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I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

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Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#51

Post by mikestew »

Masses of comments from people one has never met, and likely never will meet, aren't much to be concerned about especially when the comments are based on a single picture with no context. We all quickly build stories based on a single glance or vastly incomplete information. "He looks like a douchebag marketing guy." "The way she walks, she's probably one of those types that...", etc. The really insecure among us go out of our way to post it online. That the Reddit folk built a huge narrative out of a single picture doesn't surprise me.

My personal favorites are the anonymous internet tough guys: "if I ever met him in person, I'd punch him". No, you wouldn't. You'd walk on by in silence, thinking your snarky little thoughts and tell your friends about it later. Because you, sir, have likely never been the first to throw a punch in your entire life.

I'm not saying one is wrong in feeling a little sting in such comments. Maybe it's too many years on Usenet, maybe it's spending way too much time on Xbox Live (that will grow you a thick skin), but I just pay them no heed anymore and let them wallow in their insecurity.

That's not to say that when my mother is referenced on Xbox Live that I don't point out that the 68 year old woman would probably love some time with a young, studly Call of Duty master like yourself.

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#52

Post by pdenya »

drcode wrote: post #38

NEWSFLASH: If you're doing something specifically to get attention, it's possible the attention you get might not be to your liking. (Though I agree people should be more open to people doing fun performance-ish stuff like this, it does not mean a performer is entitled to receive only positive reactions.)

I don't think you can expect this type of reaction from a performance. One of the larger issues is that people don't get that it was a performance. Roughly equivalent to taking a picture of a clown and making fun of him for his make up as if he walks around like that in every situation.

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#53

Post by jakebellacera »

jlgreco wrote: post #28
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On top of it, geek culture is a hipster culture. Oh you listen to obscure geeky bands and wear comic/anime t-shirts all the time? You purposely disengage from mainstream society? You're overly critical of the status quo and only socialize with people exactly like you? Gee, that sounds like the guy you're criticizing.

Ehh, I think there is certainly some overlap, particularly in the "retro" tastes, but I don't think what you are describing as geek culture is really a subset of hipster culture. Mario tshirts? Sure, you could call that hipster. Anime tshirts? I wouldn't say so. People with both styles are in many of my social circles, but they still seem relatively distinct to me.

> Anime tshirts? I wouldn't say so.

Depending on where you're at culturally, anime could be relatively obscure.

Hipster is a blanket term that really means something along the lines of "they're doing something unique to others in order to stand out and be 'cool.'" A "geek" may wear a Github or a Mario T-shirt because it's "cool" within their circle, but relatively obscure to the general public.

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#54

Post by gyom »

jlgreco wrote: post #28
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On top of it, geek culture is a hipster culture. Oh you listen to obscure geeky bands and wear comic/anime t-shirts all the time? You purposely disengage from mainstream society? You're overly critical of the status quo and only socialize with people exactly like you? Gee, that sounds like the guy you're criticizing.

Ehh, I think there is certainly some overlap, particularly in the "retro" tastes, but I don't think what you are describing as geek culture is really a subset of hipster culture. Mario tshirts? Sure, you could call that hipster. Anime tshirts? I wouldn't say so. People with both styles are in many of my social circles, but they still seem relatively distinct to me.

I don't think he meant about the particular details. To give a minimalist example, you could say that people who enjoy using old cameras (even though they're not as good as modern ones) share something in common with people who enjoy hooking up their NES and playing Mario 3 (even though some might argue that it's not as engaging as their favorite AAA game).

The two objects of interest are not the same, they're not in the same category, but they're both tied by the same kind of enjoyment for retro things.

So it's not really about which shirts are worn by geeks and hipsters at the same time ...

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#55

Post by bolder88 »

idProQuo wrote: post #26
bolder88 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other funny thing is that there's a violent dislike of mainstream media on websites such as Reddit, and constant criticism when news stations take things out of context. Then they do things like this themselves on a daily basis!

^People write this comment on Reddit a lot. The one I'm about to write, they also write this one too. You can't talk about Reddit as a hivemind, because it isn't one person, or even a definite collective of people. The people who take things out of context, and the people who call them out, are different sets of people. If Reddit seems to have multiple personalities, it's because... well, it does.

It's a fascinating example of what happens when very bored people get together online and start swarming about as if they were one person though. Mob rule, hivemind, internet hate groups, react first, research / put into context later.

Also pretty ugly to watch.

I don't bother commenting on Reddit anymore, and rarely on here. There is absolutely no point.

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#56

Post by cobbzilla »

I was in NOLA in February and thought this street poet was quite entertaining: http://www.tout.com/m/hitche and his typewriter is older & cooler :)

I don't care how more street authors and poets "steal" this idea. Please copy, adapt, iterate, mutate, spread.... that's what culture is all about. Improvisational public writing is awesome on so many levels.

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#57

Post by jlgreco »

nether wrote: post #31
PhasmaFelis wrote: post #23

Tangentially related, things like this are why I have not stopped wearing my fedora (in appropriate situations, with appropriate outfits). Dear Internet Fashionistas: You've decided that fedoras and suspenders are the mark of a horrible person. Your opinions have no connection to reality. Over here in the real world, I look good. When I come back to the bar the next day to pick up my credit card, and the bouncer reme…

This and the obsession with t-shirts reminds me as to why I never take fashion advice from HN.

What is the obsession with t-shirts?

Re: I Am An Object Of Internet Ridicule, Ask Me Anything

#58

Post by opminion »

drcode wrote: post #38

NEWSFLASH: If you're doing something specifically to get attention, it's possible the attention you get might not be to your liking. (Though I agree people should be more open to people doing fun performance-ish stuff like this, it does not mean a performer is entitled to receive only positive reactions.)

"Hate" is a proper subset of "negative reactions".
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