PoliticsFilter December 5, 2005 6:58 PM Subscribe
Can we get a partisan bullshit flag? [the more, it's inside?]
If that's not appropriate for the subject matter, sounds like the textbook definition of a derail.
posted by mendel at 7:00 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by mendel at 7:00 PM on December 5, 2005
That's the flag I've been using, but it doesn't feel specific enough.
posted by Eideteker at 7:11 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 7:11 PM on December 5, 2005
Specificity doesn't matter much, I don't think -- I'm not even sure that the particular flaggything you choose matters. If a bunch of people flag a post or comment then it'll get attention even if they all choose different reasons; if you're the only one to flag it it probably won't get attention no matter what reason you chose.
posted by mendel at 7:14 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by mendel at 7:14 PM on December 5, 2005
How about an O RLY flag for the incredibly obvious?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:18 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:18 PM on December 5, 2005
You bastards and your Macs.
I want a "SHIT" option. In all caps please.
posted by selfnoise at 7:21 PM on December 5, 2005
I want a "SHIT" option. In all caps please.
posted by selfnoise at 7:21 PM on December 5, 2005
Could we get a "Needs More Cowbell" option?
(After all, MOTU Digital Performer 4.6 has it.)
posted by weston at 7:30 PM on December 5, 2005
(After all, MOTU Digital Performer 4.6 has it.)
posted by weston at 7:30 PM on December 5, 2005
I've tried marking several of the comments in this thread with various flags and I can't feel the difference. Maybe I don't have the proper wrist technique.
posted by Eideteker at 7:43 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 7:43 PM on December 5, 2005
Eideteker: Nah, it's not in the wrists, it's all in the hips. Just unclench and let nature lead the way. It's easy.
posted by loquacious at 7:46 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by loquacious at 7:46 PM on December 5, 2005
After a few of my mildly-worded center-right comments on blue threads got deleted a year ago, I quit posting to political threads on the blue. Seems like if everyone would quit posting, everyone would be a lot happier.
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:14 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:14 PM on December 5, 2005
gentlemen, start your photoshops! <VROOOOOM!!!>
posted by blue_beetle at 8:37 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by blue_beetle at 8:37 PM on December 5, 2005
Thanks, quonsar. I flagged yours "other." We'll see what that does.
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 PM on December 5, 2005
Do you really think a (fill in the blank) flag is going to make it work "better"? The flag's could be made simpler even. A thumbs up or a thumbs down, like Tivo. The point is to bring the attention of they with delete (and bannination) powers.
Really the best thing to do is flag the derail and then ignore it and the poster who's trying to get a rise out of you. Responding to inflammatory posters encourages them and makes it harder to delete their partisan derail (and yes, it irritated me off too) if there are a dozen comments about the derail.
posted by fenriq at 8:44 PM on December 5, 2005
Really the best thing to do is flag the derail and then ignore it and the poster who's trying to get a rise out of you. Responding to inflammatory posters encourages them and makes it harder to delete their partisan derail (and yes, it irritated me off too) if there are a dozen comments about the derail.
posted by fenriq at 8:44 PM on December 5, 2005
Thanks, fenriq.
(btw, I flagged your comment as "grammar/spelling error" for your egregious use of "flag's" when you meant "flags." It's lefty-neocon anti-grammar fascist hippie pinko jarheads like you that are tearing this country apart.)
posted by Eideteker at 8:49 PM on December 5, 2005
(btw, I flagged your comment as "grammar/spelling error" for your egregious use of "flag's" when you meant "flags." It's lefty-neocon anti-grammar fascist hippie pinko jarheads like you that are tearing this country apart.)
posted by Eideteker at 8:49 PM on December 5, 2005
If it was just thumbs up and thumbs down I would find it a lot easier to use - not that I would use it that often. If my complaint doesn't fit with the descriptions, such as they are, I feel really weird about following through.
Maybe up, down and other?
posted by Chuckles at 8:51 PM on December 5, 2005
Maybe up, down and other?
posted by Chuckles at 8:51 PM on December 5, 2005
Up, down, and a box, at least. Other is good, but only with a box. I promise to keep it concise.
posted by Eideteker at 8:59 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 8:59 PM on December 5, 2005
I completely agree Eideteker. 'other' shouldn't be in my list - don't ask me how I forgot how much a hate it...
posted by Chuckles at 9:02 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Chuckles at 9:02 PM on December 5, 2005
Where do you draw the line between "someone's opinion" and "partisan bullshit?" Don't answer that. I'm sure it's all very clear to you. But you know it would never work, in practice. Or if it did, Matt would have to delete the whole site.
AREA MAN DECOMISSIONS WEB FORUM, CITING PREPONDERANCE OF OPINING
"What can I say?" Asks Matt Haughey, creator of popular community site MetaFilter. "There were tons of 'partisan bullshit' flags everywhere, on everything. I had to pull the plug before it all became 'you're wrong!' no,' you're wrong!'"
posted by scarabic at 9:03 PM on December 5, 2005
AREA MAN DECOMISSIONS WEB FORUM, CITING PREPONDERANCE OF OPINING
"What can I say?" Asks Matt Haughey, creator of popular community site MetaFilter. "There were tons of 'partisan bullshit' flags everywhere, on everything. I had to pull the plug before it all became 'you're wrong!' no,' you're wrong!'"
posted by scarabic at 9:03 PM on December 5, 2005
Partisan bullshit is when someone bases their entire argument on calling someone "left" or "right". These terms have no meaning. It's just a step down (not up) from calling someone "stupid."
There are plenty of comments on this site that are completely free of any political content whatsoever. That you've already given up on reasoned political discussion (namecalling is not reasoned) speaks volumes about your consumption of information. Do you hang out only in political threads? There's more to MetaFilter than that. I'm not saying we should be shiny happy people all the time. I'm saying that lazy comments help no one and hurt the site overall (I'm led to believe this is the reason dhoyt got so much attention; though I never followed that race).
posted by Eideteker at 9:14 PM on December 5, 2005
There are plenty of comments on this site that are completely free of any political content whatsoever. That you've already given up on reasoned political discussion (namecalling is not reasoned) speaks volumes about your consumption of information. Do you hang out only in political threads? There's more to MetaFilter than that. I'm not saying we should be shiny happy people all the time. I'm saying that lazy comments help no one and hurt the site overall (I'm led to believe this is the reason dhoyt got so much attention; though I never followed that race).
posted by Eideteker at 9:14 PM on December 5, 2005
Rothko to quonsar: "i know you are but what am i?"
can't you come up with some variation on the joke at least? i knew you were largely humorless, but sheesh!
posted by Hat Maui at 9:16 PM on December 5, 2005
can't you come up with some variation on the joke at least? i knew you were largely humorless, but sheesh!
posted by Hat Maui at 9:16 PM on December 5, 2005
What actually happens after you flag a post or comment anyway?
posted by afu at 9:23 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by afu at 9:23 PM on December 5, 2005
I've already marked Rothko as "double post" twice in this thread. I think I'm getting the hang of this flag thing.
posted by Eideteker at 9:24 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 9:24 PM on December 5, 2005
Partisan bullshit is when someone bases their entire argument on calling someone "left" or "right". These terms have no meaning. It's just a step down (not up) from calling someone "stupid."
A flag for "logical fallacy"? Perhaps the pulldown could lead to a hierarchical menu with "straw man", "ad hominem", "begging the question", "false dichotomy" et al.
posted by nowonmai at 9:31 PM on December 5, 2005
A flag for "logical fallacy"? Perhaps the pulldown could lead to a hierarchical menu with "straw man", "ad hominem", "begging the question", "false dichotomy" et al.
posted by nowonmai at 9:31 PM on December 5, 2005
Maybe if I ask Matt nicely, he'll change the verbiage to "double post/comment" just like "fantastic". Until then, I'll flag myself as "it breaks the guidelines." Thanks for the heads up.
So far, I think fenriq's thumb idea is the best thing to come out of this thread. And my box. I loves me a little box to type a two or three word explanation.
Also, I enjoyed getting between Pot and Kettle, but that's just my own particular fetish.
ON PREVIEW: nowonmai's got it! You understand where I'm coming from.
posted by Eideteker at 9:33 PM on December 5, 2005
So far, I think fenriq's thumb idea is the best thing to come out of this thread. And my box. I loves me a little box to type a two or three word explanation.
Also, I enjoyed getting between Pot and Kettle, but that's just my own particular fetish.
ON PREVIEW: nowonmai's got it! You understand where I'm coming from.
posted by Eideteker at 9:33 PM on December 5, 2005
wrong font, incorrectly hinted. alex, you lose.
Shitty joke, quonsar; you lost from the start. Try the pissing elephant, it seems to be your trademark.
posted by Rothko at 9:35 PM on December 5, 2005
Shitty joke, quonsar; you lost from the start. Try the pissing elephant, it seems to be your trademark.
posted by Rothko at 9:35 PM on December 5, 2005
Dear Department of Transportation ... While I know that when I press the button at the crosswalk, I realize that pressing the button has no effect on the timing of the traffic lights, and that it's just busy work. Nevertheless, I would like more options for the crosswalk buttons. I would like a new button to be labelled "run." I would like another to be labelled "walk (backwards)." I would like a third to be labelled "float." Please do everything possible to implement this. Meanwhile, I will continue to perfect my ritual for washing my hands. Yours very sincerely, John Q. Asshat, III
posted by crunchland at 9:38 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by crunchland at 9:38 PM on December 5, 2005
Wait; when I go to flag a comment, it tells me I'm flagging a post:
Someone needs to tell Matt about this.
posted by Eideteker at 9:47 PM on December 5, 2005
Someone needs to tell Matt about this.
posted by Eideteker at 9:47 PM on December 5, 2005
Proposed new flags:
-lame, super duper lame (an old flag actually that needs to return)
-WTF?
-can't find the shift key
-Farktastic!
-newsfilter
-die die die
Actually, the whole flagging system is feeling like a mistake. There must be hundred of flags a day (how many Matt?), most of them bullshit. But the existence of the flagging system sets up an expectation that something will happen.
/vows never to flag anything again
posted by LarryC at 9:54 PM on December 5, 2005
-lame, super duper lame (an old flag actually that needs to return)
-WTF?
-can't find the shift key
-Farktastic!
-newsfilter
-die die die
Actually, the whole flagging system is feeling like a mistake. There must be hundred of flags a day (how many Matt?), most of them bullshit. But the existence of the flagging system sets up an expectation that something will happen.
/vows never to flag anything again
posted by LarryC at 9:54 PM on December 5, 2005
/me flags LarryC as fantastic post/comment.
/me immediately regrets it.
/me goes off to start a new MeTa thread requesting the ability to edit our flags.
posted by Eideteker at 9:56 PM on December 5, 2005
/me immediately regrets it.
/me goes off to start a new MeTa thread requesting the ability to edit our flags.
posted by Eideteker at 9:56 PM on December 5, 2005
Maybe that's the point? It's not funny.
Heh, no, that was pretty funny. And when I see "quonsar" on the drop-down I just think "Kewl, a new positive flag! ARCTIC CANDY HOORAY!"
Matt, if you don't put "it breaks my mind" or at least "mushroom" on the post-flagging dropdowns, I'm totally going to kill a puppy, an emu, a six pack of antique pull-tab steel-can Schlitz and a recumbent bicycle. But not just any recumbent bicycle. Your recumbent bicycle.
posted by loquacious at 9:59 PM on December 5, 2005
Heh, no, that was pretty funny. And when I see "quonsar" on the drop-down I just think "Kewl, a new positive flag! ARCTIC CANDY HOORAY!"
Matt, if you don't put "it breaks my mind" or at least "mushroom" on the post-flagging dropdowns, I'm totally going to kill a puppy, an emu, a six pack of antique pull-tab steel-can Schlitz and a recumbent bicycle. But not just any recumbent bicycle. Your recumbent bicycle.
posted by loquacious at 9:59 PM on December 5, 2005
Shitty joke, quonsar; you lost from the start.
He wins when you play, Rothko. He wins when you play.
posted by mediareport at 10:07 PM on December 5, 2005
He wins when you play, Rothko. He wins when you play.
posted by mediareport at 10:07 PM on December 5, 2005
Ever since Matt said that almost all the comments he deletes are submitted with flags for "breaks the guidelines," how to flag has been a pretty simple question for me :)
posted by scarabic at 10:38 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by scarabic at 10:38 PM on December 5, 2005
What's the name for that particular logical fallacy? Where the majority of things deleted (D) are also (B) "breaks the guidelines," but the majority of things B are not necessarily D?
posted by Eideteker at 10:52 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 10:52 PM on December 5, 2005
Fallacy of composition, Eideteker.
posted by solid-one-love at 11:08 PM on December 5, 2005
posted by solid-one-love at 11:08 PM on December 5, 2005
Game, set, and match to Q.
It's the game where returning the volley is a forfeit.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:20 PM on December 5, 2005
It's the game where returning the volley is a forfeit.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:20 PM on December 5, 2005
I'm with fenriq: replace the flags with [+] [-] for good and bad votes. No, plebes would not get to see any kind of vote count. We bring things to the attention of matt and jessamyn to either bring to everyone's attention in the sidebar, or to smother quietly.
posted by boo_radley at 12:54 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by boo_radley at 12:54 AM on December 6, 2005
lame, super duper lame (an old flag actually that needs to return)
I think it was removed because too many things on MetaFilter are "lame, like super duper lame."
posted by grouse at 1:32 AM on December 6, 2005
I think it was removed because too many things on MetaFilter are "lame, like super duper lame."
posted by grouse at 1:32 AM on December 6, 2005
Thanks, quonsar. I flagged yours "other." We'll see what that does.
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 PM PST on December 5 [!]
I flagged it as fantastic post/comment. Hilarious that one.
Humour is relative.
posted by juiceCake at 4:42 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 PM PST on December 5 [!]
I flagged it as fantastic post/comment. Hilarious that one.
Humour is relative.
posted by juiceCake at 4:42 AM on December 6, 2005
Why not replace the current flagging system with the terror alert system. Severe to low risk of metatalk callout. In pretty colours.
posted by funambulist at 4:48 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by funambulist at 4:48 AM on December 6, 2005
Matt has already said the current system isn't very sensible and he's thinking about consolidating the negative reasons into "double post" and "noise" or something like that. You realize that all the flags do is call a post or comment to his attention, right? It doesn't matter what they actually say; he'll make up his own mind when he takes a look.
posted by languagehat at 6:39 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by languagehat at 6:39 AM on December 6, 2005
* Ooo look pretty, shiny
* (Yawn)
* I'm mad at this poster
* I already read this somewhere else and since Metafilter revolves around me, I want it removed Pronto!
* I am psychic, all discussion in this thread will go badly
* Single link
* Double post
* Triple on the rocks, no ice
* Bad grammer, bad spelling, could use a good editing with a stiff cane
* Caused my eyes to roll so far back in their sockets, I am now legally blind
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:03 AM on December 6, 2005
* (Yawn)
* I'm mad at this poster
* I already read this somewhere else and since Metafilter revolves around me, I want it removed Pronto!
* I am psychic, all discussion in this thread will go badly
* Single link
* Double post
* Triple on the rocks, no ice
* Bad grammer, bad spelling, could use a good editing with a stiff cane
* Caused my eyes to roll so far back in their sockets, I am now legally blind
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:03 AM on December 6, 2005
Right, languagehat. I think it would be helpful if he understood just why we flagged a comment, especially if he's wading through hundreds of flags a day. It may not be immediately apparent in some cases.
posted by Eideteker at 8:05 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 8:05 AM on December 6, 2005
* Roger that
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:15 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by Kirth Gerson at 8:15 AM on December 6, 2005
It may not be immediately apparent in some cases.
If it's not immediately apparent, he's probably not going to do anything about it. Deletion of comments is reserved for pretty serious transgressions.
But don't you see, if read in the context of A's comment earlier in the thread plus B's previous views, it's actually a vitriolic attack on the very foundations of civilization!
posted by languagehat at 10:06 AM on December 6, 2005
If it's not immediately apparent, he's probably not going to do anything about it. Deletion of comments is reserved for pretty serious transgressions.
But don't you see, if read in the context of A's comment earlier in the thread plus B's previous views, it's actually a vitriolic attack on the very foundations of civilization!
posted by languagehat at 10:06 AM on December 6, 2005
I have flagged quonsar's inline image as fantastic.
It was really just mildly OK, but Rothko's "comeback" bumped it up a few notches.
I hope I'm using this right.
posted by soyjoy at 10:07 AM on December 6, 2005
It was really just mildly OK, but Rothko's "comeback" bumped it up a few notches.
I hope I'm using this right.
posted by soyjoy at 10:07 AM on December 6, 2005
posted by If I Had An Anus at 11:12 AM on December 6, 2005
Maybe we could get Matt to change "Flag This Post" to "Frag This Post"?
I am interested in what the daily flag total is, just out of idle curiousity.
posted by warbaby at 6:39 AM on December 7, 2005
I am interested in what the daily flag total is, just out of idle curiousity.
posted by warbaby at 6:39 AM on December 7, 2005
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posted by Eideteker at 6:59 PM on December 5, 2005