Political posting

[alatar]

Not sure how it works where you live, but here in 'Merica, politics is all about who you know, and what you have to give to get what you want. "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine." For example, before the 'official' vote takes place on a bill, a lot of backstage horsetrading is done so that just the right outcome takes place in the light of day that maximizes the benefits...for those in charge (we taxpayers usually get what remains after the horses leave). A representative may need to vote against a particular bill due to the number of pitchfork and torch carriers in his district, but would rather vote yes as it's something like a sweet pay raise. So he may make a deal with the party boss that allows him to vote "nay" though only after the bill is sure to pass. In return, he owns the party boss some favor that gets cashed in at some point.

So what about you?

Did you ever, overtly or covertly, ask someone to post on one of your threads (or one of your favorites) just so that you could continue to post there? What did you have to give in return? Have you ever given rep to anyone who posted on one of your threads, hoping that they would come back Pavlovishly looking for more, and in doing so, inflate your thread's numbers? Have you ever schemed in the dark of night (an aside: dark of night doesn't work as well when written 'night dark,') with another member to 'work' a thread?

Though at this time I have no evidence - nor will I present any - but once a member had two nicks, and would have the most interesting conservations with himself/herself. Again, I have no proof, but the posting was just too 'in sync' to be posted by more than one brain.

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by alatar

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

Yeah, I thought so. I also thought "I thought political posting was illegal here. Have lots of people been breaking the rules?"

Anyway, my answer to your question...No...I haven't done exactly what you just described. But I HAVE done something kind of like what you described. That is, I've repped people hoping to be repped in return.

-- Foley

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by alatar

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

You deceitful scoundrel! I thought the title might be legitimate, as I know some here have expressed displeasure with the forum rules on rare occasions.
I can honestly say I have never done as you describe, though I too have been guilty of giving a rep here and there that may not have been entirely deserved by the recipient, in the hopes it would be reciprocated.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

I used to wonder if people thought I invented SamwiseGamgee for the purposes of the Warg and Warg Rider Appreciation Thread, because he never posted anywhere else. But he is my good friend outside the Downs and that's where all the Warg tales originate.

On the other hand, I've already admitted that Formendacil is actually me.

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by alatar

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

Curse your cleverness sir. Though it did get onto your thread.

I do try to rep people in the hopes maybe I'll get some in return. However, half the time Firefox says "no, thou shalt not rep anyone for a month!" And for some reason the internet flatout refuses to let me open the rep box to make comments. There have many many, many posts I've wanted to rep, but couldn't. So when I receive reps I feel bad because they're usually from people I'd like to rep in return (in WW and RPGs mostly).

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Kitanna

And for some reason the internet flatout refuses to let me open the rep box to make comments. There have many many, many posts I've wanted to rep, but couldn't.

Have you already tried right-clicking the rep-button? I mean that changed during the last major update of the site. So you need to right-click and then open it to a new window to rep anyone. You should try it with someone who's been the most helpful...

Originally Posted by Alatar

Did you ever, overtly or covertly, ask someone to post on one of your threads (or one of your favorites)

I quess I have done that once or twice - not knowing it's a sin or politics though.


Repping others just to pressure them to do the same sounds a lot more sinful. Like in any human communication giving a rep to someone seems to basically say not only "Hi there, I approve what you do" but also "I approve that you are here with me". And from the latter meaning we get the pressures. If you have made the post of your life you feel different receiving a rep from it than when you need to wonder why on earth someone would rep me from that piece of nothingness.

Even if I think there is some quite "groundless repping" which might have some intentions behind them speculated in Alatar's post I wouldn't like to discourage anyone to rep others either.

I mean some people just are nice and they know that receiving a rep feels good even if it's not such big a deal. It's like casually saying to someone you meet "Hi, I like you" which can only feel good. So why not do it every once in a while? There's not too much good will in this world in any case.

PS. The last sentence should be read literally as it is - that there is not too much good will - how could there be too much good will? There's always room for some more. So I'm not saying that this world is a cruel and evil place because it isn't...

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Have you already tried right-clicking the rep-button? I mean that changed during the last major update of the site. So you need to right-click and then open it to a new window to rep anyone. You should try it with someone who's been the most helpful...

A clever ruse to get a rep, Nog?

I actually started doing that shortly before I took to modding this most recent of WW games. I felt I should get it to work so I can praise the players and thank them for joining the game in the first place.

[skip spence]

Interesting subject.

How about repping someone in the middle of a heated discussion to soften him/her up in order to "win" the argument or to smooth things over? Ever done that?

As for the subject of reputation points, I'd like to say I don't care, but that'd be a lie. It is always nice getting some green and if I have an active posting period without any, it is something I notice. Certainly doesn't get me down, but I notice it.

Then again I don't hand out too many either. For some time I wasn't even aware of the repping system. Also, I tend to take many posters for granted who always deliver quality stuff. In a way they raise the bar too high for themselves and it's hard to say one particular post is especially great, so you end up repping none of them. Until you get a rep yourself from that person and somewhat guiltily responds by giving one back for any old post.

Lommy is probably right. Spread the love.

Then again, as a trained economist I know that the value of all things depend on the availability.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Then again, as a trained economist I know that the value of all things depend on the availability.

The value of a statement of love exists in its sincerity rather than in its frequency. Love does not depreciate.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by skip spence

I tend to take many posters for granted who always deliver quality stuff. In a way they raise the bar too high for themselves and it's hard to say one particular post is especially great, so you end up repping none of them. Until you get a rep yourself from that person and somewhat guiltily responds by giving one back for any old post.

I must say I recognise myself from that picture as well! Although I've noticed that I seem to try and avoid giving the impression it is because of that and so will rep that person back some time later after s/he has posted something that I consider worth repping...

Originally Posted by Skip

Lommy is probably right. Spread the love.
Then again, as a trained economist I know that the value of all things depend on the availability.

It depends on whether one wishes to see love as a commodity. Which I wouldn't encourage.

Originally Posted by Fea

The value of a statement of love exists in its sincerity rather than in its frequency.

But then again, I'm not sure how should we define love in this context in the first place - I mean if we still continue speaking mainly about repping others on the 'Downs...

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by skip spence

...trained economist...

Is that one of them oxymorons?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by alatar

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

Yes. Me too.

But as for the given questions, I have to reply no to both of them, unless inviting people to your WW game counts as this inviting you spoke about. Or at most, when your friends on MSN ask you "what are you doing" and you say "I have just posted a new thread" (not that I'd do it very often anyway. It's more like "I have just posted on XY's thread, I like it, you might check it too, it's really interesting"). In any case, repping people in hope to get some rep back - that's not the way it works. As if all was based just on action-reaction. Yes, it is true that I cannot get rid of the feeling that sometimes, when I get a rep from somebody, I feel a bit like I should rep the person, if I haven't repped him/her for anything for a long time. But then, I am just "Well, as soon as I see a good post from him/her, of course I'll rep it. But not now - I have no reason to do that."

So, what have I just done by this? I just made it clear for the people that they cannot expect me to rep them more if they rep me, so everybody will cease to rep me from now on

Originally Posted by Kitanna

However, half the time Firefox says "no, thou shalt not rep anyone for a month!"

On the other hand, that is something which sounds familiar.

[Thinlómien]

I can remember once repping someone because I wanted them to rep me back... and it never worked. Want to hear more? I repped alatar who had praised my new thread in his first post on it, and I was like "nice that you praise it, but can't you rep it if you like it?" and then I went to rep his post just to give him a nudge. Okay, I was considering repping it anyway, but I might not have repped it had I not had this extra reason. But you see, it did not work, I learnt my lesson.

Admittedly, these days when I rep people for some threads I have also participated on (books discussions, RPGs, ww games, paper telephone, whatever), of course I hope they will rep me in return. But it's not definitely the reason why I rep them. (If getting rep back was my motive for repping, I would not rep people as much as I do. I give out far more rep than I receive, but I don't complain.) And of course there is the psychological basis (I swear I don't intentionally abuse it even though now it must sound like that ) that if you rep someone very often, they are maybe more inclined to consider your posts rep-worthy. I know I rep people who are generous with their reps more generously than those who are not. It's subconscious.

I've also asked or hinted that people should post on some threads, but rather seldom and not forcefully at all. So I'm not sure if it counts.

[The Might]

1. Who really cares about rep in here? Green dots are a nice way of saying someone you like their posts but it doesn't bring you any honour or prestige... at least not in my book.

2. Who really cares about getting a thread of his/hers bumped? If the thread isn't interesting, then too bad, you can of course try and revive it, but if people don't post why shoudl you try...

I really don't see what the big deal is supposed to be really.
It's anyway probably just a trick by alatar to get us to rep him for this thread anyway.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by The Might

I really don't see what the big deal is supposed to be really.
It's anyway probably just a trick by alatar to get us to rep him for this thread anyway.

Probably.

Originally Posted by TM

1. Who really cares about rep in here? Green dots are a nice way of saying someone you like their posts but it doesn't bring you any honour or prestige... at least not in my book.

Exactly, that's why I like it. It's nice to tell people they have good posts and it's nice to get similar feedback from your own posts. That's why I think people should spread more reputation and not worry too much whether something is "worth repping" or not.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I can remember once repping someone because I wanted them to rep me back... and it never worked. Want to hear more? I repped alatar who had praised my new thread in his first post on it, and I was like "nice that you praise it, but can't you rep it if you like it?"

Wow! Don't I feel lower than Nameless Things gnawings! But let this be a lesson to others, thinking that somehow alatar has any feelings or sense of fairness. He's a greedy and misery old wizard he is (and Lommy is too generous by half).

But please note that I really would rather get a note than a rep - it used to be that, in the old system, after you got so many reps you could order stuff from the Green Book, much like collecting green stamps of old. Now, I appreciate the rep only as it acknowledges that someone read something I'd written (and in Lommy's case, she must not be reading too closely to be repping me ).

and then I went to rep his post just to give him a nudge. Okay, I was considering repping it anyway, but I might not have repped it had I not had this extra reason. But you see, it did not work, I learnt my lesson.

I've done the same thing, trying to nudge the system with rep or two, but that's the only sins I'm confessin'.

But we need not talk about rep, as that really wasn't my intent. For example, what if you were in a conversation, and suddenly you thought up a killer one-liner, but...but someone had to say something that would allow you to drop this laugh bomb. Would you not try to game the conservation, steering it so that with some probability someone would say the line you needed? And what if, like in the game of Bridge, you had a compatriot, and somehow could get a note to this person to work the line into the conversation?

Now extend this to postings on the Downs. Or isn't everyone else as coldly manipulative as me?

And, though I know what would get people here, there is a political component to our postings. I don't mean politics, as in RL, but here too.

[Rumil]

Hmm, repping,

as a 'not high volume' poster I sometimes forget about reps for months (years?) on end, then suddenly remember and have a rep-fest for posts I've especially liked. Though it is interesting to note the number of 'please spread your rep around before repping xyz again' notices that I get! (You know the usual suspects)

Also I like to rep somebody whose nick I don't recognise if they make a good post, as they might be new and a bit of encouragement must be welcome.

I once got a rep in return for one I'd given to a protagonist in a heated debate, whose position I agreed with and wanted to support without being too inflammatory on said thread. It felt wrong! Undeserved rep is surely unsatisfying.

I guess its only natural that you will rep more on threads to which you have contibuted, as those are the ones you pay most attention to.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by alatar

Now extend this to postings on the Downs. Or isn't everyone else as coldly manipulative as me?

No. Nobody is. How disgraceful!

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

But we need not talk about rep, as that really wasn't my intent. For example, what if you were in a conversation, and suddenly you thought up a killer one-liner, but...but someone had to say something that would allow you to drop this laugh bomb. Would you not try to game the conservation, steering it so that with some probability someone would say the line you needed? And what if, like in the game of Bridge, you had a compatriot, and somehow could get a note to this person to work the line into the conversation?

Now extend this to postings on the Downs. Or isn't everyone else as coldly manipulative as me?

A hunt, is it?

Sounds like this would be an infinitely more challenging, intriguing, imaginative, and entertaining endeavour, as here on the Downs you can't ply other "members of the conversation" with martinis and cocktails and spritzers--to say nothing of tantalizing appetizers--as you could in a RL conversation.

Originally Posted by big al, first post

Though at this time I have no evidence - nor will I present any - but once a member had two nicks, and would have the most interesting conservations with himself/herself. Again, I have no proof, but the posting was just too 'in sync' to be posted by more than one brain.

But it certainly would explain having two (just two?) nicks, as you mention in your first post. And oh the problem with plying the other nick with cocktails.

And just how much work do you get done in your RL work?

[Lindale]

Originally Posted by alatar

And by the way, yes, the title of this thread was kind of a ruse to get you here.

Did you know, the reason why I did not open this ages ago, was because I am scared of anything tagged "political"? Must be an extension of my many phobias in school.

On repping, I usually don't, because I think there's something wrong with my browser or my connection or my PC, sometimes the rep thing doesn't open. So I don't.

And despite my age in the BD I didn't know the existence of rep points until when I changed my avatar, when I saw those things. At first I really thought hard what were those and how those worked, until it just hit me.

[Lush]

alatar,

Nope to all of the above, but thanks for the cool thread! It has given me ideas. "Eeeexcelent, Smithers."



Durelin,

This thread reminds me (at least in some of the direction it has gone) of another that discussed how "real" people were behind their screennames - as in, how much they behaved as themselves rather than trying to be someone else.

Oh, I've definitely done that on the BD. I joined when I was seventeen, that's my excuse!... Or an explanation, at the very least. Are our online selves any less real than our offline selves? That's the question, I guess.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lush

Nope to all of the above, ...

Sure, I believe you...it's your story and you're sticking to it.

Oh, I've definitely done that on the BD. I joined when I was seventeen, that's my excuse!... Or an explanation, at the very least. Are our online selves any less real than our offline selves? That's the question, I guess.

Note to readers: See how Lush has already admitted to being less than forthright right after denying everything?

That's political-speak if I ever saw it...