be;) MeFi seems to be pulled back some by its own inertia at times...ya know lookin at size and color instead of cut and clarity....this isnt the diamond thread? Miguel has earned his meFi vet statis.It amazes me how one can connect almost all topics to the self and have it be fresh and relevant, interesting to read.
posted by clavdivs at 8:17 AM on January 9, 2002
posted by clavdivs at 8:17 AM on January 9, 2002
...and dont send them new Euros miguel, lire will be fine this time:)
posted by clavdivs at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2002
posted by clavdivs at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2002
If you think of this place as a community, then fear is damaging to the site, even if it discourages some poorer posts.
Part of belonging to a community is caring how other community members will react to the things you do. I don't think it's possible to encourage self-policing, as MetaTalk does, without scaring off some of the more delicate flowers among us. The price to pay for putting a link in front of hundreds of people is scrutiny in MetaTalk. If someone doesn't want to deal with that, get a weblog.
posted by rcade at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2002
Part of belonging to a community is caring how other community members will react to the things you do. I don't think it's possible to encourage self-policing, as MetaTalk does, without scaring off some of the more delicate flowers among us. The price to pay for putting a link in front of hundreds of people is scrutiny in MetaTalk. If someone doesn't want to deal with that, get a weblog.
posted by rcade at 8:18 AM on January 9, 2002
We've created an atmosphere where someone who wants to post will think twice because they're nervous about people shouting him down.
Well, if they don't have enough faith that their link has sufficient merit to be posted, to be scared away by the possibility that somebody might dislike it, then they don't need to post it here. I think this is a -great- aspect to MetaFilter.
It neatly dissolves the "Mom forwards everything" *syndrome, because while mom is sending stupid links to four or five family members, on MetaFilter, you're sharing a link with thousands of people. I hope it does make people think twice- hence the Filter in MetaFilter.
* This can also be dad forwards everything, grandparents forward everything-- for me, it just happens to be my mom.
posted by headspace at 9:33 AM on January 9, 2002
Well, if they don't have enough faith that their link has sufficient merit to be posted, to be scared away by the possibility that somebody might dislike it, then they don't need to post it here. I think this is a -great- aspect to MetaFilter.
It neatly dissolves the "Mom forwards everything" *syndrome, because while mom is sending stupid links to four or five family members, on MetaFilter, you're sharing a link with thousands of people. I hope it does make people think twice- hence the Filter in MetaFilter.
* This can also be dad forwards everything, grandparents forward everything-- for me, it just happens to be my mom.
posted by headspace at 9:33 AM on January 9, 2002
There are already a number of mechanisms for people to think twice. The no-posting for a week thing. And the general idea that this is a community. And Matt's warnings. And MeTa, yes.
But what Scott is pointing out is that if you look at many of the threads, you get debasing, pull them into MeTa posts. Depending on who does this, and how soon into the thread it happens, it has turned into lambasting some poor soul for the perceived abject stupidity they must have for thinking anyone would have been interested in their link.
Now, you have those with thick skin that continue to press ahead in face of this. But you are also creating an environment where less-thick skinned people will never begin to contribute less they feel the wrath of the supidity police.
(Note the first 3 posts in this thread. I've had the same kind of treatment when trying to save front page space - sorry my life doesn't revolve around composing Metafilter thoughts in Word before hand and editing it until perfection. Hit reload a few times until the post you know is coming shows up you impatient people.)
Sorry. tangental rant.
Anyway, the key point Scott makes is the point about views on metafilter as a community versus a place of links. Members in a community suffer links they are not interested in because, hey- perhaps someone else in the community IS. Regardless of the interested population size or members.
Community isn't majority rules. It's appreciation of the community make-up, and sensitivity to that.
(Oh geeze, call me Derek.)
posted by rich at 11:37 AM on January 9, 2002
But what Scott is pointing out is that if you look at many of the threads, you get debasing, pull them into MeTa posts. Depending on who does this, and how soon into the thread it happens, it has turned into lambasting some poor soul for the perceived abject stupidity they must have for thinking anyone would have been interested in their link.
Now, you have those with thick skin that continue to press ahead in face of this. But you are also creating an environment where less-thick skinned people will never begin to contribute less they feel the wrath of the supidity police.
(Note the first 3 posts in this thread. I've had the same kind of treatment when trying to save front page space - sorry my life doesn't revolve around composing Metafilter thoughts in Word before hand and editing it until perfection. Hit reload a few times until the post you know is coming shows up you impatient people.)
Sorry. tangental rant.
Anyway, the key point Scott makes is the point about views on metafilter as a community versus a place of links. Members in a community suffer links they are not interested in because, hey- perhaps someone else in the community IS. Regardless of the interested population size or members.
Community isn't majority rules. It's appreciation of the community make-up, and sensitivity to that.
(Oh geeze, call me Derek.)
posted by rich at 11:37 AM on January 9, 2002
But how will they rule without moderator access?
Fear will keep them in line, fear of this meta-station.
posted by NortonDC at 12:04 PM on January 9, 2002
Fear will keep them in line, fear of this meta-station.
posted by NortonDC at 12:04 PM on January 9, 2002
the key point Scott makes is the point about views on metafilter as a community versus a place of links.
?
posted by mattpfeff at 12:58 PM on January 9, 2002
?
posted by mattpfeff at 12:58 PM on January 9, 2002
Hey - sorry matt.. you said you were agreeing with Scott, and made that great point about communities, so, um, ah...
posted by rich at 1:05 PM on January 9, 2002
posted by rich at 1:05 PM on January 9, 2002
I know I'll never PFP. But it's all good, I prefer to read, and I think fear-inducing MeFi/Ta policemen do help in maintaining a certain level to the links/discussion.
posted by qbert72 at 1:49 PM on January 9, 2002
posted by qbert72 at 1:49 PM on January 9, 2002
A great, related thing here at MetaFilter is the way people will welcome someone's first FPP, if it's half-decent.
That's the positive side to encouraging sensitive posters. The so-called MeFi police do it all the time. All it takes is a simple comment to a post you know is someone's first link and feels right.
There's also the kind and patient way rookie mistakes are corrected. People who have benefitted from this are generally the first to pay back, when they themselves have something to recommend.
Just thought I'd look on the bright side.
What's the gerund for the verb "to FPP"? Effpeepeeing?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 3:01 PM on January 9, 2002
That's the positive side to encouraging sensitive posters. The so-called MeFi police do it all the time. All it takes is a simple comment to a post you know is someone's first link and feels right.
There's also the kind and patient way rookie mistakes are corrected. People who have benefitted from this are generally the first to pay back, when they themselves have something to recommend.
Just thought I'd look on the bright side.
What's the gerund for the verb "to FPP"? Effpeepeeing?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 3:01 PM on January 9, 2002
I agree with qbert72. I've been reading for a longish time and don't think I'll ever FPP -- way, way too scary. Commenting I will do, and even then I'm scared doing it. I agree it's good to self-police for the reasons mentioned above. Just--watch yourselves, be reasonable. The unreasonable attacks and chastising are aggravating.
One not-so-good result is that there are now "regulars", posters whose names us "readers" recognize, who seem to be part of the group at Metafilter, with inside jokes and running gags and history. I guess that's unavoidable with a community, right? It's just that the readers like myself will always feel sort of on the outside. Again, inevitable, I suppose.
Ok, back to reading...
posted by rio at 4:53 PM on January 9, 2002
One not-so-good result is that there are now "regulars", posters whose names us "readers" recognize, who seem to be part of the group at Metafilter, with inside jokes and running gags and history. I guess that's unavoidable with a community, right? It's just that the readers like myself will always feel sort of on the outside. Again, inevitable, I suppose.
Ok, back to reading...
posted by rio at 4:53 PM on January 9, 2002
rio- everyone of those "regulars" was once a newbie, just step up to the plate an you'll be in on all the in-jokes and probably even create a few of your own. Some people may give you a hard time, but in my experience most will be very welcoming, even when they criticize you.
posted by jonmc at 7:53 PM on January 9, 2002
posted by jonmc at 7:53 PM on January 9, 2002
Miguel: The so-called MeFi police Sorry about the misunderstanding, I really don't care for the "cabal" or the "Mefi cops" and all those other urban legends. I meant police as in self-policing... Maybe I should have said "policymen". Semantics, semantics... By the way, about the gerund (what an ugly word!), you'll notice that I used «PFP» as a verb, i.e. to post to front page. I think that's more than enough about words for today!
posted by qbert72 at 10:20 PM on January 9, 2002
posted by qbert72 at 10:20 PM on January 9, 2002
Oops, sorry qbert72 - I was referring to the term in general, not to your preceding post, with which I entirely agree. It's a pity you don't FPP, btw!
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:37 AM on January 10, 2002
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:37 AM on January 10, 2002
The etymology of "police" seems apropros: "French, from Old French policie, civil organization, from Late Latin polta, from Latin, the State, from Greek polteia, from polts, citizen, from polis, city." The MeFi/MeTa cops are us.
posted by Carol Anne at 5:14 AM on January 10, 2002
posted by Carol Anne at 5:14 AM on January 10, 2002
The MeFi/MeTa cops are us.
We have met the enemy and he is us? *
posted by rory at 6:17 AM on January 10, 2002
We have met the enemy and he is us? *
posted by rory at 6:17 AM on January 10, 2002
I find it disheartening to hear people say that they will never post on the front page with a link because they feel it's a scary experience.
Honestly, I hardly ever take a look at who posted a link, or bother to commit to memory what one person says throughout different threads.
(So someone could post in one thread about how great the iPod was, and then totally make fun of it in another thread and I wouldn't notice)... Sure, I recognize names and all, but I don't make a happen of keeping track.
Much like the comment I made in the citizenx thread that went no-where, I think there is a dangerous homogenization (look! I'm Dubya, making up words!) that can happen in a community that either closes its doors to new members or makes entry into the community such a barrier (through any sort of means - fear of front page posting would be one).
posted by rich at 7:03 AM on January 10, 2002
Honestly, I hardly ever take a look at who posted a link, or bother to commit to memory what one person says throughout different threads.
(So someone could post in one thread about how great the iPod was, and then totally make fun of it in another thread and I wouldn't notice)... Sure, I recognize names and all, but I don't make a happen of keeping track.
Much like the comment I made in the citizenx thread that went no-where, I think there is a dangerous homogenization (look! I'm Dubya, making up words!) that can happen in a community that either closes its doors to new members or makes entry into the community such a barrier (through any sort of means - fear of front page posting would be one).
posted by rich at 7:03 AM on January 10, 2002
I've found Mefi relatively inviting compared to a lot of other places. Correction is usually carried out with politeness and tact (or at least wit), and save for the occassional lump of coal, most of the content is worth reading.
The only thing I find annoying is that self-policing has become a competition. A lot of people seem to relish being the first to point out that someone has double posted or broken protocol.
posted by fakenamex at 11:10 PM on January 11, 2002
The only thing I find annoying is that self-policing has become a competition. A lot of people seem to relish being the first to point out that someone has double posted or broken protocol.
posted by fakenamex at 11:10 PM on January 11, 2002
A lot of people seem to relish being the first to point out that someone has double posted or broken protocol.
Who? Name one.
posted by rodii at 5:57 PM on January 12, 2002
Who? Name one.
posted by rodii at 5:57 PM on January 12, 2002
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posted by jjg at 8:04 PM on January 8, 2002