I'm fed up of "OutrageFilter" posts

February 3, 2004 4:23 PM

OutrageFilter? I'm getting fed up with posts like this, and this.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen to etiquette/policy at 4:23 PM (45 comments total)

My fed-upness is partly because they're pure news with no support and no context; partly because they're formulaic; partly because the ensuing discussion is so overheated. I would like a moratorium on posts of the form "Prima facie outrageous news story - provocative question?"
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:26 PM on February 3, 2004

So... you're outraged about outrage-inspiring posts?

MetaFilter: Outraged about Outrage
... MetaFilter: Outrageous Outrage
posted by SpecialK at 4:30 PM on February 3, 2004

Don't you agree that recursive outrage is the worst kind?
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:32 PM on February 3, 2004

I started to delete the baby rape post last night, because I think it is a shitty reason for a post, and the rape drug thing is a little better in that it touches a bit on a controversial issue, is still sub-par, but I balked.

I don't know what the point of discussing the child rape murder one is. It's shocking on all sides.
posted by mathowie at 4:35 PM on February 3, 2004

I agree with your outrage at those outrageous posts, but look at the comment count on them. I'm not sure Matt's going to be deleting them, and if members keep commenting in posts which aren't the "most interesting of the web", then the members who make such posts aren't going to desist.

We're self-policing here, and while I know calling out the poor posts here is part of that policing, the best way to do it is if people stop commenting in posts that obviously do not fit the following statement;

"Just to be clear: the point of MetaFilter is to find the best and most interesting of the web to share with others".
posted by dazed_one at 4:41 PM on February 3, 2004

A bit of shock wakes me up occasionally when I read the filter, particularly as it is on a day-to-day basis. To be honest, I walked past someone's desk this morning and I suddenly had a pang to borrow their copy of 'The Sun' because I ACTUALLY WAS interested in Jordan (and her breasts) on "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here" (currently on UK reality BBC). Maybe this is a reflection on progression of members of MeFi? Alot of members may use it as a surrogate newspaper, and may 'secretly' need a tabloid buzz amongst the info-heroin.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:52 PM on February 3, 2004

Sorry to disclaim, but my point does not necessaruly relate solely to the posts in question. I don't view child rape as tabloid.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:58 PM on February 3, 2004

i_am_joe's_spleen, why do you hate hand-wringing so much?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:20 PM on February 3, 2004

To be honest, I walked past someone's desk this morning and I suddenly had a pang to borrow their copy of 'The Sun' because I ACTUALLY WAS interested in Jordan (and her breasts)

Hmm. You may be coming down with heterosexuality.
posted by jonmc at 5:37 PM on February 3, 2004

As one of the participants in the 'baby rape' thread (which had absolutely nothing to do with baby rape) I found it interesting. Sure, the story was lame but the discussion was interesting to me to me as an exploration of mob justice, vigilantism and the way people percieve anything with the words 'child' and 'sex' in the same sentence.

Matt, you did it yourself. Gory news story about a murder and *possible* assault of a child -- now it's the 'baby rape' thread? Despite the fact there was no rape?

i_am_joe's_spleen, I'm sorry your fed up. It's gotta really suck to come innocently surfing along and have all of this passionate contextless and provactive type stuff leap up at you. It's unfortunate that you are forced to read that which you find so distasteful and I, for one, will endeavour to try and make your future Metafilter expierience all you feel it should be.
posted by cedar at 5:40 PM on February 3, 2004

It's always edifying to see people at their meanest. The best part about the child rape theme is you can talk about child rape in minute anatomical detail--penetration or what?--and then, after you get your rocks off, wax eloquent on the details of how you would torture and kill the surrogate monster. The nobility of spirit expressed just makes you proud to be a human being.
posted by y2karl at 5:49 PM on February 3, 2004

tis the magic
posted by Frasermoo at 6:26 PM on February 3, 2004

The blue has been a churning clusterfuck of drooling simpletons lately. Even more than usual.

These things seem to go in cycles, though. Although the green has added a new variable into the equation, I suggest just waiting out the moon-cycle or whatever has drawn the Stupid out of the proverbial Rock.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:28 PM on February 3, 2004

new sign ups
I am battered and have not posted battered for some time
posted by Frasermoo at 6:51 PM on February 3, 2004

metafilter: a churning clusterfuck of drooling simpletons

</obligatory>
posted by quonsar at 6:52 PM on February 3, 2004

and how
posted by Frasermoo at 6:55 PM on February 3, 2004

The blue has been a churning clusterfuck of drooling simpletons lately. Even more than usual.

i blame askmefi. what with everyone happily disclosing that they actually can't put one foot in front of the other without help from 17,000 people...

everyone's spelling has taken a nose dive as well.
posted by t r a c y at 7:19 PM on February 3, 2004

Hmm, maybe that What's the Best Way To Wipe Your Butt After Pooping? post isn't such a good idea, after all.
posted by y2karl at 7:45 PM on February 3, 2004

what with everyone happily disclosing that they actually can't put one foot in front of the other without help from 17,000 people...

Mustn't...mustn't...

:::spews beverage from nose!:::
posted by rushmc at 7:45 PM on February 3, 2004

It's always edifying to see people at their meanest. The best part about the child rape theme is you can talk about child rape in minute anatomical detail--penetration or what?--and then, after you get your rocks off, wax eloquent on the details of how you would torture and kill the surrogate monster. The nobility of spirit expressed just makes you proud to be a human being.

The finest calling on the bluff of psuedo-chivalry I've seen in a long time. Good call, y2karl.

Matt, you can kill the threads, but would you be proud to spend the rest of your life in jail for doing so?
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 7:59 PM on February 3, 2004

the story was lame, but the discussion was interesting.

The meal was terrible, but I loved the expression on the diners' faces.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 8:11 PM on February 3, 2004

I was posting some news, trying to see what other peoples opinions are, thats it.
posted by Keyser Soze at 8:33 PM on February 3, 2004

Hmmm, what's in this closet... ARRRRGGH!
posted by namespan at 8:33 PM on February 3, 2004

The enemy is at the gates! Oh shit, they were already hanging out, spilling beer on the carpet.
posted by Keyser Soze at 8:38 PM on February 3, 2004

Stav, you think the stupid's found a home here? I just saw something jaw-dropping at kuro5hin that should restore your faith in us somewhat. I'm not even gonna link to it, tho' I suppose sooner or later some witty asshole will FPP it.

We're not really the problem here, for the most part. Believe it or not.
posted by adamgreenfield at 8:57 PM on February 3, 2004

"Should monsters alleged to have possibly committed atrocious acts against children be summarily doused with gasoline and set ablaze ? - Story tonight on a Metafilter channel near you !"

I couldn't bring myself to feed this discussion.
posted by troutfishing at 9:02 PM on February 3, 2004

And then there was the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake Superbowl Show thread--which brought to mind what the jaded guest at the doctor's party in Sunday, Bloody Sunday said--Oh, Christ, not the same tired tit again...
posted by y2karl at 10:00 PM on February 3, 2004

Hell, I got me a recurring case of the stupids, too. I just keep it under wraps most of the time.

I think I know that article you're referring to at kuro5hin, Adam. I found it funny, but, yeah, dumber than cheese.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:00 PM on February 3, 2004

what with everyone happily disclosing that they actually can't put one foot in front of the other without help from 17,000 people...

Hee. Best description of askmefi yet.
posted by justgary at 11:05 PM on February 3, 2004

I'm getting fed up with posts like this, and this.

Perhaps you should take a vacation from here. I'd hate to have you bust a spleen. ;-P
posted by mischief at 11:17 PM on February 3, 2004

I'm going to agree with the spirit of the poster. It could just be that this is hte way it has been and I've just never noticed.

I do find I spend almost all my time on Ask these days. I only check MeFi once every other day now.
posted by rudyfink at 11:32 PM on February 3, 2004

If we're going to let these threads go because of the discussion they generate we might as well start sticking 'Hero' tags next ot them too, just to get the discussion going.
posted by Space Coyote at 11:39 PM on February 3, 2004

It's always edifying to see people at their meanest. The best part about the child rape theme is you can talk about child rape in minute anatomical detail--penetration or what?--and then, after you get your rocks off, wax eloquent on the details of how you would torture and kill the surrogate monster. The nobility of spirit expressed just makes you proud to be a human being.

the cause of death is unknown to the cops
cause when I kill them, i'm not leavin one element to autopse
first i'll assassinate 'em
and then i'll cremate 'em
and take all of his fucking ashes and evaporate 'em
or creep through the graveyard and hunt down your tombstone
dig up your skeleton and stomp all your fucking bones
posted by The God Complex at 11:40 PM on February 3, 2004

the golden age of metafilter has begun.
posted by sgt.serenity at 11:49 PM on February 3, 2004

six fucking devils stepped up playing brave God
had the fucking nerve to try and enta my grave yard
i'm the ryzarector, be my sacrafice
commit suicide and i'll bring you back to life
the first was convinced
stuck a water hose in his mouth at full blast so his head can explode
second said "hmmmm, that's good but I can top it"
put an ax up to his head and then he chopped it
blood shot out in every direction
the rest didn't know what to do, i made suggestions
put a slug in your mug, overdose on a drug
wet your hair stick a knife in the plug
or be like richard pryor set your balls on fire
better yet go hang yourself with a barbed wire
three and four fell deep into spell and
ran to the zoo, locked themselves in a lion's den
number five said it ain't worth being alive
smoked a dust suede, mixed it with cynaide
the only one to escape was number six
he went home
sat in the tub and slit his wrists

All of this for karl's benefit, since it seemed to me that people didn't wax quite eloquently enough on the means of death, only the death itself, which I found peculiarly distressing and foul in an almost pagan manner. Hopefully next time we can all learn from my plagiarised display and ironically edify karl's misguided faith in humanity in a most stimulating fashion.

All of these lyrics--and more!--can be found on the terribly funny and richly ironic Gravediggaz album from the mid-90s entitled 6 Feet Deep (it had the more appropriate title Niggamortis overseas, but you can't win them all)
posted by The God Complex at 12:18 AM on February 4, 2004

Simply copy and paste:

<insert outrage here>
posted by Blue Stone at 8:09 AM on February 4, 2004

Personally, I don't think links to news items are that meta; but then personally I don't normally read those sorts of threads. Then again, lots of people do seem to read them (233 and counting on the Jackson/Timberlake one), which means that they must have at least some kind of community function.

*baffled*
posted by carter at 8:54 AM on February 4, 2004

"The meal was terrible, but I loved the expression on the diners' faces" pretty much sums it up for me.

The sensationlist/newsfilter posts get hundreds of comments; the "best of the web" posts get very few, usually. I've kind of bowed to the idea of MeFi now being mostly a discussion site about current news items. If the MeFi membership really wanted unique and unusual posts, they would reward them. They don't, and this is how it is.
posted by taz at 10:13 AM on February 4, 2004

taz, why does one need a "reward" by a comment?


I'm not big on validation, so I am not inclined to write [this is good] on every post I do like.

As far as I can tell, there are 17000 readers of MeFi.

Do we really need a comment from each person on how they reacted to a thread? Perhaps we can have a "rate this thread" option for those who need validation. (yuck!)


There is a subset of MeFi that likes have a discussion site where they can talk about the latest political news. But it is foolish to think that this subset that wants a discussion site represents MeFi membership on the whole. Indeed logic would suggest the opposite: most people don't want a chatty NewFilter discussion site because 99% of the people DON'T participate in those threads.


If that is what the "Mefi membership" wanted, there would be a whole more than 30 or so posts, and it be from a wider spectrum of people instead of the same people over and over and over.....
posted by Seth at 10:38 AM on February 4, 2004

if you feel your input is appreciated, you are likely to contribute more, I would say.
posted by taz at 10:42 AM on February 4, 2004

because 99% of the people DON'T participate in those threads

Obviously a 'Net newbie who has never heard of 'lurkers'. ;-P
posted by mischief at 11:00 AM on February 4, 2004

These are posts that if not read carefully, your 2cents can become worthless. Sometimes the article's author is to blame for it. Also, you don't have to the read the article to form an opionion, which can get you: WTF. Then after reading the posted comments the fun starts: opinion-filter, dubunct-filter, ect-filter..
posted by thomcatspike at 1:33 PM on February 4, 2004

Arrg...just after I read our spelling has gone down hill in a later meta-thread, excuse my spelling mistakes.
posted by thomcatspike at 1:41 PM on February 4, 2004

What kind of spleen is against venting?
posted by rcade at 1:56 PM on February 4, 2004

Stav, you think the stupid's found a home here? I just saw something jaw-dropping at kuro5hin
that should restore your faith in us somewhat. I'm not even gonna link to it, tho' I suppose sooner
or later some witty asshole will FPP it.

Hmm, I just checked out the topics over there and it all looked pretty normal,
is there a hidden nugget of icky under the rug somewhere?
Please do tell, I can't stand this kind of suspense.
Maybe just a hint?

"Child molestation: poll inside by Michael Jackson " ?
posted by milovoo at 4:40 PM on February 4, 2004