Flag off you Star head

Think it depends on the individual really.

I've come across stuff which tweaked me but didn't get as many stars and flags and then I've come across stuff that annoys the hell out of me yet the whole ats community seemed to have starred the thread.

You also get those freaking sycophants who star and flag influential folks here on ats even when their thread is utter rubbish.

Originally posted by JosephPalasky
Think it depends on the individual really.

I've come across stuff which tweaked me but didn't get as many stars and flags and then I've come across stuff that annoys the hell out of me yet the whole ats community seemed to have starred the thread.

You also get those freaking sycophants who star and flag influential folks here on ats even when their thread is utter rubbish.

It does really depend on the individual doesn't it. When i started reading ATS i used to only give flags out to things i thought were interesting. Then as i got lost in more and more garbage i realized that the flag system could be more like a thanks for sharing to me, even if i thought a thread sucked or was interesting.
The same goes with stars, i will just click it if i remember to. Everyone is a star and everyone deserves a thank you, even the people that go out of their way to emotionally bully people.

Originally posted by Timely

Originally posted by TheomExperience

Originally posted by facelift

But, feel free to d!ck with the system...

It is a big system and requires a "big d!ck".
For your entertainment i present to you a riddle to try earn your flag.
What gets wetter and wetter the more it drys?

Sham-wow !!??

Maybe Depend ...

edit on 21-7-2013 by Timely because: (no reason given)

The answer was a towel.
I think a "Sham-wow" is close enough to a towel, so you have earned a star. I would flag you for your effort if i could

For today's entertainment relevant to the topic, a song from Naughty By Nature called.... You guessed it, "Flags"

Originally posted by TheomExperience

Originally posted by Timely

Originally posted by TheomExperience

Originally posted by facelift

But, feel free to d!ck with the system...

It is a big system and requires a "big d!ck".
For your entertainment i present to you a riddle to try earn your flag.
What gets wetter and wetter the more it drys?

Sham-wow !!??

Maybe Depend ...

edit on 21-7-2013 by Timely because: (no reason given)

The answer was a towel.
I think a "Sham-wow" is close enough to a towel, so you have earned a star. I would flag you for your effort if i could

Thanks for the star.

So, what goes up a chimney down, that can't go down a chimney up ?

Originally posted by Timely

Thanks for the star.

So, what goes up a chimney down, that can't go down a chimney up ?

I did not know the answer so i had to look it up. Good riddle...I award another star.

reply to post by TheomExperience


First, you're NOT over-thinking this. I hate when people say "over-think" just because you take the time to assess what we mean when we do things. You're just a thinker, and thinkers go to the depth - because they aren't lazy.

Why do we star and flag? First, the whole star and flag thing is intrinsically deceptive: it's an illusion. The people with the most stars aren't necessarily the most educated and thoughtful writers. What they seem to be best at is knowing what people want to hear.

Take "corruption exposed", who often posts in the Middleeast forums. Is he an actual thoughtful writer? I don't know about what he writes about elsewhere, but in the mideast forum, he cajoles to the hate Israel crowd; he makes generalized partisan attacks against Israel. What makes his example especially interesting is how one sided he is. He never qualifies a criticism; he blanks out from awareness any facts that might complicate the simplistic narrative that he presents to his readers. Do his readers realize they are being spoon fed extremely biased views? Even deeper question: do they want anything other than what he gives them?

Much of what earns stars and flags - just like in real life - is style, rhetoric and trendiness. It is hardly ever content. If content mattered, posters who are actually thoughtful and interesting and very good logicians would have a 30+ star rating; but the irony is, not caring enough to ingratiate themselves for the sake of stars & flags, many of them have star ratings below 20.

It's an interesting psychological phenomena and goes to show how much the logic of the "jungle" i.e. our base instinctual biases, predisposes us to certain views, opinions and perceptions.

It is a little disconcerting, since it takes an especially intelligent and unique person to understand that this is simply how things are. I don't think I'm "special" by any means; there are millions of others like me. But, millions - 2 or 3 - is no match for 6.98 billion. Not many people have the self awareness or education to rationally assess their biases and honestly try to give their views without unnecessary rudeness. Some people are either ignorant; while others are informed but arrogant.

Originally posted by Astrocyte


It's an interesting psychological phenomena and goes to show how much the logic of the "jungle" i.e. our base instinctual biases, predisposes us to certain views, opinions and perceptions.

It is indeed and i am glad you have pointed this out. I find the stars and flags very misleading myself that is why i wanted to try get 1k flags for this post. I am not doing so well, still 992 to go but when i hit 1k i am going to take over the world....

reply to post by Timely


This one is not so "E"asy

reply to post by TheomExperience


I haven't flagged or starred you because you haven't brought anything new to ATS. People have complained about stars and flags before you, and I'm sure others will do it after.

I only star posters that I feel genuinely add something to the discussion. I've even flagged people I didn't agree with simply because they presented their case in a manner I expect of posters on ATS. (With respect and knowledge.) I flag threads I believe are important for others to see either because it's important or interesting.

Stars and flags to me don't mean much when given to me. However, they mean a lot to me when I give them.

Originally posted by Auricom
reply to post by TheomExperience

 

I haven't flagged or starred you because you haven't brought anything new to ATS. People have complained about stars and flags before you, and I'm sure others will do it after.

I only star posters that I feel genuinely add something to the discussion. I've even flagged people I didn't agree with simply because they presented their case in a manner I expect of posters on ATS. (With respect and knowledge.) I flag threads I believe are important for others to see either because it's important or interesting.

Stars and flags to me don't mean much when given to me. However, they mean a lot to me when I give them.

I have given you a star for your honest reply.