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Drama: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership |
Posted by
Devin on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 04:01 AM PST
Everyone has been wondering and speculating about how the site membership is going to work. I've been putting even more thought into it than everybody else, I assure you. Everyone on the site needs to read this article. This is how it's going to work from now on.
Approval:The assumption seems to be that people will be divided into two categories: - Approved People
- Unapproved People
One thing that I noticed right away that really bothers me, but no amount of webmasterly mojo will ever be able to fix, is that people that I approve of don't approve of other people that I approve of. If I start dividing things up based on who likes who, things become very dangerous. I've talked to enough people here to be pretty confident in saying that for every person on the site (including me), there is at least one person who does not like them. Dividing people up this way is a bad idea for all kinds of reasons. The scariest is that it almost forces people to play politics. It also forces people to group together. There is a huge difference between cliquishness and elitism. Being cliquish means joining a group so that you can feel like you are better than everybody else. Being elitist means simply being better than everybody else. Being better comes with responsibility. If you are better than someone, then you are in a position of power, and if you abuse that power, then you are no longer better. The viciousness of the comments lately has been pretty disturbing. I'm all in favor of vicious comments, but it's supposed to be "us against them" not "us against us". The attacks, the reactions to attacks, the assertions of status, the whiney questioning of status - All of these things demonstrate that people are ignoring their responsibility as someone who is better than everybody else. While some of the people here may annoy you or completely piss you off, that should not be what you base your interactions with them on. While I don't subscribe to everything he had to say, Freud does describe this situation very nicely when discussing The Narcissism of Minor Differences. He wrote, "it is precisely the minor differences in people who are otherwise alike that form the basis of feelings of strangeness and hostility between them." What this means is that the more alike you are to someone else, the more the little things piss you off. This is the reason that Christianity, Judiasm, and Islam have always been at each other's throats - yet don't seem too bothered by Buddists or Hindus. In another reference to the narcissism of minor differences Freud wrote, "It is always possible to bind together a considerable number of people, so long as there are other people left over to receive the manifestations of their aggressiveness" I believe this is the root of the problem. By making everybody a part of the same group, we have taken the focus off of the original point of the site and focused on our minor differences with the other memebers. "I lurked for a while before joining because I wanted to make sure that this was a place where ideas could be exchanged in an atmosphere of reasonable acceptance. Basically, if you do not actively prove yourself to be a hostile idiot (like billgates from way back when) you will be acknowledged and politely corrected when you get something wrong." - Rogue "It used to be smart with a bit of social, now it's all social with no smart." - ickgirl Originally, the site was a place for us to be better than everyone else. Not by talking about how much better we are than those idiots, but by talking about Lucid Ideas in an effort to become better than everybody else. I think it's important for us to get back to that, since that is the value of this site. There are thousands of other sites where you can assert your leetness, but there are very few where you can talk about the kind of things that you used to be able to talk about here. Everyone here, including and especially me (although more privately), has been guilty of slipping into the Unapproved People category based on all of this, so I decided it was the wrong approach altogether. If I divided things up this way, the site would no longer have any members, editors, or webmaster. Looking at the site, I began to notice that the membership had already divided itself in another way, and that there really wasn't much sorting for me to do if I just defined the categories right. Page: 1/5
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Note: The original article is here |
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Average Rating : 5.0
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Shmeng 2.0 - Membership | Login/Create an account | 38 Comments |
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by tallidaho on Jul 28, 2003 - 06:21 AM
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Not that, in the end, I am really one to talk, but it sounds like a great idea to me. You're going to make some people mad, but this fact is and understood understood- and it's really impossible to do anything without angering someone else-- and it's a lot more diplomatic than the "approved" and "unapproved" methods. I am a bit curious how the karma scripts are going to work- but that, I suppose, is going to be one of the great mysteries of Shmeng. Which brings up a question- does everyone below the Pantheon begin with a balance? Does the Pantheon have to re-prove their worthiness? (I kind of doubt this, but its worth asking, I think) Overall, another great revolution from Devin.
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Psychopixi (psyche.at.psychopixi.dot.com)
on Jul 28, 2003 - 06:33 AM
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Thanks for posting this Devin. You've done a great job at explaining things, especially what categories there will be, and the karma scripts which will sort out who goes where. I am confused no longer.
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Shade (Shade@Gothcult.com)
on Jul 28, 2003 - 07:18 AM
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Major kudos on getting the scripts working Dev. There is something so amazing about watching the growth of Shmeng, from the inception of a religion and a pantheon to the petty squabbles, panty raids, marriages(by my count 3), child birth(1), near death and friendships that have grown because of, in spite of, and regardless of the site. We all have lives to some extent, some of them are more intertwined with the site than others, but we all come back. We return for the company, we return for the thought provoking articles and stories, we return for the companionship this site provides, whatever the reasons, we all come back.
Now Shmeng has gone through another growth spurt. Devin has given the site a soul, the knowledge of Karma, and the ability to fight back against the little diseases that would try to kill it. Shmeng is back from the killer mutant death flu that tried to overwhelm it and thanks to Devin's serious hard work, it now has an immune system. Is it just me or does this rock? Heh, Let's party.
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by feralucce (Iwouldliketokillyou@gofuckyourself.com)
on Jul 28, 2003 - 07:58 AM
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This trollish one bows before the infinite wisdom of devin...
*winks* Actually... I was typing up some ideas for all this and was going to see what you thought... but I think I like your's a lot better... except for the friday flogging (which should be self explanatory)...
I gotta say... the sadist deviant in me REALLY likes the idea that you know where you stand, but no one is actually going to tell you...
Feral
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by bettie_x (strangersangel@hotmail.com)
on Jul 28, 2003 - 11:01 PM
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Jeezus H Devin, this whole computer stuff is freaking me out a little. It computes my KARMA?! It's very very awesome that there are scripts for that, but for someone who's mode of operation stops at templates and point and click, it's all starwars to me, brother.
And a question....gardenburger has little coupons called Karma points on the back of their box ("redeemable in this life and beyond!"). Do I get to use those or do I only get to use them with the nearest gardenburger diety? Because I got a lot of gardenburger boxes. I'm saving up for reincarnation.
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My Two Cents
by Monolycus on Jul 29, 2003 - 02:15 AM
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I've got some industrial-strength ambivalence going on here. I'll start off with the positives... Devin, as per usual, I am astounded at your uncanny knack for finding creative, diplomatic and egalitarian solutions to life's little irritations. I thought that the way you approached the "fatal flaws/saving graces" friction (anybody else still recall that?) was inspired, but the direction that you have gone with this one tops it by a long shot. I think that the reason that your approaches to problem-solving always seem so unconventional and inspired to me is that they require a great deal of work on your part instead of simple delegation and reflexive policies. This is another reason we are fortunate to have you running the show here. You have more than earned the respect we have for you.
I only have two negatives and they are for me to worry about... nobody need respond to them. Seriously. The first is that I have deep-seated misgivings over the institution of "pets". It might very well be nothing more than the jealousy of never having had a ceramic bowl with my name on it and a basket to sleep in (that I am aware of... it would explain a few things, though), but I've gone over it in my mind and I can't see how institutionalised selective protection will do more than foster resentment and fail to bring out the best in people. Still, the fact is that "pets" might be an unavoidable evil, and it is probably for the best that we at least recognise what we are doing rather than taking the hypocritical route of pretending to be above that sort of thing.
I have a much bigger second negative, and I can't for the life of me find a happy way to say it. I suppose if anyone is going to say anything it may as well be someone as famous for not working and playing well with others as myself (believe me, I am sighing deeply with mixed emotions about this). While a few people have said and done some astounding things here, many more people grumble about how more people are not saying and doing more astounding things here. I can't put it kindly, there is a lot more energy going into lamentations about how things aren't like they were than seems to be going into improving them (with some very notable exceptions). I think there's more to the equation than just having the right people; the right people need to keep a fire lit under them as well.
If I have ever contributed here in a thought provoking way (and I am sure that will depend upon whom you ask), it came with some effort on my part. I think that people who spout brilliance as easily as they breathe are probably fairly rare and endangered animals and it might be best if we don't assume that we are one of them. All that I know is that complaining, sniping and carping is energy that could be better spent showing us your tits.
I told myself that I was never going to bring it up, but I was incredibly disappointed by the stab we took with the book discussions. I think that particular experience exemplifies much of the problem. Everyone seems to want something astounding, but few seem to want to expend any effort into achieving it. It is precisely the effort that has gone into Devin's solutions that make them so impressive. They are not simply some idea that popped into his head over a half hour lunch break (I presume), but things he had to think through, write text and code for and actually implement. There are thinkers and there are doers... neither of whom can do anything noteworthy by themselves. The astounding people do a bit of both in just the right measure.
I'm certain that I will continue to bump heads with people for as long as I am here. That comes from saying what's on my mind, and in all likelihood people will get over it. But when I am not just bitching or bumping heads, I have and will continue to put thought and effort into what I contribute (That's my defense if anyone asks what I have done for them lately... it's a quality vs. quantity argument).
Read the rest of this comment...
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Meranda_Jade (Meranda@mymind.com)
on Jul 29, 2003 - 06:20 AM
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*Instant Karma is gonna get you...* Whoo-hoo! No Karma-Police needed anymore!
I agree with and like these changes... I like that people are going to get taken care of automatically if they start acting mean to each other. I like that you pointed out that it's supposed to be "us against them" not "us against us". That was the main thing that made things not fun for me around here. I always felt that we should stick together and be at least respectful toward one another, even when we disagreed with one another. I'm glad that I have a reason to settle down and stop pointing out to people when they're being mean. The Mistress of Discipline will now only Discipline those who want it for fun. Devin, can I change my Pantheon description to reflect these changes? Good job, good changes... I'm so happy...
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Ironboots on Jul 30, 2003 - 01:00 PM
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What happened? I go away for the weekend and come back to this...
What event (s) triggered the karmic revolution? I can't find any recent bickering in the forums, no bad-mouthing in the talk box... I'm clueless.
Or maybe I'm oblivious to it because I'm a noisy idiot...
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by IamSquid (undisclosed)
on Jul 31, 2003 - 05:33 PM
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Man, why is it every time I'm gone for a bit, something big happens? I'm a little lost, can someone give mee a brief low-down on what I missed?
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Phalkon13 (phalkon13@godisdead.com)
on Aug 02, 2003 - 02:03 PM
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I remember when I was a new member, and I read these completely fascinating articles here. This is where the genius minds were. Yes they had thier politics, but generally they were more along the lines of relating stories about shmeng that happens in life to prove just how F*cked up this world really is. This was a place where the thinking-class could put thier heads together. This is where I would always love to end up, after playing on the net for a while, because it always gave me something interesting to think about. Then I started noticing things becoming more singled out, as politics were starting to form more. I decided not to become a part of that, for two reasons. One was out of my hands, as I became a virtual hermit, not doing much with my life for a long time. The other was because I generally hate social politics. I usually view them to get in the way of living life. So I pretty much disappeared from this site. But, semi-recently, I ended a life-halting obligation, and have thusly began to live my life again. And I realized just how much I missed coming here, and reading the articles, looking at the various pictures (some of them are just plain funny!!! ;) ), and reading the comments. I haven't been as good a writer as some here, and that is changing as of late. Soon I will actually start posting things here more interesting, and the like. I have been looking around on this site a lot lately, and seeing the "groupings". I know I am not a new member anymore, and I might fit in the "Harmless Unremarkable Members" croud, as I really don't post anything too racy, extreme, or mean. I think putting the mean stuff up is kinda assinine and immature. Thus adding to the shmeng that this site discusses in the first place. I love reading stuff form Feral, Court, Devin, Callei, and everyone else. I love Feral's photography, and digital art, as I am an ametuer of both myself (I will post some more of my stuff up shortly, if anyone is interested), and I love looking at Court's art (I only WISH I had that much talent!). I love reading Psychopixie's comments (funny as 'ell!). I generally love this site.(If I have spelled any of your names wrong, I am sorry, just got finished mowing the lawn, and I am tired as heck.) I think that Devin has a VERY good point, though. There needs to be a catagorization. Not to make any "leetness" come out and rear it's ugly head, but so that this site might become/stay what it was and is intended to be. And with that, 's all I really think I can say. Blessed be, all. :)
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Re: Shmeng 2.0 - Membership
by Nie (simim23@gmail.com)
on May 18, 2007 - 12:41 AM
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I've been here for I don't know how long... I used to be simim23 back in, what? 2001, 2002?
Then my account died because I didn't come here for a year or two, maybe three, and now I'm just Nie.
I love the way the laws of the universe can apply to even Shmeng. It has the amazing ability of bringing everyone's ego down a notch.
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