Is MetaFilter still a secret? September 4, 2003 6:58 PM Subscribe
"One day everyone will rely on Dong Resin's Joint and MetaFilter". Along with other, less interesting sources. This seems to be the gist of this recent Online Journalism Review column by Mark Glaser. And it sounds good to me. So the question is: what danger is there of what we take to be parochial and almost private actually going mainstream? Is MetaFilter still a secret? What is lost and what is gained if it suddenly goes mainstream on us?
a nice bonus would be personalized jerseys with our usernumbers on the back... oh, nevermind. hey, is that still going on 'cause i'm thinking of getting one.
seriously though, that OJR interview was really quite interesting in that it portrayed the potential highs and lows of the increasing popularity of online journalism/blogs. mefi will change of course, but who's to guess where exactly it'll go? tommorrow mefi might be yesterday's news or maybe matt will grace the cover of GQ in a thong... hey, he could be like our pimpdaddy!
posted by poopy at 7:32 PM on September 4, 2003
seriously though, that OJR interview was really quite interesting in that it portrayed the potential highs and lows of the increasing popularity of online journalism/blogs. mefi will change of course, but who's to guess where exactly it'll go? tommorrow mefi might be yesterday's news or maybe matt will grace the cover of GQ in a thong... hey, he could be like our pimpdaddy!
posted by poopy at 7:32 PM on September 4, 2003
a nice bonus would be personalized jerseys with our usernumbers on the back...
I have one of those jer
seys and I walk around Manhattan wearing it all the time, with my username exposed. Nobody's ever hit me or offered sexual favors, so I can only assume we haven't become famous yet.
posted by jonmc at 7:34 PM on September 4, 2003
I have one of those jer
seys and I walk around Manhattan wearing it all the time, with my username exposed. Nobody's ever hit me or offered sexual favors, so I can only assume we haven't become famous yet.
posted by jonmc at 7:34 PM on September 4, 2003
Woohoo! Props to the mighty dong†! I'll bet nobody ever had the temerity to call you a journalist before. Time to unpack the assless chaps again.
† er, _resin.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:35 PM on September 4, 2003
† er, _resin.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:35 PM on September 4, 2003
Time to unpack the assless chaps again.
What, you take yours off?
Poseur. :)
posted by jonmc at 7:40 PM on September 4, 2003
What, you take yours off?
Poseur. :)
posted by jonmc at 7:40 PM on September 4, 2003
Okay, I'll drop the attitude and also offer kudos to the donger for his elevation to blogger icon du jour.
He links to me, after all. Yay, dong!
posted by yhbc at 7:43 PM on September 4, 2003
He links to me, after all. Yay, dong!
posted by yhbc at 7:43 PM on September 4, 2003
He links to me, too, commish, but he (and 1 or 2 others on my sidebar, stav, cowboy_sally, brittney) are a league apart from the rest of us. We can crack up our friends on the couch after a few beers, but they're Richard Pryor knockin' em dead on the sunset strip.
Here's to ya, dongstah.
posted by jonmc at 7:48 PM on September 4, 2003
Here's to ya, dongstah.
posted by jonmc at 7:48 PM on September 4, 2003
man, i just assumed the old D to the R had passed on like many of the other greats. good to see him bring the streets to the weblogs.. instead of.. er.. bringing the weblogs to the streets i guess..
quite the hilarious weblog, too.
"I'm not generally that kind of a guy, but if I decide to show up after all, and you try, yet again, to get me to eat onions by slicing them microscope slide culture-thin and obscuring them with a sauce, I will punch you until the cops arrive."
posted by lotsofno at 7:53 PM on September 4, 2003
quite the hilarious weblog, too.
"I'm not generally that kind of a guy, but if I decide to show up after all, and you try, yet again, to get me to eat onions by slicing them microscope slide culture-thin and obscuring them with a sauce, I will punch you until the cops arrive."
posted by lotsofno at 7:53 PM on September 4, 2003
Oh yes. I don't want to embarrass cool, low-profile dong by praising him, but I'd still like to say his blog is always stupendously well written, interesting and - he'll hate this word, but none applies so fittingly - pure. Also, he was THE ONE who taught me how to post inline images. So, in hommage to him, I won't. Let him alone appreciate the breadth, width and general extent of my sacrifice.
On the other note, MetaFilter does seem to be more and more well-known; quoted; respected; cited. It's becoming almost de rigueur" to mention MeFi if you're writing about news blogs. Why has its function as a news filter - so valiantly opposed by so many of us - been uppermost in the mainstream media's evaluation?
One side of me fears death and obliteration by spurious, necessarily fickle media attention. The other, I must admit, secretly rejoices that it's so widely read. Though I must say I mostly feel rather protective and wary. Metafilter is too good a thing to serve as print fodder.
Perhaps our unhealthy attention to the slightest references in the mass media is not only a sign of a certain provincialism ("Look! The newspaper mentioned us!") but also the inner engine of our inevitable decline.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:00 PM on September 4, 2003
On the other note, MetaFilter does seem to be more and more well-known; quoted; respected; cited. It's becoming almost de rigueur" to mention MeFi if you're writing about news blogs. Why has its function as a news filter - so valiantly opposed by so many of us - been uppermost in the mainstream media's evaluation?
One side of me fears death and obliteration by spurious, necessarily fickle media attention. The other, I must admit, secretly rejoices that it's so widely read. Though I must say I mostly feel rather protective and wary. Metafilter is too good a thing to serve as print fodder.
Perhaps our unhealthy attention to the slightest references in the mass media is not only a sign of a certain provincialism ("Look! The newspaper mentioned us!") but also the inner engine of our inevitable decline.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:00 PM on September 4, 2003
Recently a new acquaintance asked me, "Hey, are you the Stan Chin on Metafilter?"
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
posted by Stan Chin at 8:09 PM on September 4, 2003
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
posted by Stan Chin at 8:09 PM on September 4, 2003
Again, kudos to the donginator. That entry about putting the digital bugle up to your ass... now listen, this time I really mean it: it's funny because it's true.
posted by soyjoy at 8:12 PM on September 4, 2003
posted by soyjoy at 8:12 PM on September 4, 2003
he (and 1 or 2 others on my sidebar, stav, cowboy_sally, brittney) are a league apart from the rest of us.
Why thank you, Jon, even if it ain't true. That's a helluva lot of beers I'll be buying you if I ever get to NY (or you to Seoul (or Sydney, if plans come together (or someotherbloodywhere, maybe))).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:27 PM on September 4, 2003
Why thank you, Jon, even if it ain't true. That's a helluva lot of beers I'll be buying you if I ever get to NY (or you to Seoul (or Sydney, if plans come together (or someotherbloodywhere, maybe))).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:27 PM on September 4, 2003
Why thank you, Jon, even if it ain't true.
Think again, my poulet pal. What you and the other three I mentioned have in common is that you move beyond quipsterism and commentary into actual creation; ie writing the text instead of the footnotes. Even the times that I've wanted to strangle you, I was honestly moved, which is a rare feat. Plus the three of y'all attract readers from outside the mefi circle, which means you guys can amuse folks without resorting to in-jokes.
Trust me, you are a breed apart.
posted by jonmc at 8:36 PM on September 4, 2003
Think again, my poulet pal. What you and the other three I mentioned have in common is that you move beyond quipsterism and commentary into actual creation; ie writing the text instead of the footnotes. Even the times that I've wanted to strangle you, I was honestly moved, which is a rare feat. Plus the three of y'all attract readers from outside the mefi circle, which means you guys can amuse folks without resorting to in-jokes.
Trust me, you are a breed apart.
posted by jonmc at 8:36 PM on September 4, 2003
Congrats to the man that got serious journalists in a serious journalism publication to give props to someone with the moniker (excuse my language) Dong Resin. This is one of the most optimistic signs of the times I've seen since Tootie from the Facts of Life appeared on that Celebrity Dating show.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:16 PM on September 4, 2003
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:16 PM on September 4, 2003
I just do what crunchland tell me to do.
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 10:08 PM on September 4, 2003
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 10:08 PM on September 4, 2003
vote democratic.
posted by crunchland at 10:32 PM on September 4, 2003
posted by crunchland at 10:32 PM on September 4, 2003
Always the Clintons... it's downright Pavlovian for that boy.
posted by y2karl at 12:01 AM on September 5, 2003
posted by y2karl at 12:01 AM on September 5, 2003
From the Department of Really Really Silly Questions, Is this article the result of Matt's August 1st sidebar item?
I don't know how to link to MeFi's sidebar; look it up yourself if you don't know what I'm talking about
posted by wendell at 12:10 AM on September 5, 2003
I don't know how to link to MeFi's sidebar; look it up yourself if you don't know what I'm talking about
posted by wendell at 12:10 AM on September 5, 2003
That kid looks nervous, that senator looks hungry.
posted by dong_resin at 7:23 AM on September 5, 2003
posted by dong_resin at 7:23 AM on September 5, 2003
Also, I accept my rightful role as Blogger Icon.
Hell, I've earned it. I'm goddamn fabulous.
Oral sex for favorable mentions on my site line forms to the left.
No pushing, please, and no scrapers.
posted by dong_resin at 7:28 AM on September 5, 2003
Hell, I've earned it. I'm goddamn fabulous.
Oral sex for favorable mentions on my site line forms to the left.
No pushing, please, and no scrapers.
posted by dong_resin at 7:28 AM on September 5, 2003
I long ago accepted Dong Resin as my personal savior. You can too.
As a matter of fact, I'd highly recommend it. The end times are nearing and he may be the only one who can save us.
Plus, he has soft hands.
posted by eyeballkid at 12:46 PM on September 5, 2003
As a matter of fact, I'd highly recommend it. The end times are nearing and he may be the only one who can save us.
Plus, he has soft hands.
posted by eyeballkid at 12:46 PM on September 5, 2003
But he likes to pull your hair.
A uh...friend told me that...
posted by Cyrano at 1:15 PM on September 5, 2003
A uh...friend told me that...
posted by Cyrano at 1:15 PM on September 5, 2003
< outsider>Good Christ how you guys suck all up on each other's lollipops. < /outsider>
posted by crasspastor at 2:48 AM on September 6, 2003
posted by crasspastor at 2:48 AM on September 6, 2003
I just really resent people having a good time.
posted by crasspastor at 3:00 AM on September 6, 2003
posted by crasspastor at 3:00 AM on September 6, 2003
Recently a new acquaintance asked me, "Hey, are you the Stan Chin on Metafilter?"
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
For some reason I'm having a hard time getting the concept that things I say on MetaFilter could come back on me in real life. I only know one MeFier personally (he's a lurker) and I'm always startled when he mentions my comments to me. It's kind of like the mindset I had when I moved to Toronto from a small town - I felt I was anonymous and no one would notice/remember anything I did, resulting in a somewhat dangerous feeling of total freedom. Well, now I'm congratulating myself on not using my real name as my user name, although I probably only did so because that's the practice on MetaFilter.
That said, we're not going to be media stars as individuals no matter how famous MetaFilter gets (with the possible exception of Miggy and others who have their own good websites). It's the community as a whole that is the important entity.
posted by orange swan at 6:40 AM on September 6, 2003
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
For some reason I'm having a hard time getting the concept that things I say on MetaFilter could come back on me in real life. I only know one MeFier personally (he's a lurker) and I'm always startled when he mentions my comments to me. It's kind of like the mindset I had when I moved to Toronto from a small town - I felt I was anonymous and no one would notice/remember anything I did, resulting in a somewhat dangerous feeling of total freedom. Well, now I'm congratulating myself on not using my real name as my user name, although I probably only did so because that's the practice on MetaFilter.
That said, we're not going to be media stars as individuals no matter how famous MetaFilter gets (with the possible exception of Miggy and others who have their own good websites). It's the community as a whole that is the important entity.
posted by orange swan at 6:40 AM on September 6, 2003
Speak for yourself, orange swan, dong resin is in it for dong resin.
I'm gonna get on that damn Carson Daly show if it kills me.
When the hell is clavdivs getting a blog, is what I wanna know.
posted by dong_resin at 7:29 AM on September 6, 2003
I'm gonna get on that damn Carson Daly show if it kills me.
When the hell is clavdivs getting a blog, is what I wanna know.
posted by dong_resin at 7:29 AM on September 6, 2003
Recently a new acquaintance asked me, "Hey, are you the Stan Chin on Metafilter?"
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
Well you're easily frightened. t r a c y's been getting recognized IRL like that for years. One only needs a moderately popular website to eventually run into someone who's read it.
posted by zarah at 10:53 AM on September 6, 2003
Possibly the most frightening moment in my life.
Well you're easily frightened. t r a c y's been getting recognized IRL like that for years. One only needs a moderately popular website to eventually run into someone who's read it.
posted by zarah at 10:53 AM on September 6, 2003
The internet seems to inspire this sort of bizarre mindset - someone like Stan Chin has a web site of his own that is sure to have gotten a number of hits from its association with MeFi alone yet he is surprised that anyone he'd meet has read it.
Something that we physically do by ourselves in the peaceful quiet and privacy of our own homes is public. Must. Get. Head. Around. Concept. Whenever I think of MetaFilter going "mainstream" suddenly all those comments I've posted about my boobs seem so ill-advised. This must be how George Micheal felt when someone walked into the bathroom where he was wanking off.
posted by orange swan at 9:55 PM on September 6, 2003
Something that we physically do by ourselves in the peaceful quiet and privacy of our own homes is public. Must. Get. Head. Around. Concept. Whenever I think of MetaFilter going "mainstream" suddenly all those comments I've posted about my boobs seem so ill-advised. This must be how George Micheal felt when someone walked into the bathroom where he was wanking off.
posted by orange swan at 9:55 PM on September 6, 2003
MetaFilter: How George Michael felt when someone walked in...
posted by wendell at 3:02 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by wendell at 3:02 AM on September 7, 2003
Wendell, I'm suddenly picturing user pages featuring mug shots of sheepish looking MeFiers.
posted by orange swan at 6:55 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by orange swan at 6:55 AM on September 7, 2003
P.S.
Dong-Resin is my secret hero. I tell all now because he has a good blog. He was the first to stick up for me when no one else did.(on the filter)
I had an idea, as ms. clavs sister is in Rome as i type, to have her go to the Forumn with a sign reading:
CLAV.COM....coming soon.
i still may do that.
congrats Dong and may i link to your site when i do get a blog?
posted by clavdivs at 10:17 AM on September 8, 2003
Dong-Resin is my secret hero. I tell all now because he has a good blog. He was the first to stick up for me when no one else did.(on the filter)
I had an idea, as ms. clavs sister is in Rome as i type, to have her go to the Forumn with a sign reading:
CLAV.COM....coming soon.
i still may do that.
congrats Dong and may i link to your site when i do get a blog?
posted by clavdivs at 10:17 AM on September 8, 2003
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posted by clavdivs at 7:17 PM on September 4, 2003