If your thead doesn't make the Greatest Page does it really

[xultar]

impact some of you that much? Really?

If more people disagree with you than agree with you on DU will it ruin your day? Does disagreement impact you in the real world that much?

Seriously people take a break. It is DU, it is not the Masters or PHD committee. It's DU. I mean It's cool and all but a day or two without a thread on the greatest isn't that big of a deal is it?

Your family still loves you. Your pets, friends, neighbors, siggy other, etc...still think you're swell.

It's the GREATEST PAGE. The Greatest page doesn't impact whether or not you personally are great. You're still great. You were Great before we had the Greatest Page and you'll be for the rest of your life.

Maybe if it is that critical consider starting a blog with an RSS feed or something that way you can write and write and write and write without anyone telling you whether or not they agree.

It's not that serious. Can you imagine if it were? Can you imagine if life and death hung on whether or not a thread made it on the Greatest Page? Can you imagine if birds fell from the sky if a thread got a <0 on a thread.

Maybe the Greatest Page name needs to be changed to just DU Headlines are something. People are attaching too much of their self esteem and self worth to whether or not a thread makes it to that page. That shit ain't healthy.

I'll tell you right now unrec any thread I author. I'm not writing it for people to read and agree I'm writing shit to speak my mind. I swear like a sailor and I try to give my opinion with some humor. I don't care if you agree or not. I just hope I was able to give my viewpoint while entertaining and I'm happy just if people took time out of their busy lives to read what I have to say. I'm even more thrilled if they have something to say back even if it is Bite Me Bitch.

It's about the dialog...it isn't personal. When it get's personal...hit alert.

[rudy23]

1. Why even have ratings if the greatest page doesn't matter?

Just so people can see how highly rated the thread they're reading is?

[Echo In Light]

5. Precisely. But people tend to favor it in a very one-sided manner since they love competition.

You'd never convince the site owners to do away w/the greatest page.

[rudy23]

7. I also love the convenience of reading the Greatest Page

If you're going to have a greatest page, why let groups 'game' the page?

Why are some people SO HEAVILY in favor of unrecommend? Why is it so important to them that we've seen so many threads started in favor of it, which mock the opposition?

I'm sorry, but these over the top mocking threads seem trollish, even for DU, where we have our share of genuine conflict. Something just seems a little...off about them.

[Echo In Light]

21. There has yet to be an accurate thread re this option, and it involves a left/right split....

...here @ DU. I have no illusions about the fact that many Dems, aside from a few key social issues, aren't that far removed from the average Repub when it comes to "big world" issues. But that's just it, it's so obvious that if anyone dares bring it up, there'll be a deluge of denials and contemptuous attacks from moderates against what they perceive as the "more liberal than thou" crowd that, if you read their posts, they're really quite intolerant of.

[Maru Kitteh]

64. It saves great swaths of time for those who don't wish to wade through barely disguised flamebait &

wingnuttery.

For those of us who can't spend all day here, the effect of unrec on the greatest page has been VERY valuable.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Maybe they should call it the "You're Aight" page, to lessen the impact of not making it?

[xultar]

34. Boom. shaka laka!

[JuniperLea]

3. You nailed it...

To some it's all about ME! ME! ME!!!

http://butterbuttsex.com/imgbrd/HL:1/src/123656611255.jpg

[xultar]

10. Love that graphic. We should have that for Sara Palin stories. ROFL.

[babylonsister]

4. Sorry, but rec'd.

:P

[xultar]

11. I just wish I could unrec my own shit. I'm totally un edumacated in my writings.

[Robb]

Never had a thread on the Greatest Page until today

Hard to believe, I know. Yet somehow my self-esteem survived.

Should be set for another 8 years, I guess. :shrug:

[xultar]

13. You'll always be the greatest in my heart.

[blondeatlast]

50. No, you've been led to believe your self-esteem survived. You, of all people,

should know how the system of DU oppression works.

Until you have a thread calling for recommendations to rally in support your intact self-esteem and it appears on the Greatest page, you can't say it is intact.

[WolverineDG]

6. Sorry, rec'd it before I saw you didn't want recs nt

[xultar]

12. So you were for the thread B4 you were against it. Kewl.

rofl

[WolverineDG]

17. well, that's what you said you wanted

:shrug:

:rofl:

dg

[xultar]

27. tee hee hee...I'm just being a smart ass.

[enigmatic]

8. I agree w/ this

I'm utterly, totally, and completely baffled by the uproar about this. It's just an internet messageboard. That's it.

[Fresh_Start]

9. I've been away from DU for a month

I am astounded at how much people can be worked up over something like unrecs.
The stated unemployment rate is 9.5% and over 15% if you count underemployed and discouraged.
The homeless and food unsecure and medical unsecure populations are the highests in my lifetime (and probably yours).
The crooks are getting away with more and more of our money but ppl are still losing home and livelihood at a godawful rate.

Unrecs are so far from what I am concerned about that its difficult to understand why there is so much nattering about it.
In the interest of 'feel good', why not assign every post a +100 recs position from the moment its created. Save the time, save the angst. We are all great.

[xultar]

14. No kidding. We always get mad @ the MSM for going on and on about nothing.

Yet, we do it right here.

:crazy:

[Fresh_Start]

19. we don't need much help in 'not getting along'

we are experts at finding areas of disagreement instead of finding our common humanity.

[EFerrari]

15. The opposition to this new system isn't about that.

It's about excluding minority views and also about fostering incivility. I seriously doubt anyone is going to go into a faint because their thread didn't make it to the GP.

Whatever. I trust the admins. If there are problems, they'll probably see them before we even do.

[xultar]

32. But how? Does it exclude? I'd rather have tons of views or replies over recs.

That is where the action is.

[EFerrari]

39. Gotcha. Me, too. But the way the site works is that recs draw views,

isn't it?

[guitar man]

16. shit

I can't count the times I've started a thread and watched it sink to the bottom without even a reply. When that happens, I always think "damn, I've got to do better than that next time". No sniveling, no crying and being a candy ass about it. Damn it's just a message board after all :crazy:

[xultar]

28. shit...guitar man...I'm gonna look for your threads. Hey if you post about Vin Diesel

You'll DEFFLY get a reply from my ass.

[guitar man]

29. I haven't been around much lately

Been working my ass off and haven't had much time to post, mostly just hit a few replies here and there lately. But back when I was posting a number of original threads, I posted a whole lot of "sinkers". :rofl:

[Touchdown]

18. I won't start any thread again because I'm fragile.

just kidding. ;)

Really though, it would get a little disconcerting to not know who likes what you say, because your at <0. There could be some, just not the majority. It could get some to think that this isn't the right place for them. It's encouraging for people to see that they're heard and their not the only only ones out there with something to say. I don't think people talk enough, and people shut down when they believe nobody else takes them seriously. This unrec feature sends that dismissive message with only 2 characters, like Scalia telling his critics "Quack Quack!".

Soon, only the popular clique at DUHS will be posting threads, and the loser class will try and emulate and fail miserably, then attempt to commit suicide and fail miserably, like they always do. - Heather Chandler.

[Junkdrawer]

20. For me it's more about the recs column than the Greatest Page.

I almost never use the Greatest Page. But the recs column is hard to miss...

[xultar]

33. For me it's about Views and Replies. I consider it an honor that people

care to read my crazy crap.

[Junkdrawer]

37. I agree....that's how my eye catches the recs....

But the Greatest Page? Once in a blue moon maybe...

[defendandprotect]

22. Personally, I think "Greatest" is a misnomer . . . should be FYI . . .

On the other hand, there are some people here who do terrific think-about-this pieces

and perhaps there should be a new category for those articles which usually cover very

important subjects. I could regularly go to the Journals, but I don't always think to

do that.

[xultar]

36. Yup. I like that. But as a person that never goes to the greatest page I have

no opinion.

[Laelth]

23. Many of us are simply unlikely to write long, thoughtful posts without the exposure.

I'll still read and respond to posts here. I'll just be dis-inclined to write long, provocative arguments for general consumption.

And that's fine, but this change does matter. It seems odd to me that some people want to pretend that this changes nothing. Perhaps Skinner is responsible for that attitude because he said something similar in his post announcing the change last week.

:shrug:

:dem:

-Laelth

[xultar]

41. So, in the real world you only talk with people who agree with you?

What you are really saying is that you only post for people to agree with you. :shrug:

The fun is in the discussion and the disagreement and convincing someone of your POV. How can having everyone agree with you be fun. Seems to me that's how Repubicans do it. No dissent.

Is that what DU is about...to automatically have them be on your side?

And, how does the unrec impact exposure? I bet you threads with the most views and replies are 0>. I don't see how unrec impacts your ability to write a thoughtful thread.

I have to say it appears that you are using unrec it as an excuse for not wanting to participate. So if people don't agree with me I'm going to deprive you of my brilliance take my laptop and go home.

That's not fair to us or to you.

[Laelth]

61. Quite the contrary.

I post knowing that most people will not agree with me, but that a significant (and important) minority will.

Consider these threads, all of which saw the light of day on the Greatest Page:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/12

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/18

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/22

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/23

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Laelth/28

All of those express provocative opinions that were shared by a significant minority of DU's active members. None of those would have made it to the Greatest Page under the current system.

To be honest, I have learned a great deal from DU. I read far more than I post, and I only rarely post an OP ... only when I have something significant to say and only when I have a genuine opportunity to "teach" something to my allies on DU (people who have taught me so much).

I regret that I have lost the opportunity to teach to a wide audience by having my OPs appear on the Greatest Page. That's it, in a nutshell.

Thanks for asking.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Chisox08]

24. I don't care if any of my threads do not make it to the greatest page

All I care about me expressing my opinion and if you don't like Unrec me. I don't want to preach to a chior. I want people to disagree with me and call me out if I'm wrong. A good dialog is more important to me than popularity.

[rudy23]

25. I care more about it as a reader than a poster.

I don't like having my greatest page gamed by the groups that are paid to troll DU for certain issues.

[xultar]

46. If someone is paying people to do that they are IDIOTS. Wasting money. ROFL

[masuki bance]

26. Let's just have every OP on the greatest page.

That way no one gets their feelings hurt.

[rudy23]

30. These are the ad hominems that make me suspicious of why people LOVE unrec so much

I do far more reading than posting, and I never considered the impact that unrec would have on my own posts.

I just think it's far worse to have a greatest page that's affected by those who can unrec posts in groups. Often times, as part of their job.

[masuki bance]

31. Do you think their are groups of people on DU who are getting paid

to unrec your posts?

[xultar]

35. If they are. Waste of money then. Why would it matter.

[rudy23]

48. Sure, if it was only DU. This is one of many stops for them.

I know this industry fairly well. Product placement is the new advertising, and viral blogging is the new PR.

[rudy23]

47. Not specifically, no.

I do think there are groups who get paid to go on many sites, and do everything they can to sway opinion in favor of their employers. Unrec is one of those tools.

And no, I do not think I'm specifically being targeted. Nice straw men. That's exactly what I'm talking about.

[lumberjack_jeff]

38. If I post something which gets people talking, I consider it a success.

The problem is the new paradox. I can post something controversial which people will want to discuss, but because it's controversial it must be hidden. It won't get visibility to attract that conversation.

The solution is to post something uncontroversial, like "K&R if you think Freepers are poopyheads.". Where's the joy in that?

[xultar]

45. Unrec does not hide it. Why do people equate unrec with hiding it?

Even though people may disagree with it I can still see the thread. Right?

Does it really vanish into the internets?

[lumberjack_jeff]

58. No, but it's a lot easier to find this thread, for instance. n/t

[LWolf]

40. Walt, is that you?

"I'll tell you right now unrec any thread I author."

:rofl:

I wish it were so.

No, it doesn't impact me.

I just dislike the narrowing of what appears on the front pages of the site to groupspeak, and that's the way I perceive it. :shrug:

[xultar]

43. Now that argument is sound. The whole Group Speak thing. Oh Walt and I got married.

:rofl:

[LWolf]

51. Congrats.

Tell Walt I'll be happy to trade 100 DUers of my choice to get him back. :silly:

[xultar]

54. Walt doesn't know about the wedding of course but I'll pass him the message.

[joshcryer]

42. I don't even *use* the greatest page.

It has *never* been useful to me.

[xultar]

44. I love the actions on the boards myself.

[bobbolink]

49. Do you want an answer to that question, or is it just one more way to criticize others who may

see it differently from you?

[xultar]

52. Actually someone in this thread had a argument against unrec that I agree with

So, it's about the dialog. Not whether or not your post got a recommend or an unrecommend.

I think people who care about unrec or rec are putting are too sensitive about whether or not people agree with them and forgetting about how much fun it is to sway someone to agree.

That is what DU is about.

[bobbolink]

53. Thank you. You made it clear that your mind is made up, and you're not interested in what I have

to say.

That saves me the trouble,

And probably a snarky attack.

Have a nice day.

[xultar]

55. I said that someone had an argument against unrec I agree with and...

that is all you got from my post.

[bobbolink]

56. Funny, I read further, to see that you have not only already dismissed people who disagree,

but have labeled them perjoratively.

I DO read.

Have fun with your judgements.

[fascisthunter]

57. Is that Really what this is about? Popularity... I don't think so

that would be an assumption on your part and a bad one.

I have NEVER had a thread of mine make it to the greatest page... I understand you want us all to believe that is why people dislike the new feature... it was an effort on your part to marginalize and dismiss the expressed dissapointment and objections to the feature as a mere gnashing at the teeth due to ego.

This won't help

[xultar]

59. I do agree with the groupthink argument though. I can see how that can happen.

But I don't think that it will change DU.

[bobbolink]

63. "dismiss and marginalize" You got it...well said.

Refusal to hear an opinion other than one's own............that was stated in the judgement of the OP.

Very well said... you got it across better than I did.

[johnaries]

60. ...

:applause:

K&R

[nilram]

62. Thank-you -- people take this far too personally.

Be aware, people, it's not about YOU, it's about YOUR POST. Just because I don't think a particular thread belongs on the Greatest page, doesn't mean you personally are not worthwhile. I appreciate your contribution to DU even if I don't rec a particular post.

I'm seeing a lot less of what I would call garbage, and more of what I find interesting and informative, on the Greatest page now than before the unrec feature was introduced. I wasn't aware that people had fan clubs that recommended their posts automatically. Maybe those folks should get their own blogs, or go to Facebook and get a fan club, or just take a walk and get a life.

[TexasObserver]

67. Yes, there are many threads I find OK for conversation, but not Recommending.

GD has many, many conversational threads that are amusing, but they're just chatter. They're not anything more than people shooting the bull about something. I unrecommend those threads, even while talking in them.

I recommend some threads I don't even post in, and recommend some threads where I only post my Recommend notion. Wanting to talk in a thread and wanting a thread to appear on the Greatest Page are two very different objectives. They have nothing to do with each other.

[omega minimo]

65. Does self aggrandizement impact you that much, pompously ignoring any reasons DUers are questioning

this new toy, you knowing full well none of THOSE OPs are making it anywhere NEAR the Greatest Page but this phony baloney one will?

:puke:

[jmondine]

66. Why do you hate me?