root's recent activity
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Comment on Daily Tildes discussion - starting some moderation in ~tildes.official
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Comment on On the sad state of Macintosh hardware in ~tech
root Link ParentYou could also hackintosh macOS right on to that XPS too, if you wanted. A hackbook pro, so to speak.You could also hackintosh macOS right on to that XPS too, if you wanted. A hackbook pro, so to speak.
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Comment on On making a fresh start in ~tildes
root Link ParentIt seems you've interpreted his/her example in the other thread as a personal attack, which I don't believe to be the case. Regardless, I don't think your provocateering has anything to do with...It seems you've interpreted his/her example in the other thread as a personal attack, which I don't believe to be the case.
Regardless, I don't think your provocateering has anything to do with the discussion at hand here.
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Comment on Research finds tipping point for large-scale social change in ~science
root LinkIt's interesting how a minority group can disproportionately influence the majority. Fringe movements often become mainstream solely because it takes less effort and sacrifice to acquiesce to...It's interesting how a minority group can disproportionately influence the majority. Fringe movements often become mainstream solely because it takes less effort and sacrifice to acquiesce to issues that don't affect members of the mainstream personally than it is to challenge the beliefs of the most vocal minorities.
For example, if you were a restaurant owner, who didn't care about veganism one way or the other, which would be easier: adding one or two vegan dishes to the menu, or having to deal with public backlash by militant vegans? I'm pretty sure less than 5% of the population consists of militant vegans, but this is a case where their minority preferences are catered to en masse simply because it's the path of least resistance for restaurant owners, and thus adding vegan dishes to menus quickly becomes the new norm.
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Comment on On making a fresh start in ~tildes
root Link ParentThere is a rudimentary filter that tends towards selecting higher quality members likelier to submit thoughtful posts— the invite system. I don't know how sustainable this will be over time...There is a rudimentary filter that tends towards selecting higher quality members likelier to submit thoughtful posts— the invite system.
I don't know how sustainable this will be over time because this isn't really a systemic feature of Tildes.
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Comment on On making a fresh start in ~tildes
root Link ParentI am noticing this too. It's cheap strawman rhetoric that's difficult to defend against. But what can you do? This is an anonymous internet forum, after all.I am noticing this too. It's cheap strawman rhetoric that's difficult to defend against.
But what can you do? This is an anonymous internet forum, after all.
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Comment on Are lyrics important to you? in ~music
root LinkI think lyricism can often be the main focal point of which a good song revolves around. Given that a huge portion of our brain is dedicated to speech recognition and semiotic processing, it makes...I think lyricism can often be the main focal point of which a good song revolves around. Given that a huge portion of our brain is dedicated to speech recognition and semiotic processing, it makes sense that the vocals of a track are often the most memorable part.
The right combination of words accompanied by the right combination of harmonies/melody is often more evocative for me than just the instrumentals alone.
But bad lyrics can completely ruin a track too. And I'd argue that most lyrics are bad.
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Comment on How do you think social networks should handle hate speech? in ~talk
root Link ParentHate speech can be thought of as a specific idea that goes against the moral framework of those with the most soft power (influence) within society. Philosophers have argued for millennia over...Hate speech can be thought of as a specific idea that goes against the moral framework of those with the most soft power (influence) within society. Philosophers have argued for millennia over what is considered right and wrong— and while we may have a loose set of rules that the majority of people agree on (don't kill innocents, stealing is bad, etc), the majority of today's political debates exist in moral gray areas, where one side can be argued equally well as the other side. For this reason, heavy handed restrictions on certain forms of speech can be abused to further one's agenda for better or worse. Ambiguities can be exploited, dissent can be silenced and truths may be snuffed out before public discourse happens.
The primary problem isn't how to enforce moderation (banning hate speech) within a social network, but how to define hate speech beyond the obvious categories. The line between censorship of controversial ideas and maintenance of civil discourse isn't always clear, and therefore, it is extremely difficult to come up with a robust set of moderation guidelines.
My fear is that a strong mechanism to cut down hate speech can just as readily be exploited to cut down dissenting opinions in an opaque manner, thus plunging us further from truth. Of course, no mechanism at all would also be disastrous, likely leading to toxic echo chambers.
Exesses of chaos and excesses of control both have unfavorable consequences for social networks, so perhaps the answer lies in between— a system of controlled chaos.
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Comment on Why did you choose this username for your Tildes account? in ~talk
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Comment on FOSS Alternatives in ~comp
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Comment on How would Tildes feel about a mascot? in ~tildes
root Link ParentGood point. Now that I think about it, neither does the Rod of Asclepius (snake wrapped around pole) symbol used for the world health organization and many emergency health services.Good point. Now that I think about it, neither does the Rod of Asclepius (snake wrapped around pole) symbol used for the world health organization and many emergency health services.
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Comment on How would Tildes feel about a mascot? in ~tildes
root Link ParentSnakes and other slithering creatures have way too many negative cultural associations IMO.Snakes and other slithering creatures have way too many negative cultural associations IMO.
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Comment on What long term goal are you working towards right now? in ~talk
root Link ParentYup. So many people underestimate the opportunity cost of NOT going to college, not to mention most people don't have the discipline to self-study without peers and mentors.Yup. So many people underestimate the opportunity cost of NOT going to college, not to mention most people don't have the discipline to self-study without peers and mentors.
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Comment on What do you think the difference between a good site and a great site is? in ~comp
root Link ParentI think allowing free speech is a necessary component for a healthy community. Moderation that's too heavy handed prevents discourse from happening. I'm in the camp that differing opinions are...I think allowing free speech is a necessary component for a healthy community. Moderation that's too heavy handed prevents discourse from happening. I'm in the camp that differing opinions are absolutely necessary to synthesize approximations of truth when dealing with complex issues.
I think the real problem with toxic users isn't necessarily due to the public endorsement of free speech in online communities, but the nature of anonymity itself. The social feedback loops (aka public reputation) that bind us to behave in pro-social ways in real life is greatly diminished in online communications. Trolling in real life has public consequences— you might be ostracized in friend groups and lose out on social opportunities, but trolling online has weak and difficult to enforce repercussions— it's far too easy to fire up a VPN and create a new handle.
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Comment on Ux: Do you guys think it is hard to navigate comments on mobile? in ~tildes
root LinkHopefully there will be a native mobile app that solves this. I particularly like boost for reddit's style of collapsing comments. Just touch and hold the comment and it collapses the whole chain....Hopefully there will be a native mobile app that solves this. I particularly like boost for reddit's style of collapsing comments. Just touch and hold the comment and it collapses the whole chain. Since I'm right handed, I have to reach all the way across the screen to click [+], which is a little inconvenient.
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Comment on What do you think the difference between a good site and a great site is? in ~comp
root Link ParentThough, I will say, the sheer number of users on Reddit leads to the creation of extremely niche communities that otherwise would not congregate. Think about the variety of restaurants in Los...Though, I will say, the sheer number of users on Reddit leads to the creation of extremely niche communities that otherwise would not congregate. Think about the variety of restaurants in Los Angeles or New York City, as compared to Salt Lake City or Little Rock. The upside to large networks is diversity (as long as free speech is allowed to flourish).
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Comment on Favorite Laptop? in ~tech
root Link ParentWas about to buy a new 2017 MacBook, but I hate, hated the keyboard. Maybe next year they'll fix it. I'm considering buying an XPS 13 and hackintoshing it.Was about to buy a new 2017 MacBook, but I hate, hated the keyboard. Maybe next year they'll fix it. I'm considering buying an XPS 13 and hackintoshing it.
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Comment on What do you think the difference between a good site and a great site is? in ~comp
root Link ParentInterestingly, most social sites start out with a group of quality users posting quality content, then the overall quality regresses towards the mean as the site becomes more mainstream. Tinder...Interestingly, most social sites start out with a group of quality users posting quality content, then the overall quality regresses towards the mean as the site becomes more mainstream.
Tinder and Facebook are excellent examples of this effect happening. Tinder may have had good people looking for interesting dates at first, but it's since devolved into a cesspool of bottom feeders after reaching a critical mass of users.
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Comment on What hobby do you wish you could do but can't? in ~hobbies
root Link ParentEver looked into backpacking, hostel to hostel in low cost of living countries? You'd be surprised how far you can stretch your cash.Ever looked into backpacking, hostel to hostel in low cost of living countries? You'd be surprised how far you can stretch your cash.
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Comment on Just want to give a shoutout to whoever designed tildes for mobile in ~tildes
root LinkBest part so far: no ads or sponsored content! Would gladly pay to support once this takes off.Best part so far: no ads or sponsored content! Would gladly pay to support once this takes off.
What's your plan on making it scale? Right now in the alpha stage, it's fine to give lots of power to the only moderator (the site admin) because we can probably trust him to make the right decision on moderation. He's got the most skin in the game on Tildes than any user.
But what happens when the userbase grows? What happens if the userbase grows exponentially? My worry is when you start delegating power to other moderators, is that it's difficult to discern between abuse of the lock thread ability (censorship of alternative views) and legitimate moderation. The question is who watches the watchers?
What's your thought on a report button? It seems like a common feature on moderated social sites.