META-phors for META-matters, or, "To Those Who Never META 'Thumbs Down/Dislike' BUTTON they Could Resist"
This is a Discussion Forum; consequently … discussion, dialogue and debate are the phenomena that sustain it.
Duh!
When dissenting/disparate opinions expressed in a discussion forum are met with summary dismissal as with i.e. the Thumbs Down/Dislike feature, it undermines what? ... come on, you know ... a clue ... it undermines the discussion aspect of that discussion forum.
Yes!
Good!
In the book of Proverbs, META-phorically -- such subterfuge is referred to as "troubling one's own house."
To those who have fallen in love with their red-colored thumb ... let me say, META-phorically, of course, "to a child with a hammer, everything looks like a nail".
Too intellectual? OK ... Let's go with … "Tell a recalcitrant adolescent that it's unhealthy to eat shit ... and first thing ya' know, his head is in the toilet!"
We can have discussions on NT, or, META-phorically speaking, we can have in-your-face-from-the monkey-cage-throwing of-feces. That is, not point-counter-point conversation/discussion, rather (META-phorically), pissin' or poop tossing from the shadows "dialogue".
We moved here to mitigate the adverse effects of (META-phorical) "feces-tossing-head-in-the-toilet-house-troubling-I-can't-come-up-with-viable-rebuttals-so-I'll-quip-from-the-low-road mentality." Let's make our cases and/or debunk the cases of others with well-considered, somewhat articulate efforts … that makes NT look to outsiders and prospective future members, as the classy place it is.
Use the thumbs down button with discretion and have the respect and integrity to once-in-a-while explain why you've used it when you've used it.
Some Primates would surely do so if they could.
Don't just evoke, evolve (yup! Another META-phor … the "evolve" one)
Do I expect this will this generate better community decorum? Of course not; I just wrote it as a (META-phorical) way of "scooping up some of the monkey poop and flinging it back towards the shadowy areas from whence it originated."
I'll have real debates on significant topics with any member who posts one; but if the best someone's got is a "thumb" ... it denigrates the concept and the NT mantra of "Speak Your Mind" (which of course implies the existence thereof within).
'Course, as META-phors go, I could take the advice offered in Matthew 7:6 and just (META-phorically) do the "Emily Litella" thing, that being to consider the source(s) of the issue, realize that (META-phorical) "pissing-into-the-wind" aspect and just say …
"NEVER MIND."*
* Get the double meaning there? NEVER "MIND"?
… never mind.
Heading out for a Flu shot and coffee … in that order.
Back later to see of the "Rule of Thumb" has manifested itself.
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META-mucil for the intellectually bound up.
Better yet- "GET OVER IT".
Better yet- "GET OVER IT".
Better, better yet, consider how the behavior puts off some of our members.
There are two people bitching bout the "thumbs-up/thumbs-down" - and that is you and John.
You mean "those" members behaviours are being affected??
Fancy that.
Bitching ? ROFL. I think it is stupid, transparently stupid, to put any meaning whatsoever on a "like/dislike" total, and people who use it to "attack" some comment are laughable, but I have not bitched about it.
I would think that since it is so soon after the start of the site, such a topic of discussion ( that there is an article about the buttons), whatever purpose they were supposed to serve has already been mislaid.
Jeeeezzzzzz John - you've ruined it.
I agree with you - which brings to question - why the article?
There are two people bitching bout the "thumbs-up/thumbs-down" - and that is you and John.
You mean "those" members behaviours are being affected??
Fancy that.
Fancy this … the many members who don't bitch, no longer do so because THEY AVOID THE MALCONTENTS WHO POST VITRIOL AND then (metaphorically) SPIT ON THOSE WHO DARE EXPRESS OPPOSITION!
They LIMIT THEIR ACTIVITY TO FORUMS AND GROUPS where people can agree or disagree both OPENLY and with CIVILITY!
A. Mac - read your comments and the angst you throw out constantly with your multi-colored, bolded, italic'd, underlined continuous tirades against other's opinions.
As a former Union negotiator - think about what you've said, the manner in which it "may" impact others and the way the message is delivered/received.
Think about it.
"Thumbs-up/Thumbs-down"?
A. Mac - read your comments and the angst you throw out constantly with your multi-colored, bolded, italic'd, underlined continuous tirades against other's opinions.
As a former Union negotiator - think about what you've said, the manner in which it "may" impact others and the way the message is delivered/received.
Think about it.
"Thumbs-up/Thumbs-down"?
One more time; the use of font faces/styles/colors have been used in print media ad infinitum when individuals can not communicate in a face-to-face manner. They record emphasis, imply body language and inflection; as a former newspaper editor and a published author, I understand when and why they are incorporated into written discourse.
Ironic that you ask me to think about what I have said, the manner in which I said it and how it impacts others! The very point of having said it, in the manner I said it, was/is about how those on the site who, in unified, tactical an repeated fashion, impact the site negatively by making it near impossible to disagree without RELENTLESS, ANONYMOUS REPUDIATION for doing so.
My negotiating and subsequent enforcement of contractual agreements taught me much about human nature; among the lessons learned was the one that reminded me over and over, that there are individuals in this world who give not shit-number-one about how their self-serving willingness to impose agendas … fouls the good-will efforts of the fair-minded and forthright.
You can think about that.
For the record, 1st, we strongly disagree BUT I RESPECT YOU FOR PUTTING IT ON THE TABLE SO WE CAN DO SO WITH SPECIFICITY, AND OPENLY. And that's all I ask of those who lack the understanding and/or integrity to do the same.
the use of font faces/styles/colors have been used in print media ad infinitum when individuals can not communicate in a face-to-face manner. They record emphasis, imply body language and inflection; as a former newspaper editor and a published author, I understand when and why they are incorporated into written discourse.
I agree, however some people overemphasize their copy to the point where it becomes a distraction and disrupts the flow of the of the authors' own intent.
I've noticed that you seem to be fairly skilled at using emphasis in your comments, now I know why.
This article should be posted in the NewsTalkers Community group. I thought you were a member there Mac, but I don't see your name on the roster.
If you want to sign on just go to NewsTalkers Community group.
Lets' see if this gives me a message.
Jerry,
I thought I was a member of the Community Group … I just tried to join but there does not seem to be that option. Can you direct me.
I just tried to join but there does not seem to be that option. Can you direct me.
I don't know what the problem is with that. I assume it's one of the glitches that Perrie is trying to fix. I'll send her an email and ask her to look into it.
Thanks for the heads up mac.
I thought I was a member of the Community Group
Mac, You are a member of NTC, I was just looking for someone else's name and, wha-la!, there you were! I know you weren't there the other day because I checked the list three times, as I was pretty sure you joined on day one. You even participated in fine tuning the mission statement for NTC.
So I don't know what happened, but anyway it's resolved as far as you being in the group. However, there should have been a "Leave Group" button on the group title banner. (That button would have said "Join Group" if you were not a member) I'll email Perrie an update on the memo I sent her.
that's all I ask of those who lack the understanding and/or integrity to do the same.
Some people use the word integrity as a club to hit with . Just because you are the first to attack that way does NOT mean you have integrity ...
".....and the angst you throw out constantly with your multi-colored, bolded, italic'd, underlined continuous tirades against other's opinions ."
That's a pretty funny line.
I've said elsewhere that there's nothing wrong with using thumbs up, which really means agreement or appreciation, and they don't have to be explained, but thumbs down is another story. Granted it can mean disagreement or disapproval, but then there's no explanation of "why", no contrary opinion stated. It can also be used as a form of vengence, a kind of attack, but once again "why". The "why" is rarely explained, but if a logical opposing opinion is stated, then whether or not it's backed up with the thumbs down icon, that is the mature manner of using a form of criticism. Using the thumbs down by itself is childish - just proving one has nothing intelligent to say.
One never knows if an opinion is a "thumbs-down" unless the author of the opposing opinion states so.
I, for one, will utilize up/down for approval/disapproval of thread/content/choice and a reason for either is not necessary - either I like it or I don't.
If I have a differing opinion and I don't like it a lot - I will state it.
If I have a differing opinion and I don't like it a lot - I will state it.
Which is exactly what I'm suggesting should be done; but we have what appears to be an orchestrated effort to hit the thumbs down button on members who do so.
We have a significant number of otherwise active members who won't go to certain other members' articles because they anticipate being insulted there, "disliked" for merely having a dissenting view, without an explanation as to the reason(s), and, "disliked" repeatedly by the same members.
Who are the "hurt egos" in this scenario, the members being "disliked," or, the likely more fragile egos belonging to those who take pot shots from the shadows … perhaps for fear of being seen and being subsequently "disliked" for disliking without caring to, or, having the ability to own their positions?
I turned off my notifications for thumbs up thumbs down. Don't really give a crap which liberals pushed the button and it doesn't bother me. I wear them as a badge of honor. Perrie said they were supposed to be anonymous anyway. If she didn't want people to use them she wouldn't have added the feature. So far I've only given one thumbs down, I might start using it more often.
On the Ning site, as well as on NV, you could only vote up an item. I remember all to well how comments were obviously voted up by groups of friends, especially if you walked into an article where you were the outsider. When I was doing my homework for this site, I found that a lot of sites that take comments use the vote up/down button. It was like an instant poll. I thought it would be a good and fun thing to have here, so I installed it.
I don't want it to be used spitefully. It should be a genuine reaction to a comment and not to the individual.
Remember, any function I have installed, I can remove. My main goal is the health of the community, and anything that interferes with that, I will deal with in the appropriate manner.
I think we all know this entire line of discussion is kind of comical. I don't know how people came to the conclusion that I have been bitching about the "like/dislike" button. I know Perrie made a comment in the beginning that I had told her I didn't like it, which is true, and I thought it would be used in a comical way, which is true, but I did not "bitch" about it. I think Perrie knows that the "dislike/like" button is a miniscule consideration to me about this forum.
There are a few people who dislike comments, or like them I suppose, based on who made the comment being liked or disliked and not necessarily on the content. Such a truth makes the worth of the totals , as an instant poll, pretty much meaningless.
I don't know how people came to the conclusion that I have been bitching about the "like/dislike" button.
Because you're just like me, you bitch about everything, so it was reasonable to assume you would bitch about the like/dislike button. 8^)}
Jerry feel free to find any comment by me where I bitch about the like dislike button.
I found that a lot of sites that take comments use the vote up/down button. It was like an instant poll.
That's pretty much what the up/down feature is, an instant poll. I find it useful for seeing how strongly other readers feel regarding an opinion.
I also find it useful, when going back over a discussion thread, for telling me a glance whether I've already read the comment.
Any way you try to explain it or spin it, the butt-hurt over the thumbs down feature is the topic.
I wish i had more positive affirmation.....confused
Meta....meta....vomit
People just don't behave the way i want them too, people don't like my comments, I am not in control! !#@$!@#$!#$@!#@
Spiteful, intentionally-adverse activity absent of specifically-explained rationale … THWARTS ACTIVITY WHICH HAS A POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ADVERTISING REVENUE WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS THE SITE OWNER'S TIME AND EFFORT!
Get it?
Projecting your interpretation does just that; the potential logistical fall out of unsubstantiated negativity, on NT, as in many human interactions, is not constructive. Those who hide behind a button contribute just what in particular to the site?
Got something to say; have the metaphorical testicles to put your name to it and state your case!
This is not your site nor is it about you A. Mac.
If Perrie chooses otherwise, you need to support her decisions.
Spiteful, intentionally-adverse activity absent of specifically-explained rationale …
Would you rather someone unhappy with a particular comment spell out their feelings in clear, unadulterated vitriol?
The
provides a way to express displeasure with a comment without cluttering the thread with negative comments.
Got something to say; have the metaphorical testicles to put your name to it and state your case!
So that's how you think ... with your balls . No wonder you are often so rantacious . Try thinking with your mind ... just a suggestion .
I wanna see the front.
Now THAT'S a video I CAN open.
I woke up yesterday morning and had 85 email notifications about my comments being disliked, multiple times by each individual - so clearly the software is malfunctioning. That was after I had cleared over 100 from the day before.
I don't mind though, and I'm fully aware of how to turn off the email notifications. Clearing emails is a small price to pay for the opportunity to watch the tiny gears in my opponents' heads spin. "Oh look, Woodie took the time to hit the thumbs down button eight times on this comment." It's kinda entertaining.
I just had it fixed Hal. I don;t think this will be an issue anymore.
Damn. I was enjoying that.
Unfortunately, neither my thumbs up or down button work, so I cannot fully express myself on this article.
Personally, I use the thumbs up bottom as a visual indication that I have read and agree with the comment.
My failing to give a thumbs up is, in my mind, enough of a negative message to the author.
It works for me Al
It's a lot easier to flip someone the bird rather than address an issue on a real live basis.
The like/dislike button is a simple online flipping the bird when one is too lazy to actually think.
Voting a comment up without commenting is simply a way to show support for an opinion when anything you have to say would only be redundant.
On the other hand, voting a comment down is not "flipping a bird", it's a way to say you don't agree with the comment, and again, anything you have to say would be redundant, or it would only introduce unnecessary and unproductive vitriol to the discussion.
Wow, arguing over a button on a website......
Really intellectually stimulating there.
I know, every once in awhile you run into a comment that's over your head. You know of course, that I have always been available to help you out when you get confused, so don't hesitate to look me up whenever you need a hand.
Speaking of META, I now get a message that my 'application is pending' to be a member of Heated Discussions. Wth is that about? I've been a member there since I joined NT.
I now get a message that my 'application is pending' to be a member of Heated Discussions. Wth is that about?
You weren't there?! They voted you out for being too civil.
Let me see what happens. Some one comment to me here.
Has anyone seen Someone? Tell him/her Perrie wants him/her.
Who's on first?
Think Someone went to lunch - I'll check the Deli on the way home.
Someone went behind the barn with Anyone about an hour ago. No sign of Eitherone since.
Here's your opportunity …
Give ONLY a THUMBS UP/LIKE or, a THUMBS DOWN/DISLIKE to the following.
• Shall I post the e-mail notifications of all of the THUMBS DOWN/DISLIKES I have personally received since the inception of the new site?
Vote by hitting the button that best expresses your feelings on this idea.*
* Your opinion is important and the resultant votes (the e-mail notifications) may be posted herein at the close of the voting process.**
** Yes … it's a trap.
Go ahead and post them. Chances are I will agree with all of them.
This is not your site nor is it about you A. Mac.
If Perrie chooses otherwise, you need to support her decisions.
But those who criticize me for broaching the subject, make it about me! Just state in specific terms why the thumbs up feature is good, bad, indifferent, subject to abuse …
Perrie's decision to include the buttons is not the issue … the issue is whether or not the buttons are being used in a manner in the site's best interest.
(I know you posted this earlier in the day, 1st, I'm just seeing it; once the following feature generates e-mail notifications with links to new comments, this will be resolved).
Another test reply
Go ahead and post them. Chances are I will agree with all of them.
Read how to cast your vote … otherwise, of course you will like them.
Good news … the e-mail notifications that enable members to follow discussions … NOW WORK AND INCLUDE LINKS BACK TO THE FOLLOWED DISCUSSION(S)!
This article explains how to fluff ones delicate ego. It's continued existence is amazing!
That while enabling members to post multiple misinterpretations.
Win-win!
I am drawn to the circus act known to us all as Meta. I see that you are above it all as well.
We're all children at heart … we enjoy seeing the …
CLOWN CAR.
You're making it way to easy, BF.
AMAC, you posted the hurt feelings report and proceeded to defend it as something it's obviously not for an entire day.
Now that's determination!
Bravo!
Your convenient , self-satisfying misinterpretation … your problem.
“Beware of becoming a pawn in your own game.”
― Marty Rubin
We moved here to mitigate the adverse effects of (META-phorical) "feces-tossing-head-in-the-toilet-house-troubling-I-can't-come-up-with-viable-rebuttals-so-I'll-quip-from-the-low-road mentality."
Didn't change and I didn't expect it to. We can change platforms, but since this is an open forum, we can't get rid of the worst shit flingers. So, no difference. Can't change people.
Oh and I like the up and down buttons and keep my private notes closed so I don't get notified when someone votes one way or another.
I vote thumbs up!
Btw the follow button now works!
A. Mac, are those your tags on the article, or did someone mess with your article, too?
They're fine, I was just wondering-- they don't seem like you...
This article … one I posted a month ago, has suddenly arisen from the ashes. I was content to let it stay in the past … but here we are.
Since I did not resurrect it, I'll assume it still has some relevance, and therefore, I will ask about the following …
WHY TF would anyone disagree with/dislike the comment reproduced below, (one that I posted in another thread earlier today)?
The text in blue is a comment made in response to my contention that there are a number of problems with condemning a demographic that is obviously not comprised of a one-size-fits-all population. That I had to make the distinction between NAZIS vs. Germans is troubling to me.
But please, and I am serious, what could possibly objectionable in the content below?
_______________________________________________________________________________
So most Nazis were warm and cuddly? Your inability to recognize that the ideology itself espouses violence renders your soundbites illogical.
Think before you make declarations!
A "NAZI" by definition is a violent, ethnic-cleansing piece-of-shit.
If you had thought your condescending, foolish statement through before you posted it, you'd have (possibly) realized that ALL GERMANS WERE NOT NAZIS … JUST LIKE ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORISTS!
It's the sloppy, one-size-fits-all stupidity that just drives me crazy!
FYI: The way you stereotype all MUSLIMS, is the way the NAZIS stereotyped all Jews and their other targets --
Antisemitic propaganda was a common theme in Nazi propaganda, although it was occasionally reduced for tactical reasons, such as for the 1936 Olympic Games . It was a recurring topic in Hitler's book Mein Kampf , published in the 1920s, and was thus a natural component of nazi ideology.
Early in his membership in the Nazi Party, Hitler presented the Jews as behind all of Germany's moral and economic problems, as featuring in both Bolshevism and international capitalism. [1] He blamed "money-grubbing Jews" for all of Weimar Germany's economic problems. [2] He also drew upon the antisemitic elements of the stab-in-the-back legend to explain the defeat in World War I and to justify their views as self-defense. [3] In one speech, when Hitler asked who was behind Germany's failed war efforts, the audience erupted with "The Jews." [1]
REPLY
You start out with an insult. I can see the reason for the thumbs down.
"Think before you make declarations!"
Then you add a second insult for the icing on the cake.
"It's the sloppy, one-size-fits-all stupidity that just drives me crazy!"
You start out with an insult. I can see the reason for the thumbs down.
"Think before you make declarations!"
Then you add a second insult for the icing on the cake.
"It's the sloppy, one-size-fits-all stupidity that just drives me crazy!"
The reason for the comment was followed with the specifics as to why.
In my career, I opened many arguments with disparaging commentary, then immediately validated the basis for each.
When a particularly ill-conceived notion is posited … PARTICULARLY AS AN ATTEMPT TO REBUT A SENSIBLE one, the recipient of the indignation he evoked can either acknowledge that he stands corrected, or double down on his ignorance.
I get your point, Dean. But rather than merely objecting to my "one-size-fits-all" assessment of broad-brush stereotyping-demonizing-demagoguery of ethnic groups, explain why you think it's not accurate … unless you agree but would rather not say because it erodes your explanation.