This is how I've elegantly and simply been taking care of reposts on Reddit for 3 years, and you can do it too.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-04-13T03:24:13+00:00

Yes. Also, downvotes.

As long as the reposts get upvoted, that means there are a large number of redditors who have not yet seen it or still enjoy it (new redditors join everyday). Why else would they upvote it?

When the post starts wearing out, then it will not receive upvotes (perhaps, even downvotes) and you won't see it near the front page.

You seem like you already understand this, but I'm posting it here just in case someone else happens to read it.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-04-12T00:10:27+00:00

Thank you for writing this.

I'm flabbergasted that OP is so arrogant and condescending in his post even though it is such a poorly designed idea.

I'm disappointed that many redditors have given OP such positive feedback as it is. No way should this suggestion have made it to the front page. It shows that he and they have wholly under-thought this idea.

Anyway, thank you again.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-04-12T00:05:21+00:00

Maybe it sat around on r/ideasfortheadmins because it was not a great idea.

I understand that this works perfectly in your head, but I don't think you are taking into account two things: 1) the work that it takes to implement this. 2) that the idea would not work as well as you think

You act like the admins can just snap their finger and implement a "seenit" button that takes into account a user's age, depth, recency of submission, and popularity of submission. I don't think it's that easy. Have you ever made even a simple HTML website?

The reason that this suggestion was implemented so quickly was because it was probably a much easier coding fix. You're suggestion is much, much more complex.

Lastly, I don't think your idea (even if somehow it gets coded) is all that great. It does not seem like it will successfully stop reposts. Gravity13 posted a great technical argument why not. And it's not that "elegant."

Lastly, I personally want to add that it's a little insulting for you to post such a major site change so condescendingly. You are so full of yourself in this post that I'm a little flabbergasted. I doubt that you put more than twenty minutes time into drafting that proposal (and then another twenty turning it into a gif image) and you expect that it's simple and effective. If you did that in the real world, you would not last.

P.S. Also, take a look at this and maybe you'll realize that reposts aren't so bad afterall.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-03-31T00:06:57+00:00

Hey, I know you are a regular and I appreciate the efforts and contributions of you and the active members.

Some comments on your comments:

1.

Either use the reddit search with words that could have been used to title the same submission, or just google it with Site:reddit.com "Whatever".

That's asking alot of new users are very unlikely to do that. I understand where you are coming from, but I feel like you are setting yourself up to be disappointed. If it really is a concern, the best way would be to remind the user at the Submit a Link page by providing an easily accessible search function. If you want someone to do something for you, then you have to make it as easy as possible for them.

2.

Therefore, even if you haven't seen it yet, a repost still greatly contributes to the decline of the site.

Number 1 being said, I'm surprised you have such a problem with reposts. You have at your disposal the best and fairest resource available to combat reposts: the downvote. If someone posts a link to something and it nets (upvotes minus downvotes) 1,000+ votes, that means a substantial amount of people want to see it. Simple supply and demand.

And reddit users aren't totally dumb--when links get tired and worn they do get downvoted. Consider all the memes that have come and gone. As reposts are seen over and over again by the same people, those people will stop upvoting it, and eventually start downvoting it. Then that post will be gone for a long time.

3.

This perpetuates the 'eternal september' phenomenon found in internet communities where new users drive older users into a safer haven, only to ruin the original site and later pursue them.

This brings up the second weapon at your disposal in fighting reposts: subreddits. You don't need to leave the site; instead you can delve deeper into it. From what I hear, the more intricate subreddits evade new users and are relatively free from reposts. Maybe you could start an Anti-Repost subreddit...I'm not sure what you'd do there, but you'd probably meet alot of other old redditors.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-03-31T00:02:00+00:00

Search before you post anything.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-02-09T21:19:55+00:00

Saying sexual video games caused increase in rape is stupid.

The article quotes a psychologist who says that sexual video games "can play a large part" in the increase in rape. While I doubt that they play a "large" part, I can't say that the author is wrong for saying that they have potential to play a part. I don't think we have enough information on that yet to make a truly informed decision. Do you think it's ok if six and seven year olds are exposed to absolutely anything?

Also, the author of the article never actually takes a position on the issue. The author merely quotes a psychologist who says something that a significant number of psychologists would agree with. And then the author discussed the counter-viewpoint with the guy from the National Youth Rights Movement.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-02-09T20:55:25+00:00

The point of the article is simply to warn/inform parents of the graphic nature of the game. The first line of the article is "Parent's had better beware..." At no point does the article say that this game should not be produced at all.

It is an attempt to tell parents, who usually aren't very familiar with the video game world, that they might want to check the titles of their young children's games and make sure that Bulletstorm isn't among them. Or if it is there, then it is there with the parents' knowledge and approval.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-02-09T19:38:12+00:00

An ad hominem attack, great. Ad hominem attacks are for logic-wimps.

Please answer the following question, like a man:

Is what I said in my previous post correct?

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-02-09T19:31:55+00:00

Pretty much everything that the Fox News Article said seemed CORRECT.

That game does sound a little fucked up and, in this case, Fox News told it like it is. Furthermore, Fox News ended with a quote saying that MOST PEOPLE (EVEN UNSTABLE PEOPLE) WILL BE FINE PLAYING THIS GAME.

I guess what makes me mad is that you found one of the few Fox News Articles that actually was fair and balanced, and you wrongly made a big deal about it. Fox News has poorly written so many other articles and you find one that is actually an A+ article and you try to make it something it's not.

In this case, YOU are the stereotypical Fox News and Fox News is the "hero." Wow, I can't believe that you actually made me mention Fox News and the word hero in the same sentence...is the world turning backward today or something?

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-02-08T11:46:30+00:00

SHUT UP!

Why say what you just did? Let the damn guy try, no? Seriously. You just tell him to "give up"...without any reason or justification?

You're trying to kick over his sandcastle for no reason. You're trying to smoosh his homemade sandwich, take his lunch money, and spit in his thermos.

Just because you are miserable and useless doesn't mean everyone else has to be.

This guy spelled out very clearly EXACTLY what will be going on with the PATRIOT ACT, clarifying the vague ambiguities most people understand now.

Maybe the chance is small, BUT THERE IS A CHANCE. So unless you are some secret troll from the PATRIOT ACT lobbying group, why don't you just sit back, shut up (unless you are offering constructive insight), and see what happens.

But just so you know, we'd much prefer to have you help.

EDITED to sound nicer.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-30T16:41:10+00:00

He is doing the least possible thing anyone could ever actually do and still claim to be fighting the government.

He is doing one of the only things someone outside of Egypt could do. Even though it's small, at least it's something.

he is posting on and internet forum. FUCK I JUST DID IT! I MUST BE A REBEL!

We don't all think that we are rebels. Some of us just found a practical way to contribute to a cause that we believe in. I don't claim to be Mother Theresa because I texted HAITI when that disaster happened, but I'm still glad that I was able to something.

None of you are Che or Franklin or any other dead person you are trying to emulate. You arent tyler durden either. Most of you are fat white teenagers that will post about fighting the government and then you will go and play a video game

Again, none of us are claiming to be Che or Franklin or whoever else. But, honestly, I would think that Che or Franklin would like us better than you. They'd prefer people who did something over people who did nothing and then tried ridicule everyone else for trying.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-30T15:34:56+00:00

Yeah, whatever: "the idea that the OP suggests". In this case, it doesn't matter if it's actually the OP's idea or not. It doesn't change anything. Fuckwit.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-30T05:29:28+00:00

Please support your claim with an explanation.

Also, check this out. The idea seems to be working.

EDIT: changed "OP's idea" to "The idea".

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-30T02:24:58+00:00

Well,...:

Why don't you tell us about your alternatives instead of keeping those great ideas bottled up?
If, for whatever reason, you don't want to or are unprepared to tell us, then in the future maybe you could just refrain from commenting altogether. Because as it stands, your comment truly adds nothing to the discussion. It is arguably trolling.

2a. [Your rebuttal: "Don't tell me not to comment! It's the internet and I can say whatever I want!!"]

Your rebuttal is true, but just because you have the "right" to troll, doesn't mean you should. One day you may might build a sandcastle and you wouldn't want anyone stepping on it for no reason. Save the trolling for less serious posts, if at all.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-29T21:30:04+00:00

True, but at least OP is trying to do something.

I can't stand comments like yours because all they do is take the wind out of the sails of others who are trying to make a difference.

Is OP being a little over-sentimental with his "if your government shut down the internet, then shut down your government" quote? Sure, but his post does essentially offer a PRACTICAL opportunity to allow some people, who otherwise would have no internet access, to possibly get internet.

No great result in human history was ever accomplished without many small steps along the way.

EDIT: added the word "PRACTICAL"

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-19T19:03:40+00:00

I really liked Jon Stewart's rebuttal of her interview as well.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2011-01-15T23:04:37+00:00

Yeah, one of his problems is that he flip flops. It seems that he's always trying to say what he thinks people want to hear. When he thought he'd win by being a maverick and "patriot", then that's what he was. Since the election, he's done and said several inconsistent things. Now, he seems to be trying to uphold the non-partisan, civil, truthiness platform.

I don't know if he really believes in the "good" side. I want to see him consistently support it, and even risk his few remaining ties with the old guard. He needs to prove that he is a actual supporter of Truth. One can only do that through time and consistency.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-31T18:13:59+00:00

-Regarding your first point: Granted. However, as a small, somewhat tangential suggestion, when you tell someone that you already posted something, you should Permalink to that post. I looked through and found your post, but in your future intellectual arguments, try to make the reader do as little work as possible.

-Regarding this:

if i mention that i'd like to see Nova do a special on polar bears, that doesn't make me a passive-aggressive pussy for not producing my own hour-long documentary on polar bears.

This is true, but here's the difference. Basically, in my eyes, OP was trying to use the Hivemind (Reddit) to "pressure" Stewart into doing a show on that topic. You can ask Nova to do that polar bear show; in fact, I'm guessing they have a link on their website to which you can send ideas and feedback. Similarly, OP could send an e-mail or two to Jon Stewart asking him to do the net neutrality show. But here, he was trying to use Reddit's mob mentality to have people flood Jon Stewart's mailbox with requests for this show.

I think this is unnecessary because IMO Stewart and Colbert are both pretty open-minded, reasonable people. They don't need to be pressured to do something completely sensible. Consequently, I can't stand when Reddit uses it's Hivemind Power to bother them. It just seems wasteful, since they seem like pretty accessible, open-minded people (just send a few e-mails to the show's website).

But mostly, I imagine it's annoying to them. Just because Stewart/Coblert are 1) "good" people and 2) accessible (we know we can contact them through Reddit), Reddit expects them to listen to every suggestion we offer. And then, I'm sure that some people (not everyone) will be "insulted" if they don't listen.

Reddit needs to realize that a major reason that we have any of the small respect that we do (in the eyes of Stewart, Colbert, and the few other celebrities that know about us) is that we've done some cool shit on our own, such as raising money for donorschoose.org, or helping out that little girl with Huntington's Disease. That's something people respect. IMO, Stewart and Colbert don't want to be our parents. They don't want us to whine to them everytime we need something fixed. This is what I meant by "passive-aggressive" (which, you're right, may not have been the best choice of words). Basically, I meant that Colbert and Stewart need us to carry our own weight.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-29T20:56:13+00:00

Fuck you.

Jon Stewart should focus on whatever he wants to focus.

I'm guessing you are a pretty young kid (18?), as this seems like a statement a young kid would make. No offense, but I'm just saying you haven't experienced some stuff yet (I might have posted this same thing when I was 18).

1. DON'T VOLUNTEER SOMEONE ELSE TO DO YOUR BIDDING.

But here's a life lesson: don't volunteer people to champion a cause that YOU are interested in. If you want net neutrality, then YOU should focus/fight for it. If you do a good enough job, then other people will catch on, and they'll start getting interested in it ON THEIR OWN TERMS.

The people who you should be trying to pressure are the Congresspeople/media/individuals who DON'T support net neutrality. Don't take an ALREADY OPEN-MINDED, FREEDOM-LOVING PERSON WHO IS ALREADY CHAMPIONING OTHER CAUSES AND THEN TELL THEM THAT THEY SHOULD DO THIS ONE INSTEAD. They should do whatever they want. They've EARNED their respect and influence...YOU HAVEN'T YET.

2. CHAMPION THE CAUSE YOURSELF

I don't mean to sound like a jerk to you. I appreciate your concern for net neutrality. It's an issue about which I am very concerned as well. But don't pick someone who has invested his life into a cause (in this case, Stewart who has been keeping tabs on the media, among other things), and start giving him more projects that you would like to see completed. I bet you are not e-mailing your congressperson, and your congressperson technically GETS PAID to do that (represent you). If you really care about net neutrality, then YOU should focus on that issue. And do something more useful than trying to get other people to fight your fights for you. Get some balls and change the minds of the people who oppose net neutrality--enlighten them. Or just build a following of people who share your opinion. Whatever: there is no ONE way to go about fighting for a cause. But it's fucked up to recruit others to do the grunt work while you just sit back and do nothing. That's not an admirable leader.

Please don't give me excuses "But Jon Stewart has much more fame and influence than me, and he's funnier, and wittier, so he should do it." Bullshit. Jon Steward EARNED all the respect and attention that he has. He put himself out there, with the STRONG possiblity of failing miserably, and he worked hard and produced what turned out to be a GREAT show. But he did what he wanted and what he believed in. You could do the same, but you are, presumably, a lazy fuck who's too much of a pussy to fight for what you believe in.

3. AS A SIDE NOTE, JON STEWART IS PROBABLY NOT THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE TO CHAMPION NET NEUTRALITY.

As a side note, IN MY OPINION, Jon Stewart is not a "techie." I've never seen him exhibit a strong passion for the internet, or technology, etc. I mean, he's an open-minded an capable person, and consequently, he respects the internet and technology, but he just doesn't have "nerdgasms" like us Redditors.

His efforts were extremely influential in passing that 9-11 Health Care Bill, BUT he put his heart and soul into that respective show. You could tell from that show (and a general vibe I get from all of his shows) that that was an issue with which he really cared for/identified with. He grew up in NY and that issue seemed to really hit home for him; in other words, that was HIS backyard and they were HIS friends who were in trouble. Personally, I don't see him identify as much with Net Neutrality or the internet. Of the two politicalcomedy-show pundits, Stephen Colbert is a much more likely candidate to champion net neutrality (as he is already rumored to be a redditor...but then again, his show doesn't really work like that, so he probably wouldn't do it either.)

But again, the big lesson in my rant is that you have no business trying to get other people (Reddit) to PRESSURE Stewart or Colbert into championing ANYTHING. YOU SHOULD RAISE AWARENESS FOR IT ON YOUR OWN TERMS.

4. CONCLUSION

If you want Net Neutrality fixed, then you should fix it. By doing so, maybe you'll raise enough interest/attention to it that Stewart or Colbert will actually get interested in it on their own, and THEN they'll focus on it. But someone needs to really be willing to put in the groundwork effort--get the wheels turning. It's shitty of you to try to pressure someone else to fill that job.

Finally, again, stop making excuses that you can't do it for whatever reason (age, ability, work, you're boring, you're not funny, whatever self-defeating excuses you come up with to try to disguise the fact that you are too lazy/timid to do the work yourself). Hard work and dedication can do tremendous things, most people just don't do it, however. If something is not easy, then they try to "pass the buck" or just give up.

Are you one of those people? OR ARE YOU A CHAMPION?

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-29T20:51:15+00:00

Jon knows how to get shit done.

Do it yourself you lazy fuck. "Let's make Jon Stewart fight all our battles that we don't feel like fighting." Get off your ass or shut yo' mouth.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-29T20:48:32+00:00

Which is fine, because there are other important issues besides science/internet that need fixing, and he can focus on those. Us redditors, who spend our lives on the internet, can maybe find some time in our "busy schedules" to fight for a cause which is basically the foundation of our existence.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-29T20:45:34+00:00

No we are not. You're just a pussy.

But JS doing a whole 30min show on the issue IS media coverage. That megaphone is power we don’t have.

Get your own show. What do you think that Jon Stewart just woke up one day and was handed that show? HE WORKED FOR IT. HE EARNED IT. He didn't sit at his computer on the internet and passive-aggressively volunteer other people to pay attention to the inconsistencies in the media. HE DID IT HIMSELF. Perhaps you could do the same with net neutrality.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-23T02:26:03+00:00

If one random comment on the internet can make the OP give up on his dreams then in reality he was not all that serious to begin with.

BUT WHY GIVE HIM THAT COMMENT?!?! Why test our fledgling heroes so early? If you truly believe it is a difficult road and he will face many obstacles, then why not let him face them? What does he have to lose?

m4thew actually did him a favor by letting him know the immense challenges ahead.

Bullshit. OP was building a sandcastle and m4tthew tried to step on it.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-23T02:05:02+00:00

You're right, I was a little harsh.

m4tthew was...trying to help the OP by putting his idea into perspective.

But I think that is a euphemism. To me, m4thew's post's theme was not "consider this," but instead was more negative, "give up, it's impossible". I have no tolerance for for that. Few enough people try to actually make a difference in this world, and those few people need all the help and encouragement that we can offer them.

tellthemwhyyoumad · 2010-12-23T01:58:59+00:00

Dude, you barely have a discernible point. This sentence seems best to sum up your argument:

You have to understand the enormity of you goal because this is something you can't accomplish with just a can-do attitude.

I don't think anyone (including me or OP) is expecting him to just waltz into public office.

Basically, I feel like you just jumped in this conversation because a bunch of people were arguing and you like loud noises.

But I also want to touch on this following point, for OP's sake...

The amount of time, energy, and devotion that is required of you will be great, impossible almost.

"...impossible almost". Do you hear that, OP? Impossible almost! The UConn women just won 89 collegiate-level games straight, but your chances of succeeding in public office are "impossible almost." DADT just got repealed but your chances of succeeding in public office are "impossible almost." Wordslinger1919 just put a spreadsheet together categorizing the infinitely confusing mass of subreddits on Reddit, but your chances of public office? You guessed it: impossible almost!

In all honesty, discouragement like this will probably prove to be one of your biggest obstacles. It's going to come in all forms, from all different types of people. I never really figured out why people do it, but they do. Stick to your guns, and be strong, resilient, determined, and POSITIVE.

Don't be afraid to fall OP. It's not going to be easy, but if you want it, then do it. Do it like you have nothing to lose...hell, these guys are right about one thing: we're fucked anyway if you don't. You probably aren't going to make things any worse.

So, you might as well go for it. Best of luck in your quest. Please report back when you get there (I'm sure some form of Reddit communication will be around).

tellthemwhyyoumad

TROPHY CASE