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The Death of Couchsurfing?

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Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#251

Post by globular-toast »

TeaDrunk wrote: post #246
hombre_fatal wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well said. The whole gambit of sex is that you have to suss it out from each other with tact and awareness without either person being explicit about it -- hell, even on a taxi ride to a motel to do the damn act. That means that it's always potentially on the table any time you have human connection going on, couchsurfing included. Nothing about couchsurfing means this isn't happening or shouldn't be happening. It's…

Not going to lie the idea that some people I interact with think sex is always going to be on the table wigs me out. There’s a wide variety of libidos and sexualities among humans, many of which don’t operate in the manner being expressed above. (Eg. Demisexuality.)

Sure there is. But the vast majority of people have a normal sex drive. Every single person on earth is the result of a man and woman having sex. It's one of the single most important things in life for most people.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#252

Post by namdnay »

globular-toast wrote: post #250
namdnay wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They are women who have chosen to stay at a male stranger's house They are people who have chosen to stay at a stranger's house > Do you think women are completely naïve about how the world works No, but I don't think they want to have to take every decision based on probability of getting raped > I've known two women who couch surf and it was de rigueur to have sex with their hosts And I know male hosts who had se…

You seem to be confused between what you think should be true versus what actually is true. If you think women can afford to take the same risks as men when travelling then I just really don't know what to say to you. That's just hopelessly naïve. Attractive girls learn very early on that every man wants to have sex with them. It's just part of life for them. > Does that mean that if I couchsurf at a man's flat I sho…

> what you think should be true versus what actually is true

That's what laws are for. Shaping society so that it's like what we want rather than the jungle

> If you think women can afford to take the same risks as men when travelling

When did anyone in this thread ever say that?

> No, but if I were you I would at least consider that there might be a "misunderstanding" leading to you having to find alternative accommodation

I'd prefer to live in a world where I don't have to make that choice, hence society shunning people who would put others in that position

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#253

Post by elrostelperien »

enriquto wrote: post #179

...and do not forget about Pasporta Servo, which is a clear predecessor. The "pitch" for Couchsurfing may as well be "like Pasporta Servo, but without Esperanto".

Exactly! To explain Pasporta Servo to a friend (when I was "preaching" about Esperanto), I said the opposite: "It's Couchsurfing, but within the Esperanto community" – and also mentioned it being older than CS.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#254

Post by learnstats2 »

owenversteeg wrote: post #45

So I imagine there's a lot of people here that don't know Couchsurfing or what the big deal is. Couchsurfing has been one of the most important things in my life, so I'll do my best to explain why it's so special. The basic idea is you stay at a stranger's place, or you host a stranger at yours - completely for free, no money involved. Everyone does it differently. Some people plan their trip meticulously months in a…

This article is about the business CouchSurfing rather than the action of couch surfing.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#255

Post by Ayesh »

dvcrn wrote: post #143
Ayesh wrote: post #116

It's about €2 a month, and I subscribed yesterday. It didn't occur to me until they prompted that CS must be doing pretty bad during the pandemic. I still open for Hangouts (I'm "stranded" in Vietnam where things are open back now), and the CS as a platform was fantastic to meet new people. I think the €2 price is only for those who live in relatively richer countries. Here in Vietnam, my friends were not asked to pa…

This is interesting, so it's based on address? I am also a Hangouts user and never did actual 'couchsurfing' so seeing it disappear esp. in countries like Vietnam or Thailand is a sad thought. Still, having this paywall slapped on for the majority of users means that a lot of 'casual users' like me who open the app occassionally will fall away, which then means far less people available on Hangouts. Maybe someone els…

I think Couch Surfing (the activity) + hangouts work well because you can see how "cool" a person is based on their travel history.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#256

Post by blaser-waffle »

teddyh wrote: post #223
pelario wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A key technique to avoid those situations was the "poisoned pill": buried in your profile there is some keyword they must include in their request. With that (which I copied once I was reading a full descriptive profile) you get a great filter. I have done a good share of CS, both as host and guest, over the last ~10 years, having either good or amazing experiences.

That’s a “brown M&M”, not a “poison pill”.

Yeah phrasing it that way -- poison pill -- is a good way to make people feel uneasy when you're staying with them.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#257

Post by montychain »

Never heard of Couchsurfing and I'm quite shocked this idea was able to captivate a considerable amount of people. It all seems terrible to me. Invite a bunch of strangers to hang out in your house? What a terrible idea! Sure, not all people are morons or psychos but there are such people out there. And only one is all it takes to end or completely ruin your life. Risk a life to be able to hear a bunch of bullshit what some idiot has to say is totally not worth it imo. If you want to talk to an idiot - you can find plenty of them on Facebook or Twitter. At least it's safe. And for the real life communications just hang out with your family, classmates, coworkers or even neighbors. There are a thousand people that you know and have some sort of relation to. If you wanna date - use tinder or something. Be careful out there, if not for yourself but for those, who love you and care for you!

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#258

Post by PopeDotNinja »

PopeDotNinja wrote: post #166

Couchsurfing, I love you, but y'all have a horrible business model. Between 2017 & 2019, I hosted about Couchsurfers. I initially paid to verify my identity, and I paid a few dollars per quarter (I forget how much) to maintain my membership. Then I needed to change my credit card. There was literally no option to change my credit card. In order to change my credit card, I had to let me credit card expire. Wat. In the…

Was supposed to say "hosted about 50 couch surfers".

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#259

Post by blaser-waffle »

owenversteeg wrote: post #101
owenversteeg wrote: post #45

So I imagine there's a lot of people here that don't know Couchsurfing or what the big deal is. Couchsurfing has been one of the most important things in my life, so I'll do my best to explain why it's so special. The basic idea is you stay at a stranger's place, or you host a stranger at yours - completely for free, no money involved. Everyone does it differently. Some people plan their trip meticulously months in a…

I'm so glad this comment is getting so much attention because Couchsurfing really is one of the best things to ever happen to me - not only with all the incredible experiences but also because it made me a kinder, more trusting and better person. Really, Couchsurfing changed my life. Ignore the fact that the app is a dumpster fire and just give it a shot - or better, try BeWelcome or Trustroots. And again, if anyone…

+1 for providing other options. Never heard of BeWelcome or Trustroots.

Re: The Death of Couchsurfing?

#260

Post by blaser-waffle »

globular-toast wrote: post #202
namdnay wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's about the power dynamic. You're talking about someone who isn't from the area, who doesn't know anyone nearby, and who is supposed to sleep at your place. If you are aggressively flirting with them, they may be forced into the impression that either they sleep with you or they sleep on the street. And that would definitely be assault

They are women who have chosen to stay at a male stranger's house. Do you think women are completely naïve about how the world works? I've known two women who couch surf and it was de rigueur to have sex with their hosts.

> it was de rigueur to have sex with their hosts.

On which website and what country is this?

To anyone reading this -- that is absolutely NOT the norm, speaking as a dude who has hosted and couchsurfed a bit.

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