If you're fed up with the site, why not just leave?

March 21, 2003 10:16 AM

I have a concern. I've been lurking every so often for the past few months and the reason I stopped posting has much to do with the fact that I've got nothing left to say. I feel like my comments would be better served elsewhere. But I still see users, usually with a # less than 10000, swooping into threads every so often and and condemning members and the site. Hell, I still do it, albeit rarely. Here's my point: if you're fed up with the site, why not just leave? You're only adding to the incessant name-calling and serving no real purpose but to feed your own selfish motives. Why not let the site be, and allow those who truly want to raise the quality to create well written comments?
posted by BlueTrain to Etiquette/Policy at 10:16 AM (31 comments total)

my reason for doing such is because i have never found a way to get my membership and the stupid reponses i put up removed.
posted by the aloha at 10:26 AM on March 21, 2003

"allow those who truly want to raise the quality"

This is where I'm seeing a potential problem.
posted by y6y6y6 at 10:43 AM on March 21, 2003

can you site a few examples of what you mean, BlueTrain?
posted by danOstuporStar at 10:55 AM on March 21, 2003

For instance, the post about Shock and Awe today, where members immediately jumped in posting about how much it sucked for that to be posted.

If you really want to make a point about why a thread doesn't belong - why not just do that rather than ruining the thread.

I think the rule here about being civil and making an intelligent post might be more important than the general rules concerning what is postworthy.
posted by xammerboy at 10:56 AM on March 21, 2003

Even I'll admit that really, Metafilter has sucked for the last few days. Which isn't surprising.
posted by Stan Chin at 10:56 AM on March 21, 2003

Are you equating stopping posting and lurking with truly wanting to raise quality?

And, just out of curiosity, where is it that your comments are better served?

And, what Stan said. Which just applies this once.
posted by gottabefunky at 11:28 AM on March 21, 2003

I sort of wish more people would be part of the solution. I don't post all that often, but I do visit several times a day. I bum out on lame posts too, but just posting to point out lameness isn't exactly going to inspire us all to new heights of intellectual excellence. But there are a lot of posters who clearly have much more to say than I do, and maybe they should say it in a way that sets a higher bar for the rest of us.
posted by padraigin at 11:28 AM on March 21, 2003

I would caution against starting another holy war between the lower and higher ranks of user numbers.

That said, I do agree with the sentiment that if your only comments will be complaints about the site (MeTa excluded), don't bother posting.
posted by rocketman at 11:29 AM on March 21, 2003

Let me clarify, slightly. IMHO, many members of this site have an image of what MeFi ought to be, myself included. But too many of us become so passionate about this site and its values that I think we forget the value of discussion and compromise. So frustrated members lash out and vent here, in the form of insults and comments that are lacking in quality. Keep in mind that my definition of quality is based upon the general consensus of being respectful, tolerant, and at least semi-informative to the topic.

I suppose I simply want to reach out and sympathize. To say that I also wish MeFi was different. But this site is based upon the community, and not one or two members' vision. I know that Matt owns this place, but he so rarely imposes his values upon this site that I feel that "we" control the direction. Which is what makes so many members fearless. Without these hardened rules, members take it upon themselves to invent the site and shape its direction. I truly appreciate this freedom. It allows the members to be creative and original and interesting. But it also allows very loud and obnoxious people to feel empowered. This creates hostility. And so "quality" posters lash out, which is why this site has so much name-calling, bickering.

This is my plea: if you're so frustrated with this site's direction that you feel compelled to be less than civil, condescending, or just "nice", keep in mind that it's not any of our jobs to control the content of others, only ourselves. And I don't feel that we should stop policing one another, but I do feel that many members have become very judgmental and are imposing their values in a less than tolerant manner.

can you site a few examples of what you mean

I don't feel it's necessary to point fingers.

I'm simply concerned.
posted by BlueTrain at 11:31 AM on March 21, 2003

You know, I treat the cyclical complaining the way I would treat the Saturday night fights. (Sit on the sidelines and be entertained by people beating each other to a bloody pulp.)

Meanwhile, Metafilter bops along, I get to see some interesting links, and since not all links are quality ones, I get to skip those and therefore avoid spending all day on the computer.

I have been here a fairly long time (don't let the user number fool you) and I honestly think things aren't all that different from the way they were.

Don't stop the complaining. Without it, Metafilter (and Metatalk) just wouldn't be Metafilter.
posted by konolia at 11:41 AM on March 21, 2003

Even I'll admit that really, Metafilter has sucked for the last few days. Which isn't surprising.

I think things are looking up today! Many non-war links. Wish I had time to just sit and read them all (work craziness today).
posted by Shane at 12:10 PM on March 21, 2003

You know, I treat the cyclical complaining the way I would treat the Saturday night fights. (Sit on the sidelines and be entertained by people beating each other to a bloody pulp.)

Konolia enjoys a good bareknuckle brawl. Let me just add that to the list of things I'd never suspect in a million years.

The political/news threads are shittier than usual, but the other threads are pretty darn good. I think it speaks volumes that the type of behavior Bluetrain is talking about is more likely to happen in the former type of thread.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:27 PM on March 21, 2003

BlueTrain, I am glad you posted this...I agree & have a MetaTalk thread that I've nearly posted a few times, but held back because I didn't want my comments to seem aimed at any one person. This seems as good a time as any to vent my spleen, replete with thread title:

Rag Mama Rag, that's all you ever do, rag mamma rag, what's come over you...

I get bone weary of the continual keening about the site's impending demise...damn, it's like a never ending greek chorus singing a dirge. Is it just possible that for some of you sky-is-falling types (and you know who you are), your view of past perfection is skewed by the rose colored glasses of your own ego?

If you think it sucks, make it better. Post good links. Contribute to substantive threads. Encourage and foster the good rather than just carping about the bad. Lead by example.

Fantasizing about some highly idealized and romaticized past just doesn't cut it. Unless your shit is made of ice cream, it just adds to the noise.

Self-fullfilling prophecy - if you want it to suck and say it enough, it will indeed suck.
/rag
posted by madamjujujive at 1:02 PM on March 21, 2003

As a corollary to that, if your shit is indeed made of ice cream, please contact me at the address provided on my user page. I've been looking for you for quite a while now, that one lusty night we spent together was merely an appetizer, my frosty coloned lovely.
posted by jonson at 1:06 PM on March 21, 2003

madamjujujive, that's just what I meant by setting the bar higher. Thanks for saying it better.

Rag on with your bad self.

And on preview: ew.
posted by padraigin at 1:09 PM on March 21, 2003

Lead by example.

If I may kiss a little ass, this is something you've certainly done, Madamj. Anyone wringing their hands and saying "Oh but what can I do to make it better?" could stand to look over your posting/commenting history for pointers.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 1:09 PM on March 21, 2003

I, for one, enjoy the periodic posts by people explaining why they don't post to the site anymore. And then further posts explaining the post about why they don't post.
I miss bunnyfire, things around here aren't half as psycho as they could be.
posted by signal at 1:24 PM on March 21, 2003

it's like a never ending greek chorus singing a dirge

Like a never ending geek chorus.
posted by elvissinatra at 1:26 PM on March 21, 2003

Signal:Check your e-mail. ;-)
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 1:35 PM on March 21, 2003

Stop picking on me BlueTrain! It's not my fault I came here before you. ":)"
posted by riffola at 1:52 PM on March 21, 2003

jonson - it's been too long.

madamj - may I add my voice to padraigin and Pink's chorus and say that I think you are an exemplary MeFite. I always read your posts even if I don't always comment. Where do you find all your neat stuff?

And to BlueTrain and the rest of you - I think MeFi is a gem of a website and always food for thought. When the nation as a whole is preoccupied with the possibility of war, the inevitability of war, and then the actual war, MeFi will reflect this and the overall quality will be lower. However, this is temporary, people. It's OK if this site isn't stellar every single day, isn't it? Just scan the posts, decide it's not for you, and move on.

Matt, if you're reading this (doubtful since I'm probably past the 15+ link requirement), I would like you to know that I *heart* Metafilter and think you've done a fantastic job. Don't let the naysayers get you down.
posted by widdershins at 2:21 PM on March 21, 2003

um, madamejujujive.. that's geek chorus, to be sure.
posted by y2karl at 2:47 PM on March 21, 2003

This kind of thread is exactly why I never come back to MetaTalk. What a waste of bandwidth. Nothing good will ever come out of politely requesting that people have a courteous attitude towards each other! This is the Internet! Besides, aren't there countless other online communities that you could post this crap to? Complain about those who complain about Metafilter on another site, people. Metatalk is for praising each other and ripping mathowie new ones over bugs and long-requested features and for actual constructive criticism by people who really really care about the site! Not to mention that every user after 680 or so has been a total loser.
posted by daveadams at 5:58 PM on March 21, 2003

Dave, you forgot your sarcasm tags.
posted by konolia at 6:07 PM on March 21, 2003

no no...you've got it all wrong. Users with numbers greater than 10629 and lower than 10627 are the total losers.
posted by Vidiot at 6:54 PM on March 21, 2003

You know, it's people like you, daveadams...
posted by sudama at 8:05 PM on March 21, 2003

... that keep us all going
posted by Big_B at 9:01 PM on March 21, 2003

whether or not MeFi has always ruled or sucked [or some combination] is less relevant than whether you personally make it suck more than you make it rule from now and forever after. I choose to, if not make it rule, at least make it suck less, in the style which I always have. Who's with me?
posted by jessamyn at 9:47 PM on March 21, 2003

make it rule from now and forever after

Amen.
posted by eddydamascene at 10:04 PM on March 21, 2003

I choose to, if not make it rule, at least make it suck less.

Words to live by, jessamyn.
posted by samuelad at 11:04 PM on March 21, 2003

More filling! Sucks Less!
MetaFilter Light!
Now let's do the Wave.
*stands up, sits down*
posted by y2karl at 11:35 PM on March 21, 2003