MetaTalk

I have, over the years, tried to convince IRL friends of the awesomeness of metafilter. But getting them interested is daunting- there is so much history and culture here. Any given day the front page posts are good; but if you're not familiar with the site, can seem like just a collection of links with discussion. So what threads/posts/discussions do you use to really show off metafilter to people unfamiliar with it? Are there any standout posts you use time and again to people unfamiliar with metafilter? This isn't the best metafilter posts, exactly, as some of the best posts jusdged by mefites may be too culturally specific to hook someone on the outside looking in. [more inside]
posted by [insert clever name here] on Jul 25, 2017 - 45 comments

Back in 2009 someone posted this question asking members for the posts they'd include in a Best Of Metafilter book with all the best advice from the hive mind.

But that was 7 years ago. So I'd like to ask the question again, 7 years later: Can you give me the link to the best things you've ever read here, something that actually changed your view of the world or made you a better person? [more inside]
posted by Cozybee on Jul 8, 2016 - 26 comments

What are some of the best things on the Metafilter Wiki? [more inside]
posted by Scientist on May 26, 2012 - 16 comments

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Starship Titanic website sat a specious message board with posts by the senior crew of the fictional ship. This is not its story." The Economist blog "Babbage" explores (in decidedly Adamsian style) the fascinating story of the Starlight Lines forum and its "accidental" community, as told by Mefi's own Yoz Grahame in this truly epic comment from last December. [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi on Feb 14, 2011 - 15 comments

I was thinking of doing a list of "best of" threads for metafilter, on the archives page. Do you recall any of the best threads that meet the following criteria? If so, post them here as a comment.

How about by topic?

threads on:
globalization: (I know there were at least a couple great, civil, long threads about it)
prisions: (among the 5 or 6 in recent memory there must be one or two good ones)
abortion:
homosexuality:
SUVs:
death penalty:
huge news threads: (the biggest kaycee one, the seattle earthquake, and the first WTC one?)
good audience participation threads:

good weird finds? best thing for $30 threads? Just plain good threads that don't meet any of the above criteria?

If you have any favorites, post a link to them, and I'll try to organize them. Think about the best MetaFilter has to offer, and find those threads that exemplify what the site can be.
posted by mathowie on Nov 6, 2001 - 40 comments

Discuss: What has been the greatest MetaFilter thread?
posted by Sean Meade on Apr 21, 2001 - 5 comments