An emergent pattern on Metafilter FPPs March 30, 2013 7:06 PM Subscribe
Noticing a disproportionate number of posts gravitating toward a particular set of subjects in the Blue over recent weeks and months.
I'm not inclined to name specifics because I don't think it would really add any benefit to a discussion. But as a longtime reader (and admittedly modest participant) I don't think the axe-grindy persistence of these types of posts really helps the site very much at all.
I've kept coming back to Metafilter over the years because the conversations tend to rise many levels above the standard noise of the interwebs. This is in no small part due to exceptional moderating. But I think it's also been because there has typically been some thoughtfulness about what gets posted to the Blue. In my opinion, it appears this thoughtfulness is getting misdirected into what is essentially a series of ongoing posts on the same set of topics. At the worst these posts are cumulatively setting back dialogue. At the best the posts are simply boring.
Could be wrong. Had to say something.
I'm not inclined to name specifics because I don't think it would really add any benefit to a discussion. But as a longtime reader (and admittedly modest participant) I don't think the axe-grindy persistence of these types of posts really helps the site very much at all.
I've kept coming back to Metafilter over the years because the conversations tend to rise many levels above the standard noise of the interwebs. This is in no small part due to exceptional moderating. But I think it's also been because there has typically been some thoughtfulness about what gets posted to the Blue. In my opinion, it appears this thoughtfulness is getting misdirected into what is essentially a series of ongoing posts on the same set of topics. At the worst these posts are cumulatively setting back dialogue. At the best the posts are simply boring.
Could be wrong. Had to say something.
I too am getting tired of the constant posts about roguelikes.
posted by bq at 7:10 PM on March 30, 2013 [16 favorites]
posted by bq at 7:10 PM on March 30, 2013 [16 favorites]
We have no idea at all what you are talking about.
posted by unSane at 7:10 PM on March 30, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by unSane at 7:10 PM on March 30, 2013 [12 favorites]
Hear, hear. I think we can all agree that there has been far too much of This recently, and should return post haste to a greater quantity of That.
posted by threeants at 7:14 PM on March 30, 2013 [41 favorites]
posted by threeants at 7:14 PM on March 30, 2013 [41 favorites]
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:16 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:16 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
Unless you give examples of the kinds of posts that concern you, you are unlikely to achieve whatever your goal is.
Which reminds me. We haven't had an alphabet game in a while...
posted by double block and bleed at 7:17 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Which reminds me. We haven't had an alphabet game in a while...
posted by double block and bleed at 7:17 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Are you talking about all of the Minecraft posts? Because those seem to have tapered off about a year ago.
On preview: 3 posts tagged with "Minecraft" this month.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 7:19 PM on March 30, 2013
On preview: 3 posts tagged with "Minecraft" this month.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 7:19 PM on March 30, 2013
Your post is a shy coquette daring to show some bare ankle, in Times Square in the middle of the crack epidemic.
posted by benito.strauss at 7:27 PM on March 30, 2013 [39 favorites]
posted by benito.strauss at 7:27 PM on March 30, 2013 [39 favorites]
You could be wrong. Impossible to know.
posted by found missing at 7:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by found missing at 7:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I share your outrage and have also observed this disturbing trend everywhere else, too.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 7:31 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 7:31 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
I don't know what Quadog was thinking about so I don't want to co-opt his callout, but I had basically this same thought recently in reaction to yet another FPP about some Republican changing his opinion on gay marriage. I don't understand why we continue to have these. It's always the same exact news story, which makes it a low type of newsfilter, and the comments are always exactly the same: (1) "Good!"; (2) "Too little, too late."
Gun control is another topic where several FPPs recently have all replicated basically identical conversations. It gets tired.
I sometimes participate in another discussion forum, for guitarists. There is a guitar effect called the Klon that, for reasons that don't matter here, is tremendously controversial. People are always arguing about the Klon. And 90 percent of the time, there isn't any news to discuss; so if you followed one Klon thread last year, then you experience deja vu reading one from this week. "It's amazing." "No, it's overpriced." "But that's what the market values!" The comments are virtually identical. Over and over and over again. MetaFilter feels that way sometimes.
posted by cribcage at 7:33 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
Gun control is another topic where several FPPs recently have all replicated basically identical conversations. It gets tired.
I sometimes participate in another discussion forum, for guitarists. There is a guitar effect called the Klon that, for reasons that don't matter here, is tremendously controversial. People are always arguing about the Klon. And 90 percent of the time, there isn't any news to discuss; so if you followed one Klon thread last year, then you experience deja vu reading one from this week. "It's amazing." "No, it's overpriced." "But that's what the market values!" The comments are virtually identical. Over and over and over again. MetaFilter feels that way sometimes.
posted by cribcage at 7:33 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
You could always do a post about something that is the opposite of one of these particular topics yourself.
Doing so would a) re-introduce some variety to the blue, and b) enable us to figure out what the hell you're talking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:36 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
Doing so would a) re-introduce some variety to the blue, and b) enable us to figure out what the hell you're talking about.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:36 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
I know what you're talking about but I think those threads should be ignored and the people inside of them left to atrophy. More advice to myself than to you. Meanwhile, there are lots of interesting things on the front page right now that have under ten comments.
posted by michaelh at 7:40 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by michaelh at 7:40 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
We're not psychic. If you have to say something, say it.
This thread should be closed or edited to include some mention of what it is that's bothering quadog.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 7:40 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread should be closed or edited to include some mention of what it is that's bothering quadog.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 7:40 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm just glad that someone finally didn't say it.
posted by found missing at 7:42 PM on March 30, 2013 [35 favorites]
posted by found missing at 7:42 PM on March 30, 2013 [35 favorites]
Hear, hear. I think we can all agree that there has been far too much of This recently, and should return post haste to a greater quantity of That.
You now what I would like to know? Where is it written that is the kind of thing that's supposed to be happening?
posted by Lorin at 7:42 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
You now what I would like to know? Where is it written that is the kind of thing that's supposed to be happening?
posted by Lorin at 7:42 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
I have a pea under my vaguely dissatisfied mattress.
posted by y2karl at 7:45 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 7:45 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm noticing a disproportionate number of callouts in the gray that specifically decline to say what they are calling out. This is annoying and unhelpful, whether you're calling out a person you don't want to name, a post you don't want to name, or a trend you don't want to name.
On the other hand, callouts which do name the thing they're calling out are also often unhelpful. So there you have it.
posted by alms at 7:48 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
On the other hand, callouts which do name the thing they're calling out are also often unhelpful. So there you have it.
posted by alms at 7:48 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
I too tire of the continuous posts about confirmation bias and Baader-meinhof phenomenon.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 7:50 PM on March 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 7:50 PM on March 30, 2013 [7 favorites]
There were two hip-hop posts in a row today.
I love that shit.
posted by box at 7:50 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
I love that shit.
posted by box at 7:50 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
I would just like to point out that I have been not making those posts for even longer than they have not been a thing.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:51 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 7:51 PM on March 30, 2013
Down with this sort of thing!
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:52 PM on March 30, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:52 PM on March 30, 2013 [12 favorites]
There is a guitar effect called the Klon that, for reasons that don't matter here, is tremendously controversial. People are always arguing about the Klon.
Perhaps we should just swap. I'm prepared to offer some very controversial, nay incendiary opinions if anyone would care to choose sides.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:57 PM on March 30, 2013
Perhaps we should just swap. I'm prepared to offer some very controversial, nay incendiary opinions if anyone would care to choose sides.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:57 PM on March 30, 2013
Careful now.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 7:59 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 7:59 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
I, too, like to warn people every now and then that I can tell what they're up to, and they should stop.
Just in case they're up to anything that I don't know about.
posted by ceribus peribus at 8:00 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Just in case they're up to anything that I don't know about.
posted by ceribus peribus at 8:00 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The following subjects are now banned:
911 9-11advertising afghanistan africa america animals animation apple architecture art astronomy australia baseball batshitinsane bbc biology blog blogs book books brokenlink bush business california canada cars cats children china christmas cinema comedy comics computers copyright crime culture deadlink death design documentary drugs economics economy education election elections environment evolution fashion fiction film flash food football france fun funny game games gaming gay georgebush georgewbush google government health history humor illustration india internet iran iraq islam israel japan journalism languagelaw literature london maps marriage mathmedia medicine microsoft military money movie movies mp3 murder music nasa news newyork newyorktimes nsfw nyc nytimes obama obit obituary parody philosophy photographs photography photos physics poetry police politics privacy psychology race racism radio religion research rock russia satire science sciencefiction scifi security sex slyt software space sports starwars technology television terrorism travel tv uk ususa video videogames war web women writing youtube
posted by Artw at 8:07 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
911 9-11advertising afghanistan africa america animals animation apple architecture art astronomy australia baseball batshitinsane bbc biology blog blogs book books brokenlink bush business california canada cars cats children china christmas cinema comedy comics computers copyright crime culture deadlink death design documentary drugs economics economy education election elections environment evolution fashion fiction film flash food football france fun funny game games gaming gay georgebush georgewbush google government health history humor illustration india internet iran iraq islam israel japan journalism languagelaw literature london maps marriage mathmedia medicine microsoft military money movie movies mp3 murder music nasa news newyork newyorktimes nsfw nyc nytimes obama obit obituary parody philosophy photographs photography photos physics poetry police politics privacy psychology race racism radio religion research rock russia satire science sciencefiction scifi security sex slyt software space sports starwars technology television terrorism travel tv uk ususa video videogames war web women writing youtube
posted by Artw at 8:07 PM on March 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
Some things just go without saying.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:09 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:09 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
On preview: 3 posts tagged with "Minecraft" this month.
Oh, man. I think I must have missed two of them. Thanks for the heads up!
posted by mph at 8:09 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh, man. I think I must have missed two of them. Thanks for the heads up!
posted by mph at 8:09 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
The following subjects are now banned:
You forgot the Klon.
By the way, it's amazing.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:18 PM on March 30, 2013
You forgot the Klon.
By the way, it's amazing.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:18 PM on March 30, 2013
Amazingly pathetic, you mean.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:20 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:20 PM on March 30, 2013
I agree with you, because you are right, unless you aren't, in which case I don't.
posted by asra at 8:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by asra at 8:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
We're all sitting here while the best AskMe ever goes on....
posted by The Whelk at 8:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 8:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [11 favorites]
> We're all sitting here while the best AskMe ever goes on....
"Would there be enough food and drink in the average, major supermarket to sustain a single adult for the rest of their life?"
Ehn, it's a pointless question. I know what happens. What happens is your dentures break, so you can't eat any of it, even though there was time enough at last.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [33 favorites]
"Would there be enough food and drink in the average, major supermarket to sustain a single adult for the rest of their life?"
Ehn, it's a pointless question. I know what happens. What happens is your dentures break, so you can't eat any of it, even though there was time enough at last.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [33 favorites]
The Whelk - in the movie it doesn't matter because the army shows up and saves everyone, in the book it doesn't matter because everyone is eaten by horrible, horrible things and the world is engulfed by the mist forever.
posted by Artw at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
.
posted by munchingzombie at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by munchingzombie at 8:28 PM on March 30, 2013
I agree: We've had too many posts not knowing what the hell you're talking about. This must end!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:29 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:29 PM on March 30, 2013
What happens is your dentures break, so you can't eat any of it, even though there was time enough at last.
Wait, I've heard this story.
posted by homunculus at 8:37 PM on March 30, 2013
Wait, I've heard this story.
posted by homunculus at 8:37 PM on March 30, 2013
"Everyone is dead from the atom war, but at least now I have time to eat all these pop tarts."
posted by Artw at 8:45 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:45 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Wait, I've heard this story.
Yeah, yeah, a classical Greek analogy, that's what I was making. Nothing vulgar, just pure classic.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:49 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, yeah, a classical Greek analogy, that's what I was making. Nothing vulgar, just pure classic.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:49 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Do folks think I'd be so insane as to cite anything specific? If I thought the discussion could be handled with any degree of civility I would. But I guess that points to the problem I'm having with the site overall.
Forget about it anyway. I see Mathowie brought something like this up in a previous thread.
posted by quadog at 8:54 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Forget about it anyway. I see Mathowie brought something like this up in a previous thread.
posted by quadog at 8:54 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sometimes, the only winning move is not to post.
posted by dg at 8:57 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by dg at 8:57 PM on March 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Tap once for yes, twice for no.
posted by Artw at 8:58 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 8:58 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
How long have you been silenced?
posted by found missing at 8:59 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by found missing at 8:59 PM on March 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
If people are interested in having the conversation referred to in that link, I'll leave this open - otherwise, there's not much point.
In general, being clear, concise, specific, and serious are the best ways to start a successful discussion here. If there's one thing MetaTalk teaches us, it's that people are very, very bad mind-readers.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:00 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
In general, being clear, concise, specific, and serious are the best ways to start a successful discussion here. If there's one thing MetaTalk teaches us, it's that people are very, very bad mind-readers.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:00 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
If that's your follow-up, Quadog, then I kinda regret giving you the benefit of the doubt earlier and treating this MeTa seriously. And I appear to have been the only one who did.
posted by cribcage at 9:01 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cribcage at 9:01 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
MetaFilter is bad at discussing... stuff. You know, like... that stuff? Y'know, the stuff that MetaFilter's bad at discussing? So, um, stop doing that.
posted by Etrigan at 9:03 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by Etrigan at 9:03 PM on March 30, 2013
I would be happy to see more Lindy West posts too, if that's what you're asking.
posted by Artw at 9:04 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:04 PM on March 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Wolof: "What's the best bass for metal?"
Striped.
posted by stet at 9:04 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Striped.
posted by stet at 9:04 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am not interested in having that conversation (again) here. Concur that there's not much point here.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:05 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:05 PM on March 30, 2013
There is a guitar effect called the Klon that, for reasons that don't matter here, is tremendously controversial.
This is my new favorite thing that I know absolutely nothing about. I imagine that the 3 major factions are:
1. Ground Control to Major Klon
2. Star Wars: The Klon Wars
3. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Klon
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [15 favorites]
This is my new favorite thing that I know absolutely nothing about. I imagine that the 3 major factions are:
1. Ground Control to Major Klon
2. Star Wars: The Klon Wars
3. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Klon
posted by ActingTheGoat at 9:23 PM on March 30, 2013 [15 favorites]
Go ahead and close 'er out. I thought perhaps the "power users" (and let's face it, if you're reading MetaTalk in your free time you're probably one of these) might want to know that the site is probably sucking for the rest of us who don't want to see multiple daily posts on the same hot button topics day after day after day. Evidently that may not be the case. That's ok. No one is forcing me to go to the Blue. I've been visiting Metafilter for over a decade. The place was bound to change.
posted by quadog at 9:26 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by quadog at 9:26 PM on March 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
All right, I'll close this up.
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:28 PM on March 30, 2013
posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 9:28 PM on March 30, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm going to politely suggest you haven't.
If this were an essay, and I were grading it, I would write, "I have no idea what your topic is" at the top. Without specific examples I really have no idea what you're talking about or whether I agree with you.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:10 PM on March 30, 2013 [63 favorites]