I’ve been a lurker for a bit over a year now. A “guest” some might even say. Somehow I just never got around to signing up until now–I don’t like parting with my money any more than anyone else, but by signing up now I must do so with less should I really, really, reeeeaaaally want membership later on. So for a few pennies a month…well, you get the idea.
And so I swagger into the Pit, sporting my nice new Charter Member robes, lapel pin and slyly flipping the secret Charter Member handshake to my fellow Charter Members. (how ya doin’. Holla, yerself <<winks & points>>) With an air of belligerance, tempered with ignorance-fighting piety, I will make the following plea and then resume my lurker status with the occasional, hopefully enlightening, contribution to the knowledge co-op that is the SDMB.
For those of you who are sore about the changes made recently to The Board:
–Software upgrades are a way of modern life. Do not take them personally and you will find less stress in your life.
–Computers and associated maintenance are not free. Be happy the fees are coming only now and not last year.
–Not every post on this board is constructive, some of the “members” are merely hecklers, socks & trolls. Only a dedcated ass would pay a fee to blather in public. May the 495 little annual gods rid us of these intellectual fleas that plague our hamsters.
For those of you who measure credibility by assessing post count:
–Do you value High counts? I refer you to the late Handy
–Do you value Low counts? I suggest that even The Mercotan had a first post, was it a load of drivel? I expect not.
–I suggest you reassess your own credibility. In what way does the cover make the book? At what magic post count does an ignorance fighter become a Straight Dope Paladin?
And what is with the name calling? Granted, I’ve picked up some tidbits of absolute genius here in the pit: ass hat, F* tard, etc. Tell me, when you decide to take this tack in your post, do you really think you are improving your own credibility? Do you realy think you are helping the ignorant see the errors in their ways? Or are you maybe just spitting venom, repelling truly brilliant would-be members with your childish outbursts and garnering another piece of post count “eye candy?” Yeah, it’s The Pit, the place for flaming. But it is still a piece of the ignorance-fighting machine. I challenge the name-callers to be creative. If you must be rude, show some spirit. some genius. Look into the soul of the target of your aggression and take that person down with a blast of invective so scathing and inflamatory, and TRUE that your post withers the thread, inviting only a few subsequent posts along the lines of, “Dang!”
$5 is $5 (and I guess 4 Euro). And now, for those of us who choose to pay it, or have shown themselves worthy of receiving a gift–being a destitute but excellent poster, we get a title to underscore our dedication to ignorance fighting. A willingness to financially support this tool that is the SDMB, in my opinion, bears more weight than a fluffy count, skills with smileys, quotes & ‘stuff.’ We now have a stake in the quality of The Board. Let’s make good use of it.
Now. Quit Yer Bitchin, and fight some ignorance!
