This logic argues for the deletion of this thread.

December 21, 2003 1:51 PM

This logic argues for the deletion of this thread.
posted by scarabic to Etiquette/Policy at 1:51 PM (18 comments total)

So I'm confused: should we delete it or not? If, based on your last reaction, the answer is not, then what's the point in this post?

My experience on Metafilter has been that deleted threads usually have multiple problems, as the smoking thread was a) Chatfilter, b) likely to turn into a flame-fest and c) phrased awkwardly so it sounded judgmental. This current example, having only the first problem, is likely to stay. It's like on Mefi, where a post on Iraq (which is specifically discouraged) is not likely to get deleted unless it's also got a few other things wrong with it too, like, for example, being phrased snidely and/or pointing to an untrustworthy source.
posted by boaz at 2:05 PM on December 21, 2003

I'm not going to argue all over again why I think the smoking post was worth leaving alone. I did a fine job of that before, and it's moot. I'm just pointing out that given the explanation offered, this one has to go as well. I'm tagging it to see what happens.
posted by scarabic at 2:33 PM on December 21, 2003

I wondered myself if that was at risk, but can't really understand the guidelines.
posted by dash_slot- at 3:00 PM on December 21, 2003

I'm just pointing out that given the explanation offered, this one has to go as well. I'm tagging it to see what happens.

Consistency is not the strong point of a self-policing community like this one, I think. I hope mathowie will delete it, tho'. One thing I learned as an educator in public schools was that a bit of discipline up front saved a lot of chaos later.
posted by namespan at 3:25 PM on December 21, 2003

Agreed. I'd vote to kill it. Very stinky.

can't really understand the guidelines.

I think it's pretty simple. It says at the top of the AskMe page "Ask MetaFilter is a discussion area for sharing knowledge among members of MetaFilter."

Sharing your "favorite Simpson's character" does not, in any way that I can look at it, constiture sharing knowledge, any more than does sharing your favorite colour (which is the emergent canonical example, it seems).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:29 PM on December 21, 2003

...or 'constitute' even.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:33 PM on December 21, 2003

I agree there's a lot of noise questions on Ask.MeFi at the moment, it appears that everybody got their real questions out of the way and now we're getting all the nonsense discussion-for-discussion's sake questions. Still, I hope in january we can set up some proper rules and get back to the real questions, I'd hate to see a useful resource like Ask.MeFi get drowned out in chatter.
posted by fvw at 3:34 PM on December 21, 2003

Oh, the answer is simple. Matt likes the Simpsons.
posted by crunchland at 4:44 PM on December 21, 2003

The appearance of that thread depressed me. I didn't have a problem with the fart thread or the smoking thread, but "your favorite simpsons character" right after "your favorite simpsons episode" (which was problematic to me too) seems pretty weak.
posted by mdn at 4:45 PM on December 21, 2003

Asking for "favourite" this and "favourite" that is so uncreative.
Which Simpsons character would you most like to make love to, and how?
posted by Jimbob at 5:07 PM on December 21, 2003

Considering this is still on the front page of the blue, my best guess is that Matt hasn't been around today.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 5:22 PM on December 21, 2003

At least he didn't ask us questions about what makes us laugh and why we feel so good after we do, right? :P

Sharing your "favorite Simpson's character" does not, in any way that I can look at it, constiture sharing knowledge, any more than does sharing your favorite colour (which is the emergent canonical example, it seems).

How can you choose just one? The wonderful things about colours is how you can mix and match them. But a few favourites off the top of my head would be a nice olive green (preferably on the darker end of the scale), a dark navy blue, a solid grey (so stoic!) and any combination of various browns and tans. Of course, that isn't to suggest that my wardrobe is limited to such colours! It's only to suggest that such colours, combined properly, might cause my heart to skip a beat or my breath to catch.
posted by The God Complex at 5:58 PM on December 21, 2003

Considering this is still on the front page of the blue, my best guess is that Matt hasn't been around today.

Whoohoo! It is gone, and with one of the best reason lines ever. : )
posted by namespan at 7:04 PM on December 21, 2003

wow. i go away for a few days and come home to find matt in the garage, swinging an ax and hacking away at his newborn baby.
posted by quonsar at 8:01 PM on December 21, 2003

much more like topiary, I think.
posted by nthdegx at 8:13 PM on December 21, 2003

but topiary is obviously pruned.
posted by quonsar at 10:07 PM on December 21, 2003

Have you been filking yourself again?
posted by trondant at 4:10 AM on December 22, 2003

MetaFilker.
posted by soyjoy at 10:06 AM on December 22, 2003