Clique schmique. Hell, if there’s a clique no one’s told me about it yet since I don’t make the Top 10 Posters lists but I can’t say I feel left out either.
Some people are more prolific posters than others. So they get their names around more and are recognized more.
Some people are wittier or more intelligent than the average on here. So their posts (and thusly, them) are treated with a little higher regard and they are recognized more.
Some people go on the chat, babble endlessly about stuff and come back here where the fellow chat folks recognize them more.
Then… when we see someone we know and talk to them on the board like we know them and not like they’re the guy behind the counter at the Foto-Mat, we get accused of being in a clique. When we don’t treat a new user who we don’t know with the same chummy attitude, we’re in a clique.
Evidentally, if one of the older and more “popular” users here says something, you’re not supposed to agree with them because that makes you part of a herd. That’s bullshit. If you’re that popular, you probably got there by being intelligent, funny and generally right most of the time. It only makes sense people will agree with one of their posts.
Finally, I notice that for every “you were all mean to me!” bitch, there’s ten people saying “I’m new and no one was mean to me.” I think most of the whiners need to grow up, realize that we don’t know you, and accept a few waves in the ole SDMB ocean every now and then.
That said, anyone who was around for the JvO conversation on #StraightDope can join my clique.
“I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
On the inside I agree with what everyone has said, but to aviod the nastiness of appearing cliqueish, I am forced to portray an outward picture of brooding, sullen indifference.
You are all beneath me, and I feel so alone.
My sig line is currently unavailable. Please check this post in 1 hour when we resume our broadcast day.
I’m pretty new to the site too (wow 50 posts) and have never been attacked by a clique, yet somehow, and don’t ask me why because I can’t explain it, my life still feels complete.
I am part of another site where they also come up with these conspiracy theories about cliques every now and then, but you know what? There are just too many members for a clique to have much influence even if one were to exist. I mean, people just end up forming cyber-friendships (alliances for the conspiracy people) and then reply to each others posts and sometimes throw a little inside joke in there and blah blah blah.
However, what is this about a CHAT room? Is it open? - I’ve never been in it (don’t have AOL). Sounds fun man - I want a piece of the action!
Hey, hey, it’s a serious bitch to find a virgin these days!
Besides, where are the frogs, the locusts, the boils? After you’ve sent a few plagues, people will take you more seriously, and you’ll get your bloody sacrifices (if we can find a virgin…if we can keep a virgin in that state…now where did that ewe wander off to?)
It is often said that “anything is possible”. In fact, very few things are possible, and most of them have already happened.
Joph,
Its not “your” clique, its JvO’s clique. (Or as she would so wittily say, click.) Please refrain from living on the coattails of her popularity. She could very easily “fast talk” you into a cage, from which you would never leave.
Powers, the straight dope chat is in IRC. Opal has a java client you can access the chat with, otherwise you can download mIRC, which is a very easy to use chat client.
The group name is #straightdope.
I’d like to add that I don’t find the Chat group cliquish. Even though I’m new, a slow typist, and don’t know the proper mechanics of it, everyone’s been very welcoming. Even when I say goofball things.
As far as I know. The ignorance of bells & whistles might be my bliss…
Hah. Just like I thought. Is a clique of one a clique, or do I need Sock Puppets to confirm myself?
Or can a clique contain 0 members and still exist? bj0rn? Please explain.
THERE IS NO CLIQUE.
Really. A popularity seeker like myself would have been in it or trying. I would have known. I know nothing of a clique, however. Therefore, it does not exist.
And I need to go easy on the Descartes Philosofy whilst intoxicated on Grolsch.
Most of the time when the regulars get pissed at a new member and chase them off it’s for a good reason. I don’t mind the slightly agressive atmosphere.
The problem is when this attitude gets out of MPSIMS and the BBQ Pit and gets into GQ or Comments on Cecil’s Columns. When there’s people discussing real questions there is no reason to be as agressive as one would be in a strictly social forum like MPSIMS. After all, GQ is there for a reason. Whether or not you like the other poster is irrelevant. You should focus on the question that is being asked.
When I first came to this board I posted a comment on the “going downstairs takes as much energy as going upstairs” column. Even though I wasn’t making any myself, I was getting personal attacks just for disagreeing with the other posters. That’s completely ridiculous.
Fortunately I care very little for other people’s opinions so that didn’t turn me off from the board. I’m sure that there’s other people who have posted once or twice and then didn’t want to come back, because of this attitude.
I’m fairly new and don’t post all that often, but I lurked for awhile before I started posting. I think some of the newbies that are being tormented didn’t do that.
I’ve noticed lynchings, but like Konrad said, it’s for good reason (i.e. Gloworm).
This isn’t high school, but it is real life (sort of). For example, if you show up to a new job acting like an asshole, then people aren’t going to like you. You need to test the waters first, get to know them and THEN be an asshole if you want. But don’t pout when someone doesn’t kiss your ass on this board. If no one praises my posts, I don’t sulk about it. I do this for fun, not to be accepted.
You know, the old AOL site did have some helpful hints to newbies. Not that many ever bothered to read it, but there’s a wide gulf of gray between “Don’t Be Jerk” and being a valued, constructive poster.
Perhaps some of that could be resurrected & put in the archives.
Here’s a few suggestions:
Don’t call us peeps.
find the shift key BUT DON’T LOCK IT, aNd DoN’t AbUsE iT.
Use English, not netspeak.
Review your post for coherency before hitting the send button.
Smiley’s can add visual interest to your post or clarify whether you’re serious or not, but expect the wrath of Chief to descend upon you for overusing them (1 is sufficient for this)
bolding, italics, and underlining are more effective when used sparingly. So is “fucking”.
Understand the difference between opinion, faith, and fact.
Don’t piss off kellibelli.
Sue from El Paso
Does being married to another poster make me part of a clique?
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
