06-25-2007, 11:16 PM | #1 |
Elven Maiden
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,309
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Why start threads like this?
EDIT: See a couple posts down for the real reason behind this thread.
So, I was at another message board and I noticed a couple "best ___ of all time" threads, namely one concerning first person shooter video games, but it could've just as easily been best movie, best band, etc. My question is, why start threads like this? What is their purpose? Firstly, how can you say something is the "best"? You could take a movie, say, and rate it according to various different factors like plot, visuals, acting, etc. and pick that way. However, most people who reply to threads like that are going to pick their "best" based more on things like which movie they have fond memories of, the best movie out of their limited viewing history, which movie had a character they thought was really hot, etc. Then there's the threads themselves, which usually end up with people posting only the title of their favourites over and over, and really don't seem to serve much purpose. Who wants to read something like that? Why do I care what movies everyone else likes and why they're so great? Or books? Or FPSs? I'm not saying it's stupid or ridiculous or anything, mostly I was just thinking about what motivates people to start and post on these sort of threads. What is it that makes us immediately want to share our own favourites with everyone? And do people actually care to read them? Last edited by katya : 06-26-2007 at 01:30 PM. |
06-25-2007, 11:38 PM | #2 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,535
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It depends on where.
Here, for example, I'm starting to have an idea who people are, and threads like that give me another opportunity to learn about them, and maybe to share something about myself. It's conversation. Most conversation isn't urgent exchange of information, it's for relationship building. Particularly on a board full of minors I think it can be a very helpful and neutral way to be "present." It's pretty low risk... I like chocolate, but finding out you prefer vanilla doesn't make me think less of you. And it doesn't require specialized knowledge, unless people want to be snarky about it. A lot of times I'd have no opinion at all, like shoot-em-ups, which I've never played. So my interest in a thread largely devoted to them would depend on whether I was considering playing them, and how clearly anyone explained their preferences. I miss a few of the old posts around here people started about their dogs, which the mods shut down. I liked hearing those "voices."
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That would be the swirling vortex to another world. Cool. I want one. TMNT No, I'm not emo. I just have a really poor sense of direction. (Thanks to katya for this quote) This is the best news story EVER! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26087293/ “Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.”...John McCain "I shall go back. And I shall find that therapist. And I shall whack her upside her head with my blanket full of rocks." ...Louisa May |
06-25-2007, 11:42 PM | #3 |
The Black Númenórean
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Eh, dont know why they shut it down either.. But I agree with what you say Sis, and I feel much the same.
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Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. |
06-26-2007, 01:19 AM | #4 |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
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well said, sis - yours is the BEST post on this thread ... oh, wait ... sorry ...
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. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
06-26-2007, 04:09 AM | #5 |
The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator
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I suppose 'best' threads could be used as ice-breakers, you can find out which people have a similar taste in movies or games without having to go through huge threads of conversation.
I think it is often also used as a bit of promotion. If you really like a certain movie or song, you'd like other people to see or hear it too. Spreading the love, so to speak. But frankly, I don't know whether that even works. PS: Hang on, which dog thread got closed?
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We are not things. Last edited by Earniel : 06-26-2007 at 04:12 AM. |
06-26-2007, 01:28 PM | #6 |
Elven Maiden
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Thanks for your replies, everyone. This went well... I think I'll explain the real reason for starting this thread now.
My friend started a thread similar to this one on the other message board I mentioned, asking the same question but with a little different approach, a little more argumentative and too direct. I got to thinking about tact and politeness and how it generally seems to make things go smoother, helps you get what you want. It's a lot more effective than letting it seem like you are attacking people and thus putting them on the defensive and angry. It's not that I'm faking politeness or anything; I really am like I am. But even if I do disagree with someone or think they're being stupid I don't think being mean about it helps. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings either. Aaaanyway, I guess I proved my point. His thread did get a couple good replies, but not until the 15th post (including his own replies), and there was a lot of name-calling and arguing all through it. I should probably wait a little longer before telling you the secret but... well, Sis and Eärniel's posts were good enough. (though R*an's was the best, of course. Of all time. ) And also I don't like having a post up that isn't really me, so to speak (the first post in this thread). So this experiment is done. I don't know what to do this this thread- there's two topics to discuss now. I don't know if you wanna pick one, or close it, or whatever. |
06-26-2007, 01:44 PM | #7 | |
Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001
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Quote:
HAH!!!! I totally lol'ed when I read that. |
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06-26-2007, 03:35 PM | #8 |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
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*blows Tessar a kiss*
hmm, interesting, kayta - of course, we all know that you're very nice, and that helps a lot. Even if your initial post was a little more aggressive, we prob. would have given you the benefit of the doubt, because we know you. Typed discussion is very difficult - non-verbal stuff is - what? - 80 percent of communication? And we don't have any of that non-verbal stuff, except a limited repertoire of smilies (and the rollie-eyed smilie is a tough one - to some people, it conveys disgust, while to others, it conveys kind of a joking feeling). I know that you can take a post and read it many different ways, depending upon the voice inflection and facial expressions you assign to it. I remember being mad at someone once, and they PMed me and said wait, I never meant it that way, I meant it THIS way, and I re-read the post and saw that it could be read in an entirely different way ... Anyway, enough rambling. Interesting topic, and I appreciate you filling us in on it so soon.
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. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
06-26-2007, 05:39 PM | #9 |
Elven Maiden
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,309
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Yeah, that's true, the fact that you guys know me and that this is an entirely different board are all variables that make this experiment highly unscientific. But hey if you thought I was nice before this it's kind of the same idea.
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06-26-2007, 06:09 PM | #10 | |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Quote:
People with few social skills irl don't develop any more on the net...and some pride themselves on that.
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That would be the swirling vortex to another world. Cool. I want one. TMNT No, I'm not emo. I just have a really poor sense of direction. (Thanks to katya for this quote) This is the best news story EVER! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26087293/ “Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.”...John McCain "I shall go back. And I shall find that therapist. And I shall whack her upside her head with my blanket full of rocks." ...Louisa May |
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06-27-2007, 01:09 PM | #11 |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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And people who had social skills often sadly lose them.
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Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle |
06-27-2007, 02:22 PM | #12 |
Hobbit in the Music
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What's really annoying is the threads where they try to eliminate one character, movie, or whatever from a list by simultaneously adding and subtracting points. I mean, what a worthless waste of time. I see these all the time on IMDB.com.
As for the "best" threads, I would simply suggest changing the focus to, "What's your favorite and why?" There's no way we can decide which is the best, but we can still discuss and learn about each other and different points of view. Even so, I rarely take part in these discussions because I am wishy-washy. Yes, I admit it. I am the wishy-washiest person I have ever met. I have no opinions on anything. j/k I have opinions but I could never choose just one favorite of anything. |
06-27-2007, 02:31 PM | #13 |
Elven Maiden
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I don't think that's really wishy-washy, Elanor. I think not choosing a favourite, not having your heart set on any one thing, not holding onto one thing is marvelous. Ok, maybe you could call it wishy-washy but I don't think it's bad. Oh, and I am pretty much the worst decision-maker ever, including picking favourites.
The social skills thing is what I was concerned about. People aren't always trying to be mean; a lot of times they really just want a good discussion. But sometimes they can be too quick to get offended, and not check their own words, and have too much pride for humility. I was kind of testing people's responses to different attitudes... |
07-05-2007, 10:26 PM | #14 | ||
Co-President of Entmoot
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I just feel like I was experimented upon.
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07-06-2007, 12:39 AM | #15 |
Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster
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You are, Nurv; the world is controlled by mice, performing diabolically intricate and subtle experiments on all of us!
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Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle |
07-08-2007, 02:42 AM | #16 | ||
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
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Quote:
*looks under the sofa cushions* Quote:
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. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
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07-08-2007, 09:40 PM | #17 |
Elven Maiden
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,309
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I don't know... it didn't really occur to me that I'd be experimenting on you. But really, I am doing things like this all the time. It's just about paying attention to people, noticing what's going on. Observing how people act under different circumstances. I just went out of my way a little bit.
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07-11-2007, 10:01 AM | #18 |
Advocatus Diaboli
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1) Chocolate Chip
2) French Vanilla 3) Strawberry 4) Chocolate 5) Cookies & Cream
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