November 26, 2004

3:23 PM

An honest question: how would you define "The best of the web" in late 2004 looking forward to 2005? Obviously we live in a political world, but MetaFilter is a longer train of thought, I think. How can we balance current events with interesting and wonderful stuff? It's largely up to the noobs, I think. Matt has taken a huge leap of faith here and he is God but there must be a way to convert our indigenous zealots too. My fingers are crossed for the next few weeks.
posted by Cryptical Envelopment to etiquette/policy at 3:23 PM (8 comments total)

Here is an honest response: this has been discussed probably two hundred times before, including at least four times in the last ten days.
posted by The God Complex at 3:34 PM on November 26, 2004

Which isn't to say it isn't worth discussing occasionally, but I don't think we need to do it every day of every two days. Why not wait a few weeks or a month and see how things shake down?
posted by The God Complex at 3:35 PM on November 26, 2004

Which is to say: talk to me, TGC. I need friends.

I might just be a big part of how "things [heh, ed.] shake down" here. And I am not going to make a FPP before Jan. 1 '05. But my question stands: What do you think is the best of the web as we roll into '05 in the MeFiverse? I think it is a bit or a lot political - it has to be - but it is less than that and so much more. What is it? It is the best off the web. Matt can not possibly shepherd us all in to '05 so we have to be careful and respectful and aware and constructive. I will make the next left...
posted by Cryptical Envelopment at 5:00 PM on November 26, 2004

I like the politics in moderation, but you'll find I also dislike people that complain about them more than bad political threads. I think thus far Matt has done a laudable job of weeding out the repetitive political posts since the election, but I would hope that important news or well-thought-out political posts are allowed in the future.

I still believe Troutfishing's last gem should have been allowed to stand and Matt should have sent him an e-mail telling him it was the last election post he'd allow, saving something vitally new. Matt is, however, a busy guy, so you can't always have things the way you want them.

Cryptical, you should really take a look back through some of the discussions about newsfilter over the past few months. There's a lot of yelling, but you should also get a feel for the discussion before you dip your oar into the swirling current (as Burke would say).
posted by The God Complex at 5:08 PM on November 26, 2004

What do you think is the best of the web as we roll into '05 in the MeFiverse?

I can only speak for myself. It's not political posts that suck, necessarily, it's poorly-crafted posts. Frequently people rush in to toss up some 1-line Reuters link just because they think it's Important in a political sense. This is what sucks. We can get news headlines anywhere.

The other thing that can suck about posts is that they're partisan. You can have an interesting link to some great content that's political in nature. Fine. No problemo. But if you post a single Reuters link and tack on a snippy partisan comment, you're going to get shot down.

While I welcome some new blood in this age-old conversation, I would encourage people to learn from the mistakes of the past and/or spare us a million and one rehashes of the exact same debates we've had a zillion times here. I don't look down on newbies per se, but the fact is that if you haven't been around these past years, you haven't helped make MeFi what it is. You don't get to remake it completely now.
posted by scarabic at 6:28 PM on November 26, 2004

I think it is a bit or a lot political - it has to be - but it is less than that and so much more. What is it? It is the best off the web.

Nurse!
posted by nthdegx at 2:46 AM on November 27, 2004

NOOOO MOOOORE POLITICSFILTER IN METATALK!!!!

this has been discussed probably two hundred times before, including at least four times in the last ten days.

what tgc said.

spare us a million and one rehashes of the exact same debates we've had a zillion times here

what scarabic said.

NOOOO MOOOORE POLITICSFILTER IN METATALK!!!!

what I said. oooh. so meta.
posted by rooftop secrets at 1:14 PM on November 27, 2004

Your FPP has one link in it. Two at the most.

What you're linking to does not exist OFF the web (ie, it's not a newspaper, magazine, or product).

If it does exist off the web, you're linking to it because it appearing on the web is what makes it link-worthy (ie, an archive of all the covers of X magaizine or a complete archive of all articles in National Geographic, etc.)

It DOES NOT require or solicit discussion, nor is it enhanced by it. In fact, in my opinion, Metafilter would get better posts if it did away with comments altogether.
posted by dobbs at 1:31 AM on November 28, 2004