Injokes on the wiki

October 11, 2003 5:10 PM

I for one welcome our injoking overlords. Now I feel all caught up. Don't get an injoke? Look it up. Is this useful? Does it make the injokes more or less funny? Is the community better or worse for this listing account of injokes at MeFiWiki? Does part of the humor involve an illusion of elitism? Does Matt dislike all injokes or just some of them? Most of them? Will he buy me a pony? What do you, the viewers at home, think? psst! go cubs!
posted by ZachsMind to MetaFilter-Related at 5:10 PM (72 comments total)

Also needed: vibrating, quonsar.
posted by crunchburger at 5:29 PM on October 11, 2003

I can't believe I've been doing this for 3 years (today)...and I'm STILL not listed as a Mefi in-joke!
posted by rushmc at 5:35 PM on October 11, 2003

The oldest in-joke I remember
posted by crunchburger at 5:46 PM on October 11, 2003

Also needed: vibrating, quonsar.

quonsar has been there for a long time. even conveniently cross indexed for your surfing pleasure.
posted by quonsar at 5:53 PM on October 11, 2003

Well, if that was trolling, I'll be damned for trolling. Lighten up, asswidget.
posted by crunchburger at 5:56 PM on October 11, 2003

huh? now you lost me. what i was referring to is if you click the link [person] under "Troll", you get "Quonsar". what are you referring to?
posted by quonsar at 6:05 PM on October 11, 2003

[person]
posted by clavdivs at 6:11 PM on October 11, 2003

Oh nooo, it's feeding back upon itselfff...Metatata..
posted by Jimbob at 6:12 PM on October 11, 2003

miguel lite.
posted by konolia at 6:18 PM on October 11, 2003

so. ZachsMind really IS miguel. i though clav was just shitting me about that.
posted by quonsar at 6:25 PM on October 11, 2003

heh
posted by clavdivs at 6:26 PM on October 11, 2003

Please, people! I'm still recovering from the last onslaught; do you mind?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:39 PM on October 11, 2003

Hey, just keeping my promises.
posted by konolia at 6:42 PM on October 11, 2003

I'm not Miguel. I'm Miguel Lite.
posted by ZachsMind at 7:21 PM on October 11, 2003

maybe we need to add troybob's poetry?
posted by amberglow at 7:25 PM on October 11, 2003

ZIPPITY BOP!
posted by eddydamascene at 7:44 PM on October 11, 2003

Lighten up, asswidget.

(adds another entry to list of words learned by reading MetaFilter)
posted by mcwetboy at 8:01 PM on October 11, 2003

Since noboby else has said, I'll say it: happy anniversary, rushmc. Have I mentioned that I'm glad you are a participating member again?
posted by ashbury at 8:12 PM on October 11, 2003

Previous MetaInjoke thread.

My all-time, laugh-out-loud-whenever-I-think-about-it favorite: We have cameras.
posted by webmutant at 9:04 PM on October 11, 2003

1. wish rush a happy anniversary
2. ???
3. profit!!!!

; >
posted by amberglow at 9:19 PM on October 11, 2003

Administrator, please hope me!!!!
posted by insomnyuk at 9:57 PM on October 11, 2003

I'm still disappointed that 'shitmittens' never reached critical mass. Also :

*spanks ZachsMind for a really weak excuse for a thread*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:56 PM on October 11, 2003

My failed attempt at contributing an in-joke was the brief-lived exclamation "Hitler's moustache!" It enjoyed a brief shining moment, but quickly faded into the sunset. Although I did get a kick out of it when number 1 himself used the phrase.
posted by UKnowForKids at 11:42 PM on October 11, 2003

Who here likes pancakes?
posted by wackybrit at 11:49 PM on October 11, 2003

PIKE!

*waits for the baby jesus to cry*
posted by eyeballkid at 12:26 AM on October 12, 2003

stavros, I think ZachsMind's post is a sort of injoke in itself. Not that he shouldn't be spanked. He should be spanked, and soundly. (and then, the oral sex.)
posted by taz at 1:57 AM on October 12, 2003

So, let me get this straight... these private jokes, they vibrate?
posted by crunchland at 5:44 AM on October 12, 2003

Woot! Thanks for the in-joke, ashbury! I feel much better now. :)
posted by rushmc at 6:07 AM on October 12, 2003

Let's not forget this enigma.
posted by moonbird at 9:32 AM on October 12, 2003

Smock smock smock? Or is the "asses of fire tour stop" variety?
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:59 AM on October 12, 2003

I think I first welcomed the overlords. I claim this in-joke in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:01 AM on October 12, 2003

Kent Brockman might argue with you, kirkaracha...
posted by punilux at 10:25 AM on October 12, 2003

Here is a great opportunity for an example is my favorite comment to date.
I've always been wanting (like amberglow) to use it on MeFi in debate.
posted by troybob at 10:59 AM on October 12, 2003

What about "Is X something I would need a Y to understand?" Although I can't seem to find the original citation...
posted by nicwolff at 1:17 PM on October 12, 2003

nic: This is where I see that reference dwell;
I really do enjoy that phrase as well.
posted by troybob at 2:03 PM on October 12, 2003

Oops...spoke too soon;
here's another one strewn.
posted by troybob at 2:06 PM on October 12, 2003

posted by eddydamascene at 3:07 PM on October 12, 2003

Smallest. Oolong. Ever.
posted by PrinceValium at 4:12 PM on October 12, 2003

Jesus, I can't believe it's still cute at that size.
posted by Stan Chin at 5:16 PM on October 12, 2003

'is this x something i would need y to understand' refers to the arrogant annoyingness of people without television. the original quote was something like, 'is this buffy something i would need a television to understand, because i do not own a television'.

We collectively hated that person, whoever s/he was. And then we made her/him an injoke and drove him/her out of town.
posted by goneill at 7:04 PM on October 12, 2003

(Are you sure it wasn't from that Onion article about the guy who was always telling everyone he didn't own a television?)

/too lazy to search
posted by dhoyt at 7:35 PM on October 12, 2003

I think it was mischief, as gary stated in one of the linked threads up above.
posted by yhbc at 8:04 PM on October 12, 2003

good times commish, good times.
posted by goneill at 8:41 PM on October 12, 2003

Actually I don't deserve to be spanked. Y'all do. As I explained in my original FPP, I asked stuff like, "Is this useful? Does it make the injokes more or less funny? Is the community better or worse for this listing account of injokes at MeFiWiki? Does part of the humor involve an illusion of elitism?" And then I added a couple silly and feeble attempts at being funny, but I was hoping this would become a semi-serious debate about whether or not Matt's right that injokes are futile and timewasting endeavors, or if this is really a cool thing for this community to have. Should there be more injokes? Should we continue to cultivate the ones we have? Now that there's a place where such injokes can be documented and those who don't know can read up on them and then participate, is it now okay to continue this, or should we all just quit while we're ahead?

It's a valid thread. Y'all just chose to use it to try and be funny. So. Does this thread prove Matt's point? Are injokes really futile timewasters that hinder our community, and get in the way of more serious discussion and more interesting link swapping? Whether or not Matt's right, is there really a way to stop them? Should they be stopped, or is this harmless fun? At what point is it okay and at what point do injokes go too far?
posted by ZachsMind at 9:17 PM on October 12, 2003

WHO THE FUCK CARES?
posted by Stan Chin at 9:26 PM on October 12, 2003

You still sound like Miguel, ZachsMind, to my everlasting astonishment. However, to answer your questions (kind of), someone said not too long ago about this very topic, no, injokes should not be stopped because they help strengthen the bonds of community, rather than tearing them apart, as many of the more divisive threads tend to do.
posted by Lynsey at 9:35 PM on October 12, 2003

I think I remember matt saying he's not a fan of in jokes, because the create an insider mentality and scare new users away. But hey, they can't turn more users away than the closed sign-ups, can they?

But I think in jokes are inevitable, and their prominence indicates a strong community. You try creating a real community without in jokes and little "understandings" between people.
posted by Jimbob at 10:02 PM on October 12, 2003

Now that I realize the origin of "We have cameras" (must've happened during one of the periods when my work cut off my web access), why wasn't there a similar "We have Tivos"? (It's the only thing I acquired in 2000 that still works...)
posted by wendell at 10:56 PM on October 12, 2003

The seriousness of your post we didn't mean to ignore,
ZachsMind--it's a great topic for us to discuss.
I've had more fun on MeTa this weekend than ever before,
so speaking for myself: the in-jokes are a plus!
posted by troybob at 11:29 PM on October 12, 2003

HARPOON.

gondola smock harpoon, baby. all night long.
posted by quonsar at 12:13 AM on October 13, 2003

I think it was mischief, as gary stated in one of the linked threads up above.

If it was mischief that started it, it took exactly eighteen hours and eleven minutes for the meme to be declared old, and twenty-four hours before it began to be severely abused.
posted by eddydamascene at 12:17 AM on October 13, 2003

So lemme get this straight. ZachsMind is Miguel, and eddydamascene is quonsar? Next you'll be telling me pirates are the new monkeys.
posted by arto at 12:53 AM on October 13, 2003

In answer to ZachsMind's heartfelt and lengthy inquiries, I would answer : everything in moderation.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:20 AM on October 13, 2003

If pirates are the new monkeys, dating me is the new black.
posted by dobbs at 1:55 AM on October 13, 2003

Ha ha, stav! Wouldn't it be downright subversive if we extremists started advocating moderation in everything? You know, the dreaded "one beer"; the "one cigar" only when a friend's baby is born, just that "one comment" per week, whenever we can actually add something to the discussion; the "one country under God"; the one...

*grabs the karaoke mike and breaks into U2's "One Love", defeating the purpose*
posted by MiguelCardoso at 2:43 AM on October 13, 2003

OK, moderation in everything except alcohol, tobacco, posting at Metafilter, and karaoke.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:09 AM on October 13, 2003

And cake.
posted by walrus at 5:03 AM on October 13, 2003

Mmmm, cake.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:38 AM on October 13, 2003

injokes should not be stopped because they help strengthen the bonds of community, rather than tearing them apart, as many of the more divisive threads tend to do.

I disagree, because they only help tie together those who enjoy/agree with them. They also polarize the population, sending others running and screaming (much like the barbarous "Flash Friday" ). Sense of humor does not adhere to a universal standard, deviation from which distinguishes one as necessarily fusty.
posted by rushmc at 6:34 AM on October 13, 2003

stavrosthewonderchicken: OK, moderation in everything except alcohol, tobacco...

...and firearms.
posted by UKnowForKids at 6:40 AM on October 13, 2003

And then I added a couple silly and feeble attempts at being funny... It's a valid thread. Y'all just chose to use it to try and be funny.

And thus we learn a valuable lesson. If you don't want people to try and be funny in your thread, don't try and be funny in your post. See, this pointless thread has served a useful purpose!
posted by languagehat at 8:03 AM on October 13, 2003

How quickly we all forget the majesty of toboggan porn.
posted by norm at 9:24 AM on October 13, 2003

Anyone who gets offended at injokes needs to get over themselves.

This is not the only forum I frequent, and even then I was not here from the beginning. If I want to know what an injoke phrase means, I either ask someone or try to figure it out myself. It's FUN. This is the only place I have ever seen anyone get anal about it.

Now if Matt simply doesn't like them because of the added chattiness they produce, that makes sense. But for some of the rest of us to despise them for existing seems rather petty to me.
posted by konolia at 11:30 AM on October 13, 2003

How quickly we all forget the majesty of toboggan porn.

I love you.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:37 PM on October 13, 2003

Miguel is Metafilter's biggest joke of all.
posted by crunchland at 7:51 PM on October 13, 2003

Then where's the punch line?

*puts on brass knuckles*
posted by Stan Chin at 8:59 PM on October 13, 2003

Seriously?
posted by bshort at 5:49 AM on October 14, 2003

crunchie's most recent punch line is already a MeFi classic:

huh. I wonder why the post page didn't tell me I was a dope.

Comedy gold.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:59 AM on October 14, 2003

Well, to paraphrase Churchill, I was sober in the morning.
posted by crunchland at 6:58 AM on October 14, 2003

Yow. Now that's a "punch" line in the finest sense.
posted by soyjoy at 7:17 AM on October 14, 2003

* cries *
posted by baby_jessamyn at 5:57 PM on October 14, 2003 [1 favorite]

WHAT.
THE.
FUCK.
ZACHSMIND?

Feh. My cat's breath smells like cat food.
posted by Samsonov14 at 6:35 PM on October 14, 2003