mk defines hubski loneliness as "sharing without discussion." Sharing meaning clicking the hubwheel to send a post to a wider audience or at least indicate that you would share if you had followers to share with. I defined hubski loneliness as "discussion without sharing," akin somewhat to having sex without kissing. What's your hubski loneliness?
Do you ever feel lonely on Hubski? Why? I know this might bring out some of the new people who have neither followers or followees.
I think you see it as loneliness because you simply don't understand Hubski the way I do. By your way of thinking, if I wanted people to see this post, I would click on it to "share" it. However, by my way of thinking, I would click on this post if I wanted people to see it coming from me. In other words, it isn't about visibility - it's about endorsement. If there were no other way for people to see this post, I would agree with you. But as of this writing, the following people can see your post: - those following #askhubski - those following you - those clicking on "posts with 5 shares" - those who follow me who click on "chatter" - those who follow BrainBurner who click on "chatter" - those who follow geneusutwerk who click on "chatter" - those who follow b_b who click on "chatter" - those who follow AnSionnachRua who click on "chatter" - those who follow flagamuffin who click on "chatter" ... so as far as I'm concerned, it's getting out to plenty of people without me tacitly notifying 618 people "hey, I commented on this, therefore it's going in your feed. Suck it." I share without commenting regularly, and I comment without sharing regularly. I do not see the two as complimentary, but as perpendicular. My primary appreciation for Hubski is related to the dimensionality of its approach to sharing. Users come and go, culture thrives and dies, but the fundamental underpinnings of this site are, from a theoretical standpoint, robust and extensible. That counts for a lot as far as I'm concerned.
Preach it, brother. This is definitely how the site should work if it's working correctly. We've discussed adding some feature that allows users to have some limited metrics on their posts (if they desire). I think that sometimes a post doesn't get shared, and the OP is left to wonder whether if it was unseen, or if the group just didn't find it share worthy. My feeling is that it was probably seen, and probably seen by a lot more people than most would guess. What many people may not realize is that active users << total users. Hubski might get 50 new submissions in a day, but have 1000 visitors. Obviously those people are looking at something. The question is whether it would be interesting for users to have some idea about how many people are viewing their submissions.I do not see the two as complimentary, but as perpendicular.
We've discussed adding some feature that allows users to have some limited metrics on their posts
There are many more views than shares or comments (maybe 200:1). I know this from blogger stats. Probably theadvancedapes and StJohn know this as well and can see how many of their blog visits come from hubski. The question is whether it would be interesting for users to have some idea about how many people are viewing their submissions.
That is a question.
I actually feel far more at home on Hubski than anywhere else on the Internet. On other sites I like to lurk rather than get involved. On Hubski, however, I've actually felt comfortable enough to start a blog with a stranger and sign up for the Pen Pal program. I like to think I've carved out a bit of a niche here and I actually have what I like to think is healthy amount of followers. I recognize different users here and encounter them frequently. Most notably I've noticed lately most of my comments receive at least one share. Not that I measure the comments worth by how many shares it has but its still nice to know people have read the comment and took the time to acknowledge it. EDIT I guess I didn't really answer the original question. I share a lot more often than I comment. Most of the time I just think the submission is interesting and I want other people to see it. I only comment if something particular strikes me and I feel the need to say it.
It makes me sad when I post something I think is just lovely and no one notices it. It makes me feel lonely when all the music posts are white guys with guitars or laptops. I get sad when Pearl Jam gets more shares than Don Cherry and Terry Riley.
I'm just the kind of guy who is interested in what you guys have to say, but have no real idea what to post or reply. I'm part of the 90% http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_%28Internet_culture%2...
mk brought up a great point in that other thread -- I often comment on things I don't share because I try to share what my followers may want to see. (Ideally, I think this is how hubski would work.) In my profile I mention some things I am most likely to post/share, and I stick to those most of the time, with exceptions for exceptional articles.
I think the navel-gazing is rapidly becoming one of my favorite parts of Hubski, but I confess - though I've thought about it from time to time - I do not have nearly the well-thought-out vision of "what Hubski will be" that some of these guys do! It's very interesting to read the theories and thoughts, which don't agree but are pretty articulate and reasoned. I do wonder whether users like you or I skew the metric (of 'what Hubski is') or whether we are an intrinsic part of it, perhaps creating a greater pattern than what we see. (I'm sure we do, in fact.) Though, one wonders: should the focus be so much on what Hubski should be/become? What about what it is, as a thing to be appreciated & enjoyed for the moment? Edit: I'm a doomsayer, guys. I'm just saying...eternal September is coming ;)
Yeah, it's interesting to see the people involved in the day-to-day of the site and the community as it is now. Sometimes I check out threads and it's like I wandered into a party and I have no idea who the host is or anyone attending. It's fun, but sometimes I have no idea what's going on, or the dynamics at play. Still, it is cool to follow your own line of reading and post them to a place where other people involved in their own worlds are doing the same.
Interesting way to look at it. I assume my followers like what I've shared in the past, which is just stuff I've found interesting. Because of this I share anything I find interesting. The only time I'd comment without sharing is if I am commenting about why I don't think the post is that unique/special. For example, if I'm bothered by a blog post I might comment on why, but I'm not going to share it because I don't really like it.I try to share what my followers may want to see.
That's pretty much how I see it. As for commenting and sharing... I share more than I comment (And I comment more than I submit), but it's a safe assumption to make that if I comment on it, I've shared it (and I try to make it so that whenever I submit, I make a comment as well). The times where I shared and didn't comment is for a couple of reasons: 1. I have nothing to really say on the topic. 2. I have something to say, but don't trust myself to say it. (This is the most likely scenario 9 times out of 10) 3. The post doesn't lend itself to discussion.Interesting way to look at it. I assume my followers like what I've shared in the past, which is just stuff I've found interesting. Because of this I share anything I find interesting.
Yes, that's what I mean and what I figured you meant by your line about forceful re-education. During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) many people were sent from the city to the country to be re-educated through labour. There were also re-education camps (prisons) in Vietnam at the end of the war there. I believe that what you're saying is that there are many ways to educate and share ideas warmly. While the post at the top of this thread is quite awesome, it sounds weirdly hostile. kb is an awesome writer and contributor who I like very much, so when the forceful re-education occurs, I don't take it personally. But I still found your line very funny!!
I agree with flagamuffin. Say it Owl. Clearly you want to be wise (as an owl?). Hubski is a beach on the ocean of thought. There are many lifeguards.
I have to confess that I have not found any particular kind of loneliness on Hubski. I care more about Hubski than I ever did about Reddit and I genuinely feel there is much more community here, but I have never been one to get too embroiled in the community of an online site. The more I see it happening here, though, the more nice I realize it is and the more mildly envious I get. I want to try to contribute more to Hubski and become more a part of the community. So I guess, the only Hubski loneliness I feel is my own, which I bring into the site, as opposed to experiencing as a result of it. And it is a loneliness I am trying to work my way out of :)
I agree! We bring our loneliness with us wherever we go. We also bring our smugness if we have any, our indignation, our gratitude, and humility. Whatever we bring with us, we find more of there. Eeep I'm starting to sound like Deepak Choprah.
I haven't posted one piece of content on hubski yet. I'd really like to find something for myself that I like and post it, but since almost everything I read online comes from hubski/HN/mefi/reddit then that's not so easy... One day I will join the 1% (content creators)!
Hi rjw - you seem to be contributing to the community with shares and comments. One day you'll post or create something original. I think some people use hubski to test different original creative experiments. Usually someone gives feedback. For example BLOB_CASTLE was giving Jazz history lessons for a while and JTHipster is exploring movie reviews and thenewgreen started making podcasts and posting them. For a while littlebirdie and JakobVirgil were writing a poem & response every day. The community waits. I imagine you'll come up with something at some point.
I recently posted this article on another thread, but I think you might benefit from reading it. You could post about how your pen paling is going?
Seeing a post that really intrigues me and with all my friends discussing it in the comments, but I can't think of anything productive to add. Just exhausted and absolutely tongue-tied. This happens a lot, and I just press share, read the comments, and move on in my lonely indignation.
I never feel "lonely" on Hubski and I don't worry much about how many "shares" a post has. The only time it ever stings a bit is when it is original content that I've posted. For example, this amazing song I wrote about a scene from an obscure TV series that was abruptly cancelled. I'm always quick to share something that a user has created themselves. I think the fact that people can post their own writing, songs, art, photography etc here and not get lambasted by negativity or people thinking its "spam" is one of the things that makes Hubski special. Other than the occasional essay or song I write that gets 0 shares/comments, I never concern myself much with my own posts and how they're received. But as Lil suggested elsewhere, I do try to provide encouragement for others but never if I don't like what they've created. I share things that I find interesting, it's that simple. I don't always agree with the premise of the things I share, but if I think someone else could benefit from consuming it, I'll share it. Safe travels Lil! Bon Voyage!!
Discussion without sharing almost never happens with me - generally, if something has provoked enough interest in me to respond, it's definitely getting a share. But then I tend to share posts and especially comments quite liberally. Sharing without discussion is a different kettle of fish - as b_b says, sometimes you find something interesting but don't have a whole lot to say about it, or can't articulate what you want to say.
No mention of not sharing without discussion? That makes me the saddest.
Great topic here. Similar to my real world absence of social decorum, I have few rules about my Hubski life. I comment with no share, share with no comment and post with no tags. Heck, I even share without even really reading the damn article sometimes. Just the fact that it sounds interesting is enough for me to believe that somebody might enjoy it. And regarding tags, I kind of like the idea that my untagged post will soon end up in oblivion. IMHO, there is no 'right way' to use Hubski. That is why it's awesome.
Great find B_C. This question: Now I want to ask you — how much do you create compared to how much you consume?
would be a good one to take to the community. There are many ways of creating. -- there's look-at-me-aren't-I-smart creating and there's I-will-feed-you creating. The article doesn't particularly differentiate between the two. I guess there's also "I will listen to your poetry to support you" kind of consuming and "I will eat junk food and watch all the Star Wars movies this weekend kind of consuming." (I'm not criticizing the article, just widening the gyre.)
I'm sure the argument is that any consumption that requires no output from the consumer is negative. If consumption benefits the consumer in that it serves as a catalyst for creative thoughts, then consumption in that regard is positive. I guess it depends on the not only the type of consumption, but also the consumer's response.