I don't know how to use favorites December 2, 2006 7:29 PM   Subscribe

i've got no problem with users who like to hand out favorites like they mean nothing, but, really...
as an aspiring user of metafilter, i'm not quite sure how to grant these special little clicks (especially in light of this). is there a proper ratio one might strive towards of posts i favorite versus posts of mine favorited by others? if not, is there some other measure which might guide me in my favoritism?
posted by localhuman to Etiquette/Policy at 7:29 PM (141 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite

is there a proper ratio one might strive towards of posts i favorite versus posts of mine favorited by others?

Nope.

Next!

posted by dash_slot- at 7:34 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


You can use favorites however you want. Not everyone uses "favorites" to mark things they consider their favorites. I use favorites to keep track of comment I really love and don't want to forget, and threads I want to see the follow-up on. This callout is lame.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:35 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


Perhaps it was a Google Web Accelerator mistake from back when the favorites link was a simple link?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:39 PM on December 2, 2006


If it's a bookmark feature, then it's badly named.

If it's a voting scheme, then it's just plain bad.
posted by cribcage at 7:39 PM on December 2, 2006


I think your issue is with nomenclature. 'Favourite' is simply the word that mathowie chose. It could have easily been something like 'track' or 'remember' or whatnot.

Some people use the 'favourite' option to mark their favourites. Some people use it to track threads. Some people use it to remember neat links. Some people use it to remember funny shit.

You can use it however you like. Aiming for some 'ideal ratio' for a personal choice, as if you would be marked by the MeFi membership for how you use the feature, is pretty bizarre.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:44 PM on December 2, 2006


No right way to use it, no wrong way to use it, no ratio to strive for. Anything from things you think are hilarious, to terrible points you want to throw back in someone's face later. This may change if they get rid of the "fantastic" flag, but I don't know if that's going to happen or not.
posted by piratebowling at 7:48 PM on December 2, 2006


There's an approved ratio, but it's unknowable. Every time you violate the ratio mathowie gives a kitten LSD.
posted by substrate at 7:48 PM on December 2, 2006 [11 favorites]


that's probably the most reasonable response i could've expected getting, dirtynumbangelboy. i guess it's time to resume similar favoritism practices as i had in place
posted by localhuman at 7:49 PM on December 2, 2006


I also "favorite" threads I think are going to be deleted, so I can see the deletion reason.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:56 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


It's not a popularity contest, unless, of course, I'm not winning.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:58 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and favorite my share,
With some ratio that seems quite fair—
[They will say: “How his favorites are growing dim!”]
My morning post, my comment favoring, where to begin?
My witty lines rich and modest, but asserted with a simple grin :)—
[They will say: “But how his favorites ratio is thin!”]
Do I dare
Disturb the Metaverse?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

In the blue the posters come and go
Talking of many things of which they don't know.

posted by Falconetti at 8:13 PM on December 2, 2006 [4 favorites]


no no, stav, you have it right. it's a popularity contest. Definitely a popularity contest.
posted by jonson at 8:21 PM on December 2, 2006


*shakes fist at jonson*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:24 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


The more times you favorite this comment, the less likely it is that I will take off my pants.
posted by loquacious at 8:44 PM on December 2, 2006 [13 favorites]


How many does it take before you have to wear the same pants for the rest of your life?
posted by winston at 8:53 PM on December 2, 2006


Well, I use the favourite tag to mark favourites, things to keep, and things to come back to - so, no.

But I'll see if I can't get the ferry captain to swing close to that boat on Monday morning, just to shake some sense into her ;-)

(Disclaimer: my location isn't real. Ha, your ICBM's can't target me now! My neighbours in the flat across the hall might get a nasty shock though...)
posted by Pinback at 8:53 PM on December 2, 2006


To answer the two questions you did ask and one that you didn't: No. No. Yes.
posted by frecklefaerie at 9:04 PM on December 2, 2006


I use it for stuff I like, stuff I want to read again, and as a subtle, ironic, almost unnoticeable way of insulting people.
posted by signal at 9:21 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


Do I dare to eat a peach in your general direction?
posted by blue_beetle at 9:26 PM on December 2, 2006


Every comment in this thread deserves to be favo(u)rited!!!
posted by ericb at 9:27 PM on December 2, 2006


Yeah, I mostly use Favorites as a bookmark feature. My favorited comments are mostly those I found funny or interesting, though.
posted by Zosia Blue at 9:41 PM on December 2, 2006


Yeah, I have become fond of favoriting stuff I just want to be able to find again---it's not necessarily a compliment to the author of the favorited post or comment. Searching by Yahoo doesn't turn up things I'm looking for, much of the time, so marking favorites is the way to go.
posted by jayder at 10:11 PM on December 2, 2006


You've misread it— it's "flavoriting," not "favoriting." When you mark a post or a comment, matthowie adds a tang to it (using Ajax; it's very web 2.1). People keep track of their flavorites in order to build a meal out of TasteFilter (TaFi).
Divabat is only eight years old, and her eyes are bigger than her stomach.
posted by klangklangston at 10:32 PM on December 2, 2006 [1 favorite]


(Speaking of ponies, Matt, how's smell-o-vision coming?)
posted by klangklangston at 10:32 PM on December 2, 2006


By the way, I just want to take this opportunity to point out that I'm 61 more "favorites" away from being favorited 1,000 times. When I reach four digits worth of favoriting, Matt's going to give me a key to the Four Digit Club, or 4DC - currently the only member is that chick anonymous, who mostly seems to hang out on AskMeta. It's gonna rock, hanging out with anonymous, she seems like it'd be easy to trick her into sleeping with me. I'll let you guys know how it works out.
posted by jonson at 10:47 PM on December 2, 2006 [2 favorites]


jonson, I want you to know that I owe you 9 favorites for my Jesus in Japan post, since I found that story while googling "gourmet horse meat" for your deleted dog food entry. But since you'll probably reach your goal by Tuesday I'm going to sit on 'em. You popular kids are just a bunch of phonies anyhow.
posted by maryh at 11:15 PM on December 2, 2006


You've misread it— it's "flavoriting," not "favoriting."

OMG klang you totally stole my idea.

omgthxbi
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:18 PM on December 2, 2006


localhuman, yes, there is a ratio, and you are desperately falling behind in maintaining that ratio. So are most other users in Metafilter.

But never fear! You and others like you can make amends right here, right now. I, in all my generosity and benevolence, have provided this comment for you to favorite so that you can be one click closer towards that promised land of favorite vs. favorited equilibrium.

So everyone favorite this post right now, and you too can have a limited, one of a kind Effigy2000 comment in your favorites list. You can't lose!
posted by Effigy2000 at 12:58 AM on December 3, 2006


Wait, what do you mean, "can't lose"? Obviously, Effigy2000, I can lose, and probably have lost the game just by not marking your comment as a favorite. j

Clearly this can only mean one thing: Your favorite guarantee sucks.
posted by cgc373 at 1:54 AM on December 3, 2006


Huh, my first call-out! How did you find my profile?

I personally use it as a bookmarking system. I find many posts here (especially on AskMefi) very interesting and want to keep track of them. Before Matt set up the favourites system, I would actually save discussions I liked onto my hard-drive - I have possibly around 1000 such files now waiting to be sorted (I've sorted some into categories).

It's not "handing them out like they're nothing"; it's a way of noting which posts to go back to if I want an interesting read. I do wish there was a simpler way of going through them (tags, or more per page, or something), but this is my best option yet.
posted by divabat at 2:30 AM on December 3, 2006 [2 favorites]


I understand your confusion localhuman. As a British English speaker, every time I see the word 'favorite', I think it's a reference to some sort of Spanish mineral.
posted by jack_mo at 3:00 AM on December 3, 2006


I wanted to cavorite this thread but it floated away.
posted by ardgedee at 3:13 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


...and as a subtle, ironic, almost unnoticeable way of insulting people.

For some reason signal's comment leaves me feeling nervous.
*goes off to check favorites*
posted by econous at 3:17 AM on December 3, 2006


So everyone favorite this post right now, and you too can have a limited, one of a kind Effigy2000 comment in your favorites list.

Effigy2000, as per your request, I favorited this post, AND your comment, but I removed them straightaway, cause I felt so used...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:21 AM on December 3, 2006


What jonson doesn't realize is that when you hit 1000 favorites by others, you transcend this reality into one where you become a human being and live a life where popularity points on an internet message board don't really matter.
posted by crunchland at 4:56 AM on December 3, 2006


you transcend this reality into one where you become a human being and live a life where popularity points on an internet message board don't really matter.

please! you actually believe in such ridiculous fairy tales? do you worship creatures made of airborne pasta, too?
posted by mdn at 5:11 AM on December 3, 2006


creatures made of airborne pasta

Ooooh, I like pasta! I want to meet these creatures!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:18 AM on December 3, 2006


And eat them!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:19 AM on December 3, 2006


'Favourite' is simply the word that mathowie chose.

And a bad one it is, but he's not going to change it, because he's a stubborn kind of fellow. [Cue James Jamerson bassline.]

localhuman, you're way overthinking this. Since nobody's said this in ages: it's just a website.
posted by languagehat at 6:57 AM on December 3, 2006


languagehat knows who James Jamerson is, and that is worthy of respect. That's all I wanted to say.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:14 AM on December 3, 2006


If it's a bookmark feature, then it's badly named.

Just like in Internet Explorer.
posted by Robert Angelo at 8:03 AM on December 3, 2006


I had no idea Spiderman's boss played the bass.

Also, I propose we rename favorites to "dyn-o-MITE"s.
posted by cortex at 8:08 AM on December 3, 2006


*shakes fist at jonson*

The more times you favorite this comment, the less likely it is that I will take off my pants.


*shakes jonson with fist*
posted by and hosted from Uranus at 8:38 AM on December 3, 2006


By the way, I just want to take this opportunity to point out that I'm 61 more "favorites" away from being favorited 1,000 times.

Love your posts to pieces, jonson, but ew. Is that why you do it? Of course not. So what's the point of repeatedly announcing that you've been favorited more than any other member? It's kinda tacky.
posted by mediareport at 8:42 AM on December 3, 2006


You're my second favorite jonson.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:07 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


It's kinda tacky.

that's the point, actually. I do it because the concept of someone taking pride in "popularity points on an internet message board" as crunchland says, seems inherently funny to me. The whole jonson persona within MetaTalk is basically an excuse to be pure ego for comedy's sake, to be the blowhard who almost refuses to gain perspective.

Of course, by posting this comment, I sorta ruined the joke...
posted by jonson at 9:33 AM on December 3, 2006


The whole jonson persona within MetaTalk is basically an excuse to be pure ego for comedy's sake, to be the blowhard who almost refuses to gain perspective.

Huh. I don't get that from your "persona" at all. Aside from the favorites thing, you don't come across as a blowhard in the slightest, which is why the favorititis sticks out so much.
posted by mediareport at 9:37 AM on December 3, 2006


The "blowhard" persona goes back a ways in MetaTalk/MetaFilter history, if I've followed it properly, right, jonson?
posted by cgc373 at 9:38 AM on December 3, 2006


*shakes jonson with fist*

fisting other users is against the guidelines
posted by matteo at 9:43 AM on December 3, 2006


This comment tastes like a 9-Volt battery.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:51 AM on December 3, 2006 [2 favorites]


Mmmm.
posted by cgc373 at 9:58 AM on December 3, 2006


I don't get that from your "persona" at all

you don't? Trust me, it's there. See maryh's comment here ('jonson's comments in MetaTalk are always about jonson'). See anything crunchland has ever said here in reference to me. Pretty much everything I say on MetaTalk is silly, over the top self-promotion. It makes me laugh, hopefully it makes a few others laugh as well. I'm sorry if it annoyed you, that's really not the point. If you're concerned that a poster whose posts you like is actually this vacuous obsessive jackass, then let me state for the record that having more favorites then anyone else does not, in fact, mean shit. It doesn't make me smarter, funnier, more popular, etc.
posted by jonson at 10:05 AM on December 3, 2006


I've worked out a fairly complicated and sophisticated method to figure out which posts I should favorite. It goes a little something like this:

If I want to keep track of a post, I'll favorite it. I never pay attention to whether or not any of my posts/comments get favorited.

Try it, you'll like it.
posted by necessitas at 10:22 AM on December 3, 2006


ceiling quonsar is masturbating your kitten.
posted by quonsar at 10:28 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


I'm sorry if it annoyed you

It's not annoying, just kind of ew. The humor's not connecting with me, I guess. It's cool.
posted by mediareport at 10:32 AM on December 3, 2006


Well now I'm glad there's no img tag. Really glad.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:37 AM on December 3, 2006


I favorite FPPs that I want to follow and keep track of, I favorite comments to let the user know that I applaud their wit, intelligence, or heart (though never all three).

I never kept track of my favorites till recently. Instead, I preferred to measure my greatness based on the number of best answers I got on AskMe. (which is bullshit, because people frequently don't pick a best answer, even when mine is sitting right there, staring them in the face...)

The quickest way for me to get to see that, was to go the profile and click on all posts to Ask, then just see if I had any checkmarks next to my responses. At some point, I noticed that the number next to my favorites went up occasionally, that's when I realized that it was people's responses to my comments. At some point since, I've become like a Pavlovian dog, checking daily to see if I'm more popular than I was the day before.

Because the whole of my self worth is measured by how many favorites I have. The wife, the job, the pets... none of them matter to me in light of that near-holy number. One day I hope to reach the levels of the powerful elite like jonson, (who, I'm told can bend space and time to his will since reaching 500 and summon squirrels with his mind since reaching 800). His is like unto a god among us.
posted by quin at 10:38 AM on December 3, 2006


Who here believes one iota of jonson's rationalization?

Not me. I believe he really is the sad, vapid, attention whore he appears to be. He may tell himself that it's all a joke, but deep down, his emotional needs are SCREAMING to be favorited. Don't let him make you think otherwise.
posted by crunchland at 11:10 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


I find it best to dress crunchland up as Ronald MacDonald to read his comments.
posted by peacay at 11:16 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


I take it crunchie is working a persona too; the difference is that jonson's persona is funny, crunchie's is just plain unpleasant. He may not in fact be a nasty, abusive, misanthropic jerk, but the fact that he takes pleasure in coming across that way is telling.
posted by languagehat at 11:21 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


For you, it comes naturally.
posted by crunchland at 11:30 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Is it gonna get ugly in here? How does one work the conciliation angle in a situation like this?

"You're both pretty?"

"You're all pretty?"

Hell, I dunno.
posted by cgc373 at 11:32 AM on December 3, 2006


Oh, and crunchland, sockpuppet sighting over here.
posted by cgc373 at 11:37 AM on December 3, 2006


When I think about me I favorite myself.
posted by moonbird at 11:38 AM on December 3, 2006 [5 favorites]


*favorites moonbird*
posted by cgc373 at 11:40 AM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Flagged as Fantastic.
posted by hermitosis at 11:55 AM on December 3, 2006


wow, crunchie, you've really taken a turn for the worse in the last couple of days. Seriously, man, is something wrong?
posted by jonson at 12:03 PM on December 3, 2006


It's bad when your own sockpuppet is asking you if anything is wrong.
posted by crunchland at 12:09 PM on December 3, 2006


Whoa. That was like that jujutsu stuff Michael Richards was using, but it worked.
posted by cgc373 at 12:23 PM on December 3, 2006


That would be the greatest prank ever, if I was your sockpuppet. Actually, the 2nd greatest. If I was y2Karl's sockpuppet, it would be the greatest.

But seriously man, attacking the recovering alcoholic the other day, and this thing here, it's just... you seem a little angry, and I'm not sure why. No one here is your enemy. Hell, people even used to like the things you posted back when you posted cool stuff. Those days don't have to be over, crunchie.
posted by jonson at 12:24 PM on December 3, 2006


people even used to like the things you posted back when you posted cool stuff

Oh gawd...
posted by iconomy at 12:30 PM on December 3, 2006


Maybe that's a point you should consider, jonson. Used to be. Metafilter is a fickle place. One day you're everyone's favorite. The next, you're a nasty, abusive, misanthropic jerk. I've learned not to care what 99% of the people here think of me. I call a spade a spade, and I don't feel the need to pull any punches. Sgt.Serenity has more than given me what I gave him, so I don't feel the slightest bit of remorse. And people overlooked the charity I did show him. Whatever. I don't need the adoration of the likes of the languagehats and cortexes of the world. Striving for acceptance by a bunch of people who spend the better part of their day pressing refresh here is not one of my goals in life.
posted by crunchland at 12:31 PM on December 3, 2006


Uh. . . .
posted by cgc373 at 12:38 PM on December 3, 2006


. . . I press refresh a lot. =(
posted by cgc373 at 12:39 PM on December 3, 2006


I use favorites to 1) mark things i thought were over the top insightful 2)mark my place in a thread if I get called away 3) To find threads I'd like to read through eventually but didn't have the time right then, usually I do #3.
posted by drezdn at 12:43 PM on December 3, 2006


.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:02 PM on December 3, 2006


So, apparently I don't care if people here think that 'jonson', essentially a name in a database registry, is a "sad, vapid, attention whore," as you put it anymore than you care if people think you're a "nasty, abusive, misanthropic jerk" (again, your words).

The difference is, when I goof around here, it's being self-deprecating and give folks something to make fun of. When you chime in, it's to insult people & hurt their feelings. If people here don't matter to you, why go to the trouble of insulting them? What benefit is it to you to make me feel worse, or Sarge, or anyone else?

Also, just a quibble, but you can't really insult folks by claiming they "spend the better part of their day pressing refresh here," it's a little too much the pot calling the kettle black.
posted by jonson at 1:04 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Just reading this thread makes me feel that "ew" feeling.
posted by leftcoastbob at 1:10 PM on December 3, 2006


So I take it I'm not the only one who finds this place refreshing?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:14 PM on December 3, 2006


I'm guessing srg.Serenity is the piss-head? No wonder he didn't make it through Sandhurst.
posted by econous at 1:16 PM on December 3, 2006


Fight you juggernauts of the metafilter favorite. Fight your proud ego-less corner. I shall be masturbating quonser in your crawl space, as he uses a very, very long stick to hit F5. Must get out and play WOW a little more...
posted by econous at 1:19 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Actually, I've been meaning to post a MeTa about this. I'm fairly convinced that Hotmail has been adding to my favorites list, but I'm positively sure that I never asked them to do any favoriting for me. Also, I'm planning on being pretty defensive and unreasonable about any help that is offered to me. Any suggestions?
posted by Kwine at 3:26 PM on December 3, 2006


Who posted the AskMe you're referring to, Kwine?
posted by cgc373 at 3:47 PM on December 3, 2006


I was trying to reference this endlessly amusing thread, but it looks like I've failed. Perhaps it has been too long, or perhaps I'm just not funny.
posted by Kwine at 3:58 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Oh, no, you were spot-on in the reference, Kwine. For some reason I crosswired econous and reklaw (maybe the "EK" sound?) and wanted to get it straight, but didn't have a quick search in mind to settle it. Thanks.
posted by cgc373 at 4:05 PM on December 3, 2006


that's the funniest thread i've ever read on metafilter, kwine. i think i'll utilize that favoriting function everyone here's been talking about...
posted by localhuman at 4:21 PM on December 3, 2006


jonson makes me tingle in my no-no spots
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:25 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Excellent! My work here is done.
posted by jonson at 4:39 PM on December 3, 2006


For what it's worth, jonson, I wasn't trying to insult people for endlessly pressing refresh. I was saying that I'm not trying to impress them. But I guess you cleverly caught me in a bit of self-loathing.

The misanthropic comment was lifted from languagehat. Accusing you of being vapid, well ... if you didn't really care about the popularity contest, then calling your persona vapid wouldn't have bothered you in the least.
posted by crunchland at 4:42 PM on December 3, 2006


No way, crunchland. The jonson persona obviously does care about his favorites and how many of them he gets. So of course being accused of vapidity would wound the poor fellow. He needs approval, not approbation.
posted by cgc373 at 5:04 PM on December 3, 2006


I'm gotta agree with crunchland on this one. Sorry jonson, your hubris is hanging out of your pants. And you're forced "explanation" makes you look even worse.
posted by bob sarabia at 5:15 PM on December 3, 2006


"you are forced explanation"?

and that's not hubris hanging out of my pants...
posted by jonson at 5:20 PM on December 3, 2006


goddamnit. I consistently screw up "your" and "their". This interweb thing is killing my writing skills. And I'm still hoping matt comes through the an edit comment pony.
posted by bob sarabia at 5:29 PM on December 3, 2006


That should be "comes through with an edit comment pony".
posted by bob sarabia at 5:30 PM on December 3, 2006


When you can't refute the comment, attack the syntax and grammar.
posted by crunchland at 5:36 PM on December 3, 2006


Don't you attack my grammar! She was a fine old gal.
posted by languagehat at 6:02 PM on December 3, 2006


jonson... ...tingle... ...my no-no spots As a Catholic, the comment I have indicated using italics, has uncovered a no-no spot I was unaware of. I have been niave.
posted by econous at 6:07 PM on December 3, 2006


*considers touching econous's newly-discovered no-no place*

*refrains*
posted by cgc373 at 6:15 PM on December 3, 2006


When you can't refute the comment, attack the syntax and grammar

I certainly can't refute the comment. At least, no more than I have throughout this post. If people want to think that in real life I spend my time sitting alone in my basement obsessing over my metafilter favorite count, there's sorta nothing I can do about it, any more than I could change people's minds if they thought I was serious about trying to make out with the anonymous poster from AskMetafilter. Sometimes, you tell a joke, not everyone laughs. Whaddya gonna do?
posted by jonson at 6:18 PM on December 3, 2006


jonson : and that's not hubris hanging out of my pants...

Is it hummus? Because if it is, you're just weird.
posted by quin at 6:46 PM on December 3, 2006


You know, even if somewhere in his black, black comedy heart, jonson is pleased and proud to have so many of his contributions favorited, that's perfectly OK. By choosing to spend some portion of our time here, we acknowledge other users as our peers to one degree or another, and the approbation of one's peers is a gratifying and rewarding thing.

It's not the same as real life (whatever that is), but that doesn't make it worthless.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:49 PM on December 3, 2006


If it's Hamas, the terrorists have already won.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 6:52 PM on December 3, 2006


Here's my thinking on this. You're known for consistently posting awesome stuff in the blue, for which we're all appreciative. You're also known for utilizing the crunchland method and doing hardcore research in finding things to post to the blue. So when you come into metatalk and bloviate on how special you are and how many favorites you have, it's pretty hard to just write it off as some wacky persona. And the fact that you claim there is a wacky joketime metatalk persona makes you seem like even more of a blowhard.
posted by bob sarabia at 6:56 PM on December 3, 2006


"*shakes fist at jonson*

The more times you favorite this comment, the less likely it is that I will take off my pants.

*shakes jonson with fist*"


*fists jonson*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:58 PM on December 3, 2006


Uh oh. m_c_d just violated the guidlines.

Now your in trouble buddy.
posted by quin at 7:02 PM on December 3, 2006


Hamas, hubris and hummus. Wow. Somehow this always happens, even on Arpanet. So this thread is now all about... food?
posted by econous at 7:14 PM on December 3, 2006


And the fact that you claim there is a wacky joketime metatalk persona makes you seem like even more of a blowhard.

Awesome!! I totally win.
posted by jonson at 7:17 PM on December 3, 2006


Oh, and just for the rare, rare chance to agree with stavros on something: yes, to be clear, I am both pleased & proud that people like the stuff I do here. I pretty much wouldn't post so often if no one liked the posts.

I just don't actually think that there's a Four Digit Club for members with over 1000 favorited items, or that there's particularly anything special about having a lot of things favorited, etc. That's the jokey persona part. But as with any joke, once you're explaining it, it's kinda not really a joke any more, and just something stupid.
posted by jonson at 7:21 PM on December 3, 2006


And you continue to explain away your arrogance by blanketing it in humor. Man, this metatalk jonson persona is hilarious! Wakka Wakka!

You don't seem to have any rebuttal to my comment besides crazy joke making, so I'll assume I was spot on.
posted by bob sarabia at 7:32 PM on December 3, 2006


So when you come into metatalk and bloviate on how special you are and how many favorites you have, it's pretty hard to just write it off as some wacky persona.

I disagree, personally. I'm not sure your position is really rebuttable beyond, that though: you've made up your mind, but it's not universal. I have very little trouble finding jonson likeable and not thinking he's a desperate egomaniac.
posted by cortex at 7:35 PM on December 3, 2006


Oh, and just for the rare, rare chance to agree with stavros on something

I kiss you!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:38 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


That's kinda the point I make here, bob ("I can't refute the comment any more than I have throughout this thread"). I mean, what can I say that I haven't already said? What could I say that would convince you that I don't actually believe getting 1000 favorites makes me more special, other than saying:

having more favorites then anyone else does not, in fact, mean shit. It doesn't make me smarter, funnier, more popular, etc.

Seriously, what else can I say?
posted by jonson at 7:38 PM on December 3, 2006


Now I'm just pissed, because this thread pre-emptively ruined my celebratory 1000th Favorite MetaTalk thread that I was going to throw for me. Only 45 more to go - act now, limited time offer!
posted by jonson at 7:40 PM on December 3, 2006


what's with all the jonson bashing? i initially began this thread in an attempt to more thoroughly understand the favoritism system, and i hoped that in my gained understanding i, too, once might become as favorited as he.

do you know how many users favorited this thread? 8. count 'em. 8 users. i shouldn't get into how many people i told this fact to today, i couldn't help but mention to my mum on the phone today that 8 internet users, 8!, had chosen my words as something worth favoriting. i didn't tell her that most people had favorited the thing because of the wonderfully snarky comments that had ensued, and that i was really not all that responsible for the favoritism.

but really, let me think: 8 favorites per metatalk thread times 52 weeks a year... 416 favorites if i continue this pace till december 2007. then, if i do that for another year i too will be near the 4 digit club. a few askme favorites, maybe a few lame posts and i'll be there with him (jonson). and i will have done it in a shorter timespan as well!

so, in conclusion, i should not be drinking and posting simultaneously. i don't think jonson is the egotistic maniac this thread has called him out to be. he uses the internets very well and shares his skills with us. i'm thankful, and i understand if he might want to be less internet savvy and more comedic sometimes...
posted by localhuman at 7:42 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


and i will have done it in a shorter timespan as well

I must crush you!
posted by jonson at 7:50 PM on December 3, 2006


make sure you still have your pants on
posted by localhuman at 7:54 PM on December 3, 2006


Well jonson, the obvious answer is that you can't. You can't refute your arrogance when you've already laid it out in this thread. You can, however, stop trying to joke it away.

Also, the attitude of "what else can I do?!?!?" is also pretty brain-dead. Like you don't know you acted like an ass. Please.
posted by bob sarabia at 7:55 PM on December 3, 2006


In my opinion, bob, there's only one person acting like an ass in this thread, and it isn't jonson. Can you prove I'm wrong? No? Then is must be true.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:59 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


*violates guild lines*
posted by and hosted from Uranus at 8:09 PM on December 3, 2006


So, bob... do you also think that I really believe there's a four digit club? that I think there's a user named "anonymous", and that I'm gonna try and trick her into having sex with me?

You're not so familiar with jokes & joking, huh?
posted by jonson at 8:09 PM on December 3, 2006


BUNNDLE.
posted by econous at 8:19 PM on December 3, 2006


jonson : do you also think that I really believe there's a four digit club?

*blinks*

You mean there isn't? But I was told there would be squirrel control. And the whole time and space thing.

Fuck. This is so unfair...

[oh right, I get it, 'the first rule of the four digit club'... smart.]
posted by quin at 8:38 PM on December 3, 2006


You know, a lot of us LA mefites have had the opportunity to meet jonson in the flesh, and he's certainly not the egotistical nut he likes to play on MetaTalk. He's a good natured engaging guy who happens to be an enthusiastic booster of this site. He also goes the extra mile to make quality ffp's at an amazingly consistant rate. To my mind he's an exemplary citizen of MetaFilter and I'm sure many would agree with me.

That said: jonson, please step away from the crunchland. You two have come to loggerheads over and over in the past, and it always ends up in the bad place. If your persona here is primarily a jokey one, as I believe you mean it to be, then DO NOT ENGAGE. He's inviting you to stomp on landmines for his own amusement. Don't.
posted by maryh at 8:57 PM on December 3, 2006


Maryh is right, jonson. Do not engage. But do take away the bit of advice I tried to give you earlier in this thread.

Today, you are Mr. 1000 Favorites. Pretty soon, you'll write a how-to guide on your user profile that will teach any old jerk how to come up with the best of the web. After that, you'll just stop caring. Especially when people wonder what's happened to you, when you used to post cool stuff. And then one day, you'll wake and you'll be a misanthrope.

Just don't say I didn't warn you.
posted by crunchland at 9:20 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Dag! If I could bottle the scorn, hate, envy and bitterness displayed on this thread today, well, that there'd be a bottle I'd never want to open.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:30 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


Oh man, crunchland, I'm envisioning you walking into the surf while a distaught Judy Garland looks on. You R Loved already! Look, I even favorited your ass.
posted by maryh at 9:36 PM on December 3, 2006


Fair enough. Good advice all; I'm done with this thread.
posted by jonson at 9:37 PM on December 3, 2006


Judy Garland is dead. Crunchland won. maryh stopped a beautiful thing. Bravo jonson, walk away with your dignity and pride intact, having turned this thread into another one of those few orbiting you. Who the fuck knew that immovable objects and irresistible forces would both be American?

Judy fucking Garland, you treat her as an object, an item a thing. Good Christ. Bad Christ. She is dead. Have some respect.
posted by econous at 10:54 PM on December 3, 2006


You know who else favorited comments about dead people? That's right: John Fucking Edwards.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:10 PM on December 3, 2006


If metafilter were a movie, now would be when aliens attack earth, and jonson and crunchy set aside their animosity to join forces and save the world, grumbling and snarking all the while. Bruce Willis is playing one of them. Probably the one with the most "favorites".
posted by taz at 11:16 PM on December 3, 2006


Hmmmmm, sounds almost like Tango & Cash. Only crap.
posted by econous at 11:27 PM on December 3, 2006


If MetaFilter was a movie, this would be the point where the spinster fashion illustator, moments after running over her young niece on the driveway of her sister's home, finally comes to terms with her unspoken love for her layabout sister's husband, only to realize that the relationship she's longed for will forever be compromised by this fateful blacktop tragedy.

And Cruchland would still be pissed at jonson.
posted by maryh at 11:36 PM on December 3, 2006


and my spelling, as is the will of the dark gods, will continue to suck
posted by maryh at 11:39 PM on December 3, 2006


If MetaFilter were a movie, this would be the scene where Steve Buscemi has a hot girlfriend.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:40 PM on December 3, 2006


And shoves her into a woodchipper.
posted by maryh at 11:49 PM on December 3, 2006 [1 favorite]


econous : Judy Garland is dead.

Dead, and yet still hot. Thank heavens that photos, films, and the internet have kept the pool of dead people I'd like to 'hit it' with 'alive' and 'well'.

Beautiful is timeless. And there is nothing wrong with that.
posted by quin at 12:08 AM on December 4, 2006


Yeah quin, nothing wrong with it at all. It don't hurt anyone. It's as consensual as it could possibly get. So I agree, you should simply enjoy without shame. To be frank, I still quite fancy Lucy.
posted by econous at 1:25 AM on December 4, 2006


Here, somewhat belatedly, is how I've been planning to use the feature since I noticed it upon returning to the site: I will check who has favorited my comments/posts and give each of these knaves a score that is dependent on how many times they've favorited me (the more they do, the higher the score). Once my favorites has reached critical mass (say, every five hundred favorites or so) I will endeavour to act as cruelly as possible towards these rapscallions, with my cruelty quotient ramping up in accordance to the skallywag's score. Hopefully, in doing so, I will cause these misguided brigands to go deep into the history of their user database and unfavorite me. This should cause the earth to stop rotating and, indeed, begin rotating in the direction opposite to that which it is now rotating, resulting in the reversal of time.
posted by The God Complex at 1:44 AM on December 4, 2006


Sure econous, personally I like my Lucy's a bit fresher, but whatever works for you. :)
posted by quin at 2:46 AM on December 4, 2006


I think I'm gonna go back and favorite as many of jonson's posts as I can so that he can join the choir of angels in the 1000 club. Plus, I like his stuff.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 12:58 PM on December 4, 2006


Your work is done! I'm in ur 4DC, banging ur anonymous!!
posted by jonson at 10:11 AM on December 6, 2006


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