MeFi Demographics: Let's have a census!

February 25, 2002 8:47 AM

"The best mirror is an old friend." -Peter Nivio Zarlenga.
With all the questions about who make up us, is it time that we organized some sort of demographic survey of Whom Constitute Mefi?
posted by UncleFes to MetaFilter-Related at 8:47 AM (41 comments total)

I'm thinking a survey form feeding into a database, no names, with a pledge of discretion from Matt and a similar pledge of truthfulness from the participants. Worthwhile? I figure this sort of info could be valuable in several ways - ease Matt's ability to sell textads, preclude or validate Boyzone and Left v. Right controversies, paint a map of the socio-cultural region in which we interact...?

I'd similarly say, make it as big and in-depth as possible, provided the pledges were made and kept.
posted by UncleFes at 8:51 AM on February 25, 2002

I'm guessing that more than a few of our more...anti-establishment members would try to skew the results so far that any results would be untrustworthy. But, that's a pretty pessimistic view.

Maybe people would play nice. I know I would.
posted by ColdChef at 9:04 AM on February 25, 2002

It would settle, once and for all, a lot of debates about "skews" and "slants." If we keep it anonymous It could be somewhat illuminating, and sure Matt won't use it for market research or spamming or anything, so I don't see what harm would be done.
posted by jonmc at 9:13 AM on February 25, 2002

members would try to skew the results so far that any results would be untrustworthy

Do you think? What's the benefit to lying, other than the in this case rather tepid joy of spoilerism?
posted by UncleFes at 9:15 AM on February 25, 2002

Conservatives would stuff the liberal ballotbox so they could forevermore complain about how unfair MeFi's left-wing slant is. Liberals would stuff the conservative ballotbox so they could etcetera etcetera.

In the end, it'd all come out accurate to within a tenth of a percent.
posted by ook at 9:37 AM on February 25, 2002

I have no idea what other benefits it would have, except that I know that some people like to mess up results. People are idiots sometimes. Still, it would be worth it to give this a shot.

And then, if we find out that MetaFilter is made up of 120 year old bisexual Dixiecrats...well...we could just chalk it up to experience and move on.
posted by ColdChef at 9:38 AM on February 25, 2002

(which is to say, I think it's a really interesting idea and would be happy to pitch in from a coding point of view, if such were useful)
posted by ook at 9:40 AM on February 25, 2002

I wonder if the demographics have changed much since Mo Nickels' last review...
posted by arco at 9:51 AM on February 25, 2002

Aw. That brings back a lot of memories.
posted by ColdChef at 10:01 AM on February 25, 2002

I don't realy care to do this, there's no way to make sure the data is tight, and only the people you probably already know from their posting would participate. I'm perfectly fine with doing no demographics on the userbase for as long as the site exists. I can't see what amazing things would come to light if I could definitively say "oh, we're 54% male, huh?"

It's a lot to ask the users to participate in, and no one is going to do it unless there is some preceived payoff, which I can't even see. Plus time to program, compile stats, etc, it's a pain.

Bottom line: what do we get out of this besides some casual trivial knowledge?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:27 AM on February 25, 2002

I certainly agree with UncleFes. It doesn't have to be looked upon as an intrusion. It would just be interesting to know what the breakdown of people was. As for the male/female breakdown, I'm going for 67.3% and 32.7% respectively.

Any suggestions on what questions should be asked?
posted by RobertLoch at 10:29 AM on February 25, 2002

Obvious this place isn't Fark, but when they did one they got 6,000 plus responses.

'Bottom line: what do we get out of this besides some casual trivial knowledge?'

One possible things would be that it would allow you to chart change over time.

How worthwhile it would be to do would obviously depend on how well it was done, and the level of participation. There is certainly the potential for sometihng good to come out of doing it - alternatively it could bomb.
posted by RobertLoch at 10:37 AM on February 25, 2002

Aw shucks. Here I was, ready to reveal everything. Oh well.
posted by Lynsey at 10:45 AM on February 25, 2002

Any suggestions on what questions should be asked?

Maple syrup or fruit and whipped cream?
posted by adampsyche at 11:09 AM on February 25, 2002

"what do we get out of this besides some casual trivial knowledge?"

Well, we got a new MeFi tagline candidate, for one.

I agree with Matt. No matter how interesting the questions, the results would describe the population of those who participate. I don't think it would tell you much about the MeFi userbase (lurkers? commenters? Posters? Metatalkers?)
posted by luser at 11:18 AM on February 25, 2002

I'm just looking at it from a pragmatic standpoint. I'm pretty busy with stuff, and I would have a set aside a day or two of programming to concoct some sort of reader survey thing, then figure out a way to implement it. In the grand scheme of things, I don't see much benefit in doing it aside from some minor voyeuristic interest. Then imagine the banal discussions of how the demographics play out in metafilter, how there might be a color barrier or gender barrier even though when you're on the internet no one knows you're a dog. I could even see it reinforcing offline attitudes as people bring their preconceived baggage to the site, thanks to some pointless stats backing them up.

What did the Fark demo show? Anything interesting? Where can I see the results of it?
posted by mathowie (staff) at 11:40 AM on February 25, 2002

The questions were not great, so it naturally didn't show much - but here it is anyhow.

Incidently they used an outside polling system. I think it is free to set up.
posted by RobertLoch at 11:57 AM on February 25, 2002

of Whom Constitute Mefi

Uh, I'm pretty sure that should be "of whom MeFi is constituted" or "who constitutes MeFi".

Sorry.

(So that's one in the "Humourless Pedant" box, anyway.)
posted by Grangousier at 12:13 PM on February 25, 2002

Count me as "Humourless Pedant Who Backed Out And Didn't Hit Post At The Last Minute".
posted by Kafkaesque at 12:20 PM on February 25, 2002

Demographics: boobies
Boobies?
( ) Boobies!

I think it would probably be best to NOT follow Fark's model.
posted by ColdChef at 12:21 PM on February 25, 2002

Sounds like randomness to me.
posted by victors at 12:39 PM on February 25, 2002

I'm pretty sure that should be "of whom MeFi is constituted"

Darn grammar nazis! Where's your sense of lyricism! :)

imagine the banal discussions of how the demographics play out in metafilter, how there might be a color barrier or gender barrier

Seems like those conversations are already taking place, only without even inaccurate baseline information. But I see your point.
posted by UncleFes at 1:03 PM on February 25, 2002

Where is rodii, the ultimate arbiter of MeFi grammar usage, when we need him?
posted by Lynsey at 2:01 PM on February 25, 2002

Don't go there Lynsey! I'll even tell you my Metafilter dream. It's a pity, but I don't think we have any grammarians on board. But then I'm not sure so... I'm all for UncleFes's idea. People here would like to know and I think it would help posts as a quick snapshot of one's fellow members might help to gauge what they might find interesting. If it can be set up on an outside thingamajiggy and the questions are intelligent and cute(who cares about standard demographics)then it would be community-building and sort of surprising; as we're such a mixed bunch.

Or perhaps not. The real reason, I guess, is that it would be a lot of fun. Not to mention the arguments about what questions should be included. ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 2:09 PM on February 25, 2002

Listen to Miguel, Lynsey. (Where did this idea come from that I care about grammar?) Maybe mattpfeff would like the honor...Matt?
posted by rodii at 2:36 PM on February 25, 2002

rodii, I could hardly even dream of treading on your sacred territory. I'm afraid I'm just not worthy.
posted by mattpfeff at 2:53 PM on February 25, 2002

*cries*

B-but you've got that free editing thing and that style guide thing...
posted by rodii at 3:06 PM on February 25, 2002

B-but you've got that free editing thing and that style guide thing...

It's all a lie, I'm afraid -- an evil, sinister plot to spread agrammaticality and poor writing throughout the web. It was wrong. I am sorry! I had lost my way, but I do here and now confess my sin. For I know nothing of this thing you MeFites call "grammar", though I have heard tell that it is a great and holy thing, and blessed by the gods themselves. I but pray that, one day, I too shall be deemed worthy to look upon its divine form, and join you, oh great rodii, among the gods' most favored. But until such time, I defer to you, in your everlasting wisdom and unending vocabulary, in all matters of the word. Guide us, oh great rodii, yield unto us the true language of the gods. Leave us not to walk any longer in the dark, not knowing the true form of the words with which we speak. Surely thou wilt not leave us, ignorant of our desired path, grappling feebly with clumsy thoughts, doomed forever to awkward, ill-formed expression?
posted by mattpfeff at 3:43 PM on February 25, 2002

Oh, OK, since you put it so nicely.

Lynsey? Grangousier is correct, as usual, although Fes's original "constitute" is a little fusty. A less sesquipedalian possibilility might have been "compose" or, if Fes wished to be daring and reverse the transitivity of the phrase, "comprise". MeFi "comprises" its members; the members "compose" Mefi. MeFi "is composed of" its members; the members "are comprised by" MeFi, although in the last phrasing it begins to be difficult to to match the players with their roles and as a result the style is a little donnish.

Pfeffer, you coward.
posted by rodii at 3:59 PM on February 25, 2002

you coward

See, I told you I wasn't worthy!

I will append to rodii's enlightening discourse however that Fes' original statement is easier to read with the insertion of "those": A demographic survey of those who constitute Mefi, or, perhaps, ... of those whom MeFi comprises.
posted by mattpfeff at 4:25 PM on February 25, 2002

*smotes^* mattpfeff*







*Yes, I'm familiar with how the verb "smite" behaves. Don't bug me or I'll smote you next.
posted by rodii at 5:44 PM on February 25, 2002

"Me fail English?

Unpossible!"
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:00 PM on February 25, 2002

jonmc mentioned market research as a use for the statistics in a bad light. (I think.) I'm not sure I understand.

Demographics are what advertisers want to know. If this site is 98% male and 80% over the age of 50, that'd probably be a pretty good group for marketing Viagra. If the site is 98% female and 80% under the age of 20, that'd probably be a pretty good group for marketing boy bands and teen pop idols.

I don't know if Matt has mentioned his feelings on advertisements on this site, but my guess is he would never do it beyond the TextAds. Of course, there's no reason why demographics couldn't play a part in better marketing those textads to the users of Metafilter.

I don't think it would be useless trivia knowledge. Though you'll never be successful on Jeopardy and in Trivial Pursuit if you don't know all kinds of useless stuff. That's not to say you can't learn from those games...
posted by jacobw at 6:23 PM on February 25, 2002

jacobw - It's not that I consider market research to be a "bad thing"(hell, I'm in sales, I'd be dead in the water without it). It's just that a lot of people have concerns about privacy and might not like having their opinions used by marketers.

That's not what the idea behind this survey is,anyway. I think it's more about having what fes called "baseline data" as far as certain issues about MeFi as a whole.

For instance:

Does mefi really lean left?

Do we have a high proportion of college graduates(or IT workers, or tapdancers) here and what effect does that have on the level of discourse and subjects discussed?

And yes, even racial data, for instance. I can only think of 4 mefites who have self-identified as African-American. we talk a lot about inclusion and multiculturalism here. It'd be interesting to see if the numbers bear out our ideals and if we fall short, why that is?
The same questions, genderwise could settle the questions raised by rebecca in yesterday's "boyzone" thread.
Or not solve them rather, but at least tell us where we stand on these things and give us the raw data to answer some questions about what makes this place what it is.

posted by jonmc at 7:36 PM on February 25, 2002

Geez, I just thought a demographic survey would be fun! (*sniffs*) Not wanting to add to Matt's headaches, though, apologies for that.

BTW, couldn't Uncle Fes have said "of those (or 'of we') who comprise MeFi" and been correct (and far less sesquipedalian)? See, I told ya - rodii da man now, dog.
posted by Lynsey at 10:17 PM on February 25, 2002

(For the record: I really couldn't give a shit about grammar, honest, especially other people's. I had any residual prescriptivism beaten out of me long ago.)
posted by rodii at 11:15 PM on February 25, 2002

*Amusing image of a linguist doing fieldwork and going around shrieking, hands up to his ears: "Oh but you can't say that!"*
posted by MiguelCardoso at 11:52 PM on February 25, 2002

Lynsey, why would using "those" instead of "whom" be "less sesquipedalian"?
posted by RobertLoch at 4:13 AM on February 26, 2002

I think the most sesquipedalian part of this entire thread is the term "sesquipedalian" itself.

*head explodes*
posted by melimelo at 6:13 AM on February 26, 2002

...when you're on the internet no one knows you're a dog.

...rodii da man now, dog.

Now, there's your ultimate insider's t-shirt logo.


posted by y2karl at 6:20 AM on February 26, 2002

"I'm perfectly fine with doing no demographics on the userbase for as long as the site exists."
Far out! Letting people develop character and voice over time, without preconceptions, is a very liberating thing.
posted by sheauga at 8:27 PM on February 27, 2002