The miracle of the internet

[drfuzzy]

I seriously doubt it that you would have gave kudos to every single post if it weren't your thread.

Not that you can't do that if you like, just be honest about it.

Well, hell, of course I give more kudos in my own threads.  People are answering my question!  So why are you getting picky?
Are you trying to start up with me, boy?  Don't.  Granny has 4 college degrees, 4 black belts, and a green lightsaber.  Tick off Granny, and the only way to survive is to RUN . . . 'cause I can't breathe at the moment . . . <wheeze>       (ha!)

[Excited Penguin]

I seriously doubt it that you would have gave kudos to every single post if it weren't your thread.

Not that you can't do that if you like, just be honest about it.

Well, hell, of course I give more kudos in my own threads.  People are answering my question!  So why are you getting picky?
Are you trying to start up with me, boy?  Don't.  Granny has 4 college degrees, 4 black belts, and a green lightsaber.  Tick off Granny, and the only way to survive is to RUN . . . 'cause I can't breathe at the moment . . . <wheeze>       (ha!)

What am I "starting" with you, exactly?


No matter, sorry for the derailment. I just thought I'd point out the flaw in this trend, in case no one noticed it before, that's all. You do what you want.

[drfuzzy]

Well, hell, of course I give more kudos in my own threads.  People are answering my question!  So why are you getting picky?
Are you trying to start up with me, boy?  Don't.  Granny has 4 college degrees, 4 black belts, and a green lightsaber.  Tick off Granny, and the only way to survive is to RUN . . . 'cause I can't breathe at the moment . . . <wheeze>       (ha!)

What am I "starting" with you, exactly?


No matter, sorry for the derailment. I just thought I'd point out the flaw in this trend, in case no one noticed it before, that's all. You do what you want.

EP . . . listen, I'm trying to like you here.  Trying to play.  Why did you see the need to point out a flaw in the way I (or somebody else) hands out kudos?  That can't actually be important to you.  Seriously.  Can't you just relax?  Chill out, have some fun?

[Excited Penguin]

What am I "starting" with you, exactly?


No matter, sorry for the derailment. I just thought I'd point out the flaw in this trend, in case no one noticed it before, that's all. You do what you want.

EP . . . listen, I'm trying to like you here.  Trying to play.  Why did you see the need to point out a flaw in the way I (or somebody else) hands out kudos?  That can't actually be important to you.  Seriously.  Can't you just relax?  Chill out, have some fun?

I think the better question is why do you mind?

I point out what I perceive as flaws in order for people to either improve or correct me if I'm wrong. It's a mutually beneficiary process, in theory.

[drfuzzy]

EP . . . listen, I'm trying to like you here.  Trying to play.  Why did you see the need to point out a flaw in the way I (or somebody else) hands out kudos?  That can't actually be important to you.  Seriously.  Can't you just relax?  Chill out, have some fun?

I think the better question is why do you mind?

I point out what I perceive as flaws in order for people to either improve or correct me if I'm wrong. It's a mutually beneficiary process, in theory.

It comes across as nit-picking, egotistically superior, and an attempt to start an argument. As many people here already have told you.  You may tell us you don't care whether people like you or not . . . you might even say you WANT us to hate your guts, and in that case, you're doing a brilliant job, carry on.  But if you want to make friends here, save your criticisms and badgering for real logical (and hopefully civil) debate.  That's why I mind. You're actually trying to tell me how to "improve" my choices for when to kudo a post?  We're actually having this discussion?  Are you serious?  Why are my choices of which posts I like ANY of your business?  Why are you, someone who is not a mod here (in fact, who joined the forum one day after I did) criticizing the behavior of others over such . . . absurd minutiae?

[Excited Penguin]

I think the better question is why do you mind?

I point out what I perceive as flaws in order for people to either improve or correct me if I'm wrong. It's a mutually beneficiary process, in theory.

It comes across as nit-picking, egotistically superior, and an attempt to start an argument. As many people here already have told you.  You may tell us you don't care whether people like you or not . . . you might even say you WANT us to hate your guts, and in that case, you're doing a brilliant job, carry on.  But if you want to make friends here, save your criticisms and badgering for real logical (and hopefully civil) debate.  That's why I mind. You're actually trying to tell me how to "improve" my choices for when to kudo a post?  We're actually having this discussion?  Are you serious?  Why are my choices of which posts I like ANY of your business?  Why are you, someone who is not a mod here (in fact, who joined the forum one day after I did) criticizing the behavior of others over such . . . absurd minutiae?

Sigh... I'm sorry if you're so touchy, cupcake.

[Thumpalumpacus]

You know, giving kudos away like candy to anyone posting at all in your thread doesn't exactly make us feel valued for our opinions.

Just saying in case that's what you were doing. I know some OPs use this practice sometimes indiscriminately.

I kudos anyone who takes the time to reply to my threads even if I don't agree with what they're saying. It's my way of saying "Thanks for replying."

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'd like to point out another factor, to which others have somewhat alluded but not outright stated:

Not only are we gaining in shared experience and information, we're able to support one another in ways heretofore unimaginable. In small communities (as many of us have experienced personally!), atheists and other "misfits" to the social norms of American Judeo-Christian bullshit were previously left to feel alone and isolated, and often had to hide and never admit anything to anyone. Now there are "people who are like me!" circles where such support is offered.

Even to those of us who were brave enough to "come out" and face the social ramifications, it can feel very lonely as an atheist (sorry to borrow your title, Natalie Angier)... I can't count the number of days coming here has "saved me" from some really awful feelings of isolation and hopelessness, especially when I was first trying to get sorted in my new "free" life.

I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you to all of you (most especially you, Dr.Fuzzy, who went out of your way!) for all you have done for me here on the Interwebz.

---

Here's the article to which I refer, above. Don't feel like bothering with the linking code:

http://partners.nytimes.com/library/maga...heism.html

Good to see you back, brotha.

And yes, the isolation one used to feel as a pre-Internet atheist in America is ameliorated by the fact of Internet communities, and I think that in itself will help to make atheism more acceptable.

[Excited Penguin]

You know, giving kudos away like candy to anyone posting at all in your thread doesn't exactly make us feel valued for our opinions.

Just saying in case that's what you were doing. I know some OPs use this practice sometimes indiscriminately.

I kudos anyone who takes the time to reply to my threads even if I don't agree with what they're saying. It's my way of saying "Thanks for replying."

Well, at least you're owning up to it.

 If they took the time to reply to your thread they were clearly interested to begin with, you don't have to thank them for it, unless you actually agree with them to such a degree that you do.

But that's just my two cents, feel free to disagree.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I kudos anyone who takes the time to reply to my threads even if I don't agree with what they're saying. It's my way of saying "Thanks for replying."

Well, at least you're owning up to it.

 If they took the time to reply to your thread they were clearly interested to begin with, you don't have to thank them for it, unless you actually agree with them to such a degree that you do.

But that's just my two cents, feel free to disagree.

I appreciate anyone taking the time to answer my questions, but I really wasn't asking you to validate my approach. I'll give kudos as I see fit, and if you want to concern yourself with it, that's your time to spend as you see fit. It's not like your approval actually matters.

/derail