Philosophical questions go unanswered on AskMe? July 11, 2006 7:23 AM   Subscribe

It was a philosophical question that could have produced some genuinely interesting ideas/commentary. Not every question on AskMeFi needs to have a immediately definable solution to be considered a good question. Moreover, despite it reading like a term paper question, it hasn't been addressed by most, if any, publications and answers to these types of questions can lead to greater understanding of political and social phenomena. Quit trying to make AskMeFi so damn practical as to eliminate thought.
posted by SeizeTheDay to Etiquette/Policy at 7:23 AM (112 comments total)

"Quit having a different administrative approach to AskMeFi than I would have if I were running it."
posted by cortex at 7:30 AM on July 11, 2006


Are you saying other questions and their answers are without thought?
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 7:33 AM on July 11, 2006


In the email I wrote to you, I referred you to the FAQ entry on chatfilter which contains this line that I thought was particularly apt in this circumstance "if your motivation for asking the question is 'I would like to participate in a discussion about X,' then you shouldn't be doing it in AskMe. If your motivation is 'I would like others to explain X to me,' then you're probably OK.""

You didn't need help answering a question, you wanted to get together and talk about ideas with the AskMe community which isn't really what that part of the site is for. The question could be possibly reworked to be a FPP about cynicism that might have gotten some interesting responses or maybe something to talk about over at MetaChat. It also could be possibly distilled into one more specific question -- your question was seven (related) questions in one -- which would be more in keeping with the AskMe ethos. IM or email me if you'd like to do that.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:35 AM on July 11, 2006


AskMe isn't for thought. It's for helping people solve problems. If you want to make people think and foment some good discussion, come up with a couple links and post it to the blue. It's got a lot better chance there.
posted by Plutor at 7:36 AM on July 11, 2006


Not every question on AskMeFi needs to have a immediately definable solution to be considered a good question.

AskMe questions should have a purpose, goal, or problem to be solved. Open-ended chatty questions that don't offer a problem to be solved are detrimental to the long term usefulness of the site.


Quit whining. And take your pseudo-philosophical questions here.
posted by youarenothere at 7:37 AM on July 11, 2006


From the question submission rules:
AskMe questions should have a purpose, goal, or problem to be solved. Open-ended chatty questions that don't offer a problem to be solved are detrimental to the long term usefulness of the site.

What problem were you trying to solve with your question? I think that the whole point of AskMefi is that it is damn practical. Did you really think that you were going to get greater understanding of a political and/or social phenomenon with the rants that would have been generated by this question?
posted by octothorpe at 7:38 AM on July 11, 2006


Starting off a thread on a Republicans v. Democrats angle is also frequently a recipe for disaster. Since more chatty questions almost by definition have no "right" answers or even "on topic" answers, it becomes a moderation hassle on AskMe when people start saying "Democrats are cynical worm-eaters" or "Republicans believe in the tooth fairy" as they are wont to do.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:39 AM on July 11, 2006


Or what youarenothere said.
posted by octothorpe at 7:39 AM on July 11, 2006


I will at this point reccomend a different website dedicated to chatting with people who generally also read metafilter.

Enjoy!
posted by mzurer at 7:42 AM on July 11, 2006


Wait, I thought we were allowing philosophical discussions on AskMe now.
posted by antifuse at 7:48 AM on July 11, 2006


You should have put zombies in your question.
posted by Orange Goblin at 7:57 AM on July 11, 2006


After reading the question, it seems to me that you knew it was going to get deleted. You included so many possible questions within the text that it felt like you were overcompensating for it not really being an appropriate question, and, as a result, it looked even less appropriate than it might have had you just had the guts to post the quote and asked people to relate it to current politics.

In short, you knew it wasn't a good AskMe, you posted it anyway, and then made a MeTa when the inevitable happened. What's your beef?
posted by OmieWise at 8:05 AM on July 11, 2006


It WAS chatfilter, and it was chatfilter with flawed premises.

Suck it, hater.
posted by klangklangston at 8:06 AM on July 11, 2006


The discussion you refer to is the result of a single very specific question, posted in the Religion and Philosophy category by a graduate student in philosophy. It's allowed to read like a term paper question.

Besides, half the responses in there are mine, and if they get deleted I'll only get all offended and whine about it in MeTa.

You wouldn't like me when I'm whining.
posted by flabdablet at 8:12 AM on July 11, 2006


You should have put fish in your pants.
posted by Gator at 8:14 AM on July 11, 2006


I'm shocked you did not expect this outcome.
posted by absalom at 8:15 AM on July 11, 2006


Not every question on AskMeFi needs to have a immediately definable solution to be considered a good question.

Flawed supposition.
posted by crunchland at 8:19 AM on July 11, 2006




Way to hoist the guy with his own petard, blag;-)
posted by orange swan at 8:23 AM on July 11, 2006


Maybe this MeTa post would have been better if is was a
PonyFilter for a new section: MetaFilter Philosophy.

MePhi.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 8:29 AM on July 11, 2006


Metafilter: So practical that it eliminates thought.

This public service announcement brought to you by the United States executive branch.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:30 AM on July 11, 2006


In short, you knew it wasn't a good AskMe, you posted it anyway, and then made a MeTa when the inevitable happened.

Bingo. Whining about your precious snowflake being deleted is never a good idea; in this particular case, the snowflake was diseased and filthy to begin with. As soon as I saw that question I thought "why is it still here?"; when I went to the thread I was relieved to see it was already axed.
posted by languagehat at 8:38 AM on July 11, 2006


blag, that was awesome. I laughed so hard that I threw up a bit in my mouth. Anyone have a toothbrush I can borrow?
posted by mds35 at 8:48 AM on July 11, 2006


MetaTalk: the snowflake was diseased and filthy to begin with.
posted by GuyZero at 8:50 AM on July 11, 2006


My group of friends have a phrase for this sort of phenomenon: Don't slam your dick in an oven.
One of our extended circle was working in the ER as a nurse and some guy came in complaining of incredible pain in his dick. The reason? He had slammed his dick, apparently intentionally, with the oven door. He seemed puzzled as to how that was correlated with his excruciating pain, and wanted painkillers. Instead, he got the sage advice "Don't slam your dick in an oven."

Now, whenever one of our friends does something stupid and then complains about the consequences of that stupid action, the phrase "Don't slam your dick in an oven" is invoked.
posted by klangklangston at 8:51 AM on July 11, 2006 [1 favorite]


My group of friends have a phrase for this sort of phenomenon: Don't slam your dick in an oven.

When's your next party?
posted by staggernation at 8:56 AM on July 11, 2006


Way to hoist the guy with his own petard

Way to hoise, I think. Hoist is a past-tense form.
posted by cortex at 8:57 AM on July 11, 2006


jess, I never received your e-mail.

Why did I post this MeTa? Because I've felt for quite some time now that on-the-border posts like mine have been deleted without giving them a chance simply to avoid the possibility of a negative fallout. Jess saw Democrat/Republican and a question that was kinda out there and immediately axed. I think a little lenience would have been warranted. (Generally speaking, not just in my case)

To those who think I intentionally posted a bad AskMeFi, you're wrong. Plain and simple. I have no intention of pissing on the site, and to assume otherwise is arrogant, ignorant, and ya'll can fuck off.

To those who thing I intentionally posted an attention getting MeTa, see above. Believe what you want about me, but to question my respect for this site is hitting below the belt.

There are a great number of AskMeFi posts that can be deemed chatty by nature, but I did have a point in asking my question. I questioned the value of cynicism in today's political arena and what could be done to overcome it.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 8:58 AM on July 11, 2006


ya'll can fuck off

Maybe you should just post yet another shitty MeTa callout to target your insults at the people you feel have hit you below the belt. That is if you can come down off your cross long enough to type.
posted by Gamblor at 9:08 AM on July 11, 2006


Am I not allowed to defend myself? Do I simply have to take the rotten tomatoes thrown at me because they were thrown from MetaFilter, as opposed to someplace else? When is the appropriate time to have a backbone? When everyone agrees with me?
posted by SeizeTheDay at 9:11 AM on July 11, 2006


Well, nothing's really stopping you from saying something other than "y'all can fuck off". Like, for example, "you're misrepresenting my motivations. Here's why. Please stop."
posted by cortex at 9:13 AM on July 11, 2006


"Why did I post this MeTa? Because I've felt for quite some time now that on-the-border posts like mine have been deleted without giving them a chance simply to avoid the possibility of a negative fallout."

On the border posts often get deleted, and it doesn't need to have a negative fallout to be a shitty post.
If you don't want to come to MeTa, don't slam your dick in the oven.
posted by klangklangston at 9:20 AM on July 11, 2006


SeizeTheDay wrote, "I have no intention of pissing on the site, and to assume otherwise is arrogant, ignorant, and ya'll can fuck off."

It is not your intentions that are under scrutiny, but the practical results of your actions. Your good intentions, as is often the case with such, have lead you slightly astray.
posted by boo_radley at 9:24 AM on July 11, 2006


Jess saw Democrat/Republican and a question that was kinda out there and immediately axed.

And

I have no intention of pissing on the site, and to assume otherwise is arrogant, ignorant, and ya'll can fuck off.

I'm a little confused. Who's the arrogant assumer here?

Myself, I was hung up on the "argumentative chatfilter based on dubious assertions" aspect more than the donkey vs. elephant issue.
posted by desuetude at 9:27 AM on July 11, 2006


You guys do realize that when he says "y'all can fuck off," what he's really saying is "I don't have a valid rebuttal, and I'm frustrated, and my back is in the corner, and I can't admit that I'm wrong?"
posted by crunchland at 9:27 AM on July 11, 2006


When is the appropriate time to have a backbone?

When you're actually put in a tough spot. How is whining about your deleted post courageous? Did everyone from MeFi suddenly show up on your doorstep uninvited and start berating you?

YOU posted a chatty question that got deleted then YOU brought it to MeTa to whine about it then YOU told everyone to fuck off when they didn't support your whining. Jesus, man, just accept that your post got deleted and stop digging the hole any deeper.
posted by Gamblor at 9:29 AM on July 11, 2006


The statements "I have no intention of pissing on the site" and "ya'll can fuck off" do not agree. Unless you're intending to flame out here, you are not helping your cause, hence not "defending" yourself, when you vent your spleen in such fashion. Best intentions are best proved with actions, not argued with vehemence. That's my experience, anyway. And I also hate it when something I put a bit of effort into gets deleted.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:32 AM on July 11, 2006


To those who think I intentionally posted a bad AskMeFi, you're wrong.

But it is clear that you did. To reiterate, AskMe questions should have a purpose, goal, or problem to be solved. Open-ended chatty questions that don't offer a problem to be solved are detrimental to the long term usefulness of the site..

Are you including mathowie and the guidelines here in your declaration to "fuck off"?
posted by xmutex at 9:35 AM on July 11, 2006


As crunchland suggests, I am frustrated. But when 70% of the comments here question my motives for posting or otherwise insult me, I'm surprised that anyone would wonder why I reacted the way I did.

But crunchland, your cynical, snarky attitude in this thread is a testament to the behavior I was alluding to in my deleted thread. It's ironic, actually, that you, and many others, simply assume my intentions for posting here and in the green instead of just asking me why. It's additionally ironic since I make mention of this very cyncism and you display it here proudly.

I'm not trying to come off as a dick. I'm frustrated because no one here has any valid arguments that suggests why over-moderation is necessary or unnecessary, especially given the fact this topic has come up before. Why are so many people here blindly willing to accept jess's moderation? And so cynically assume that I'm just a whiny asshole, instead of genuinely curious and frustrated towards the lack of consistent moderation and, at times, over-moderation?

I'm allowed to be frustrated. I'm allowed to tell people who simply think I'm some whiny idiot to fuck off. That's not pissing on the site. It's venting frustration in the appropriate place, MeTa.

Back in the day, these types of questions used to pass with no problem. I understand that now traffic has increased and so must moderation, but to what end? Do we avoid all thought altogether and only allow specifically practical answers? Because I question the value of these "answers". So many comments in AskMeFi are anecdotal that I wonder, how can these be considered "answers" at all? Aren't answers factual in nature and would therefore need verification? I can claim that my question could have had linked academic papers as answers and that they'd be more "useful" than any given "X is the best deodorant".
posted by SeizeTheDay at 9:42 AM on July 11, 2006


STD, my apologies, there were two chatty posts in a row that were removed and I meant to email you, but emailed the other poster instead.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:43 AM on July 11, 2006


Best acronym I've read all day.

*Fucks off to read and hopefully participate in interesting and legitimate AskMes*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:46 AM on July 11, 2006


No big deal.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 9:46 AM on July 11, 2006


I do believe the original question(s) itself had so few redemptive or factual qualities that even with the snappiest of wordsmiths huffing down a head full of Peruvian blow, no halfway useful AskMefi post could ever have been teased out from under such philosophical wreckage. And I tried.
posted by peacay at 9:51 AM on July 11, 2006


you, and many others, simply assume my intentions for posting here and in the green instead of just asking me why

Well, it is MetaTalk. You posted this thread and then didn't show up again for an hour and a half—this is not the place to expect idle thumb-twiddling. Folks are going to speculate, and, in grand MeTa tradition, they are unlikely to speculate gently.

Calling you names is shitty, though.
posted by cortex at 9:53 AM on July 11, 2006


"Do we avoid all thought altogether and only allow specifically practical answers?"

That is the way the site has been designed, yes.

"I'm frustrated because no one here has any valid arguments that suggests why over-moderation is necessary or unnecessary, especially given the fact this topic has come up before. Why are so many people here blindly willing to accept jess's moderation?"

Because this has been clearly settled by the owner of the site. What you want is not permitted there. That is not the stated purpose of the site. It is not "over-moderation" if it conforms to the stated rules. Sure you have a right to feel frustrated and to complain, but that doesn't change the fact that one is ill-advised to hop on a train when one wishes instead to fly. Arguing with the conductor really won't put wings on the engine. This lame analogy has now totally derailed my point.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:57 AM on July 11, 2006


"I have no intention of pissing on the site, and to assume otherwise is arrogant, ignorant, and ya'll can fuck off."

LOL
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:04 AM on July 11, 2006


I'm frustrated because no one here has any valid arguments that suggests why over-moderation is necessary or unnecessary

But the point is that your "question" being deleted is not "over-moderation" as much as it is upholding the guidelines. Many in this thread have posted said guideline, and your post broke the guidelines. Therefore it was deleted. Arguing that "someone else at some other time did something similar and it wasn't deleted" is a losing argument.

Apparently your post had no real legitimate answer the way it was phrased and in this thread Jessamyn offered you the opportunity to IM or email her a new question that was phrased in a way that would allow people to answer your question and not simply give their opinions on a chatty post.

Perhaps you should consider 1) taking her up on the offer to re-submitting the question 2) take it to another site where chattiness is encouraged or 3) GYOFB where you are free to do as you please.
posted by terrapin at 10:06 AM on July 11, 2006


Newsflash tweak; just because you don't think people are listening to you does not warrant a new MeTa post, just to get additional attention.

I should totally make a metafilter post about this comment. I want additional attention!
posted by Chuckles at 10:06 AM on July 11, 2006


no one here has any valid arguments that suggests why over-moderation is necessary or unnecessary, especially given the fact this topic has come up before. Why are so many people here blindly willing to accept jess's moderation? And so cynically assume that I'm just a whiny asshole

"over-moderation"

"blindly willing"

"cynically assume"

See, this kind of stuff is what prompts all the talk about flawed assumptions. Your original post here ended with this sentence: "Quit trying to make AskMeFi so damn practical as to eliminate thought." That's another one.

"Fuck off" is not a defense; it's a surrender.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 10:07 AM on July 11, 2006


"But the point is NOT that..." grrr
posted by terrapin at 10:07 AM on July 11, 2006


Of course they're assumptions. They're a part of my argument. That's the point. You have to make certain assumptions to make any point at all. Refute the assumptions if you want to, (calling them flawed is start, but explaining why is useful) but an underlying theme I'm seeing here (which is why I'm frustrated) is, "That's the way it is and there's no grey area". OF COURSE there is a grey area, and the point of my post here is that instead of allowing the grey area, my post in the green is being judged on the (faulty premise of) there existing a black and white.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 10:13 AM on July 11, 2006


My group of friends have a phrase for this sort of phenomenon: Don't slam your dick in an oven.
...posted by klangklangston at 8:51 AM PST on July 11


I'm afraid I'll need to see some documentation this time.
posted by timeistight at 10:16 AM on July 11, 2006


You're assuming that your post actually falls into the supposed grey area when maybe, just maybe, and you might want to sit down for this, it actually was pretty clearly on the wrong side of the guidelines.
posted by Gator at 10:19 AM on July 11, 2006


SeizeTheDay, you've been here long enough to realise that this isn't what AskMe is for. For every complaint about over-moderation, there are three asking how we might reduce the number of questions posted every day. Allowing discussionfilter questions is not going to help at all. As others have said: rephrase it, add some links and post it in the blue if you want to discuss it. Otherwise, close this window and forget this ever happened.
posted by blag at 10:22 AM on July 11, 2006


"I'm frustrated because no one here has any valid arguments that suggests why over-moderation is necessary or unnecessary, especially given the fact this topic has come up before."

You're frustrated because no one accepts your framing this as overmoderation.

"Why are so many people here blindly willing to accept jess's moderation?"

It's not blind. Your question got one answer (from me) and I thought about flagging it. The answer should have made it clear that the question was based on unfounded assumptions that didn't correlated to reality. Much like this MeTa (marking your recursive nature).
So, I looked at the question and decided that Jess had done the right thing in deleting it. So I support her decision.
Then you're all "But WHY?" like a three-year-old.
posted by klangklangston at 10:30 AM on July 11, 2006


All right. I'm going to back away now. The original question's premise was indeed flawed, but that's never stopped people from answering before. I really did and do believe that there is some merit to the question, but clearly the mob has spoken. This MeTa clearly was a silly idea, since it simply created more insults and name-calling than real answers. I apologize.

Though I continue to find it ironic and amusing that so many people here have displayed the very cynical attitude I sought to understand and combat in my original question. Name-calling, questioning my motives and shooting the messenger, and otherwise belittling me IS cynical because it assumes that I should have known better, that I was gaming the system, or that I'm too stupid to get it.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 10:36 AM on July 11, 2006


Newsflash tweak; just because you don't think people are listening to you does not warrant a new MeTa post, just to get additional attention.

I don't know what you all are talking about but I am upset and frightened by this misuse of the semicolon.
posted by freebird at 10:56 AM on July 11, 2006


STD, my apologies....

Oh Jessamyn, you rock. In every possible way.
posted by orange swan at 10:57 AM on July 11, 2006


Though I continue to find it ironic and amusing that so many people here have displayed the very cynical attitude I sought to understand and combat in my original question. Name-calling, questioning my motives and shooting the messenger, and otherwise belittling me IS cynical because it assumes that I should have known better, that I was gaming the system, or that I'm too stupid to get it.

Sort of like how overgeneralization, questioning others' motives, and shooting the messangers is ALSO cynical because it assumes that other people are incapable of independant thought, are part of a mob, or are to stupid to understand you?

I understand dramatic irony and all, but I think this is a little much.
posted by Deoridhe at 11:02 AM on July 11, 2006


OF COURSE there is a grey area, and the point of my post here is that instead of allowing the grey area, my post in the green is being judged on the (faulty premise of) there existing a black and white.

Of course there is a grey area, you're commenting in it.
posted by Floydd at 11:10 AM on July 11, 2006


OF COURSE there is a grey area, and the point of my post here is that instead of allowing the grey area, my post in the green is being judged on the (faulty premise of) there existing a black and white.

But it's a binary issue—delete or don't. Unless this is a stealth proposal for some half-deletion post purgatory, you seem to be arguing not for grey but for white.
posted by cortex at 11:12 AM on July 11, 2006


If you want to combat cynicism, try not giving self-serving non-apology apologies. You're not a victim here, std. Get over yourself.
posted by Gamblor at 11:13 AM on July 11, 2006


It's venting frustration in the appropriate place, MeTa.

This is not a place to vent. MetaTalk is where we gather to arrange meetups so we can break bread and beer glasses together and to suggest improvements for our little community and the blue, green, red, and black pages we love so much.

If you need to vent frustration, call a helpline, yell at a stray dog, or hit the batting cages.
posted by mds35 at 11:47 AM on July 11, 2006


A red page? Am I missing something?
posted by orange swan at 12:22 PM on July 11, 2006


mds35 must be posting through a temporal vortex from the time Projects was red.
posted by Gator at 12:28 PM on July 11, 2006


"You should have put fish in your pants."

One does not put fish in one's pants. The fish is either in the pants or it is not in the pants.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:53 PM on July 11, 2006


Actually, until you look for the fish, it is both in your pants and not in your pants.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:54 PM on July 11, 2006


Ceci n'est pas un poisson de pantalon.
posted by Gator at 12:57 PM on July 11, 2006


Metafilter: HeisenFish.
posted by scrump at 1:24 PM on July 11, 2006


You guys do realize that when he says "y'all can fuck off," what he's really saying is "I don't have a valid rebuttal, and I'm frustrated, and my back is in the corner, and I can't admit that I'm wrong?"

I think you meant to say:

You guys do realize that when he says "y'all can fuck off," what he's really saying is "I don't have a valid rebuttal, and I'm frustrated, and my dick is in the oven, and I can't admit that I'm wrong?"

STD flame out now? Pretty please?
posted by languagehat at 1:26 PM on July 11, 2006


my dick is in the oven

Is an animated gif too much to ask for?
posted by Gamblor at 1:31 PM on July 11, 2006


mds35 must be posting through a temporal vortex from the time Projects was red

Everything looks red when your dick is in the oven.
posted by mds35 at 1:41 PM on July 11, 2006


I thought you were a bigger man than to ask for a flame-out, languagehat. That's just lame.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 1:57 PM on July 11, 2006


Nevertheless, languagehat is indeed a big man.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:06 PM on July 11, 2006


Admit it SeizeTheDay, you're secretly hoping for one too.
posted by Floydd at 2:07 PM on July 11, 2006


"I thought you were a bigger man than to ask for a flame-out, languagehat. That's just lame."

You don't read MeTa that often, do you?
posted by klangklangston at 2:08 PM on July 11, 2006


I had more respect for 'hat before that comment. Even as a joke, his previous comments in this thread have intimated a dislike for me, so I took the last comment at face value. Whatever, sometimes my need to comment overcomes my need to keep my trap shut.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 2:09 PM on July 11, 2006


See, like there...
posted by SeizeTheDay at 2:10 PM on July 11, 2006


wait, there's going to be a flameout?

awesome.
posted by exlotuseater at 2:12 PM on July 11, 2006


and klangklangston looks as if he's trying to plant the seeds for another MeFi catchphrase.

I will not take the thing from your hand.
posted by exlotuseater at 2:14 PM on July 11, 2006


STD, languagehat has been openly jonesing for a flameout -- any flameout at all, nothing personal, you understand -- for quite some time now. That doesn't mean he doesn't wub you.
posted by Gator at 2:15 PM on July 11, 2006


Exactly. I have nothing against you, STD, I just miss the days when people would foam, rage, and threaten to cut off their hand. These days people either apologize or just sort of mutter and wander away. Nothing personal, and if you don't choose to flame out, I won't hold it against you. But a man can hope, can't he? I have to say, you do seem awfully touchy. If you can't take a joke, stay out of MetaTalk, sez I.
posted by languagehat at 2:28 PM on July 11, 2006


I guess languagehat is never going to get his flameout. :'-(
posted by puke & cry at 2:31 PM on July 11, 2006


*goes home, takes football with*
posted by cortex at 2:34 PM on July 11, 2006


I am touchy right now. Part of it probably stems from the fact that I've been spending too much time here lately and threads like these don't really renew my faith in the site. Especially when I feel guilty for spending time here, getting insulted by random strangers on the 'net doesn't do well to restore my confidence that I'm spending my time wisely. So I get upset with myself and defensive around comments that suggest that I'm an idiot.

I should've kept lurking, but instead I tried to be involved, thinking that this would be a positive distraction to an otherwise stressful life. Serves me right to think that. I forgot the cardinal rule of most internet places: People will say things here that they'd never say to your face because they can.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 2:49 PM on July 11, 2006


You can try to just get involved in as strictly positive a manner as you can manage—honestly, that's worked fairly well for me. I snark infrequently, focus on interesting/silly/creative aspects of the site, and avoid anything that gets me riled up.

Posting to MetaTalk for anything other than a meetup request or a bug report is definitely minefield territory.
posted by cortex at 2:54 PM on July 11, 2006


Come to Seattle, I'll call you a self serving dork to your face. I'll even print it up on a t-shirt you can wear around, along with the tagline

"I thought my 5 dollars made it my website to do with as I please, even though there's a guideline that explicitly forbade what I did. Then I went and whined about it to the same people who already gave me a smackdown, and got suprised that they were quite willing to keep smacking me down."
posted by nomisxid at 3:02 PM on July 11, 2006


Can I get one of those t-shirts? I, too, am a self-serving dork. And I live quite close to Seattle.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:06 PM on July 11, 2006


Hijacking a metatalk thread to call attention to your t-shirt business? BURN HIM!
posted by cortex at 3:08 PM on July 11, 2006


or hit the batting cages

The last time I started hitting the batting cages, they threw me out. I think they want you to hit the baseballs. Whatever.
posted by staggernation at 3:22 PM on July 11, 2006


I am craven and crass, I fully admit =)
posted by nomisxid at 3:26 PM on July 11, 2006


You didn't start the flameout without me, did you? *peruses thread* No? Good.

Oh, and one shirt here. Or at least a pin that says "I stuck my dick in the oven, and all I got was this lame MeTa callout".
posted by scrump at 3:38 PM on July 11, 2006


Posting to MetaTalk for anything other than a meetup request or a bug report is definitely minefield territory.

Yeah, I learned my lesson the first time I posted to MeTa and got told to uncork my sphincter. And should I lose it at some future date and start yelling and complaining that people are being mean to me, I fully expect a conga line to form, chanting "Flameout! Flameout! Flameout!" And (with a tear of joy and pride in my eye) I will say "I have taught you well, my people." And I will cut off my right hand and present it as my offering to you all.
posted by languagehat at 3:56 PM on July 11, 2006


And we, as with one voice, will refuse to take the hand from your hand.
posted by Gator at 3:59 PM on July 11, 2006




^ best flamout evar, next to AR.
posted by exlotuseater at 4:20 PM on July 11, 2006


oops, flamEout.
posted by exlotuseater at 4:21 PM on July 11, 2006


Much respect to the flameout skillz of Mssr. Reynolds, but minya is the undisputed and indisputable champ.
posted by cortex at 4:36 PM on July 11, 2006


My group of friends have a phrase for this sort of phenomenon: Don't slam your dick in an oven.

When's your next party?


if this is gonna be that kind of party, i'monna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes!

in the oven.
posted by Hat Maui at 4:41 PM on July 11, 2006


languagehat, will you "burn [someone] in his tank", and have "fire eat [their] stomach"?

Yes, yes I will.

minya is the undisputed and indisputable champ.

Absolutely. When I think "flameout," that's what I have in mind. Nothing less is truly satisfying.
posted by languagehat at 4:51 PM on July 11, 2006


What about that neurological website woman? That was such a wacked-out flameout that mathowie had to remove all traces.
posted by timeistight at 5:08 PM on July 11, 2006


Ah, but some of us hold onto the memories...
posted by languagehat at 5:35 PM on July 11, 2006 [1 favorite]


apparently not that well.
posted by crunchland at 5:37 PM on July 11, 2006


So if a tree falls on SeizeTheDay and nobody is around...
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 5:39 PM on July 11, 2006


languagehat, note an interesting bit of premonition in neu's words:

Move on, nothing here, Different Day, Next Thread.

"Brand New Day" seems suddenly to have a spiritual ancestor.
posted by cortex at 5:55 PM on July 11, 2006


The fish is either in the pants or it is not in the pants, but the goat is on a pole!
posted by flabdablet at 6:29 PM on July 11, 2006


My theory?
Well, since you asked, I think languagehat's insatiable thirst for a flame-out will result in he himself flaming out.

Nevertheless, languagehat is indeed a big man.

Damn straight; I once slammed his dick in my oven, and we don't even live in the same country.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:08 PM on July 11, 2006


Hunh. That sounded a lot less suggestive in the preview.

Pony Request: Some sort of Accidental Entendre Scanner, like the spell check but instead of typos it'd root out unintentional allusions to hawt man on man action.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:12 PM on July 11, 2006


Wow, neu flipped the fuck out. Y'all didn't even call it a flameout then, just a "meltdown."
Wonder if her site's still up. It's only $5 to join now... REVENGE!
posted by klangklangston at 8:38 PM on July 11, 2006


I forgot the cardinal rule of most internet places: People will say things here that they'd never say to your face because they can.

Nah, the cardinal rule you forgot is DON'T POST A METATALK THREAD ABOUT YOURSELF. The rest just kinda flowed naturally from that.
posted by mediareport at 9:50 PM on July 11, 2006


Sorry, that should be DON'T POST A *BITCHY* METATALK THREAD ABOUT YOURSELF.

And it was bitchy, SeizeTheDay. I mean, "Quit trying to make AskMeFi so damn practical as to eliminate thought"? Please.
posted by mediareport at 9:51 PM on July 11, 2006


Well, since you asked, I think languagehat's insatiable thirst for a flame-out will result in he himself flaming out.

You're not the first to suggest that.

Also, I still haven't gotten a check to cover that hospital bill I sent you. That oven hurt, man.
posted by languagehat at 5:56 AM on July 12, 2006


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