It has been made abundantly clear that Hubski isn't about "things" it's about "people." The default method for finding content is to align yourself with other users on the presumption that you can find those who share your interests. As a distant second, following "tags" is also available.
Three days ago, I linked to a New York Times op-ed by a screenwriter discussing foreclosures in Hollywood. It was tagged #thehumancondition. And for two days, the only comment in there was #thenewgreen asking me if my experiences in Hollywood bore out the observations of the article.
I didn't comment, not because I don't have observations, but because it's a complex issue... for all the reasons discussed in the article. Nonetheless, anyone who saw that article saw it because they either follow me, or they follow someone who follows me. I've made no secret about the industry I work in - for that matter, I have two badged comments related to my work in the entertainment industry. And it's an article posted in "the human condition" in which a person discusses how weird it is that nobody talks about economic hardship in her industry.
One day ago, the consensus suddenly became "fuck those guys in Hollywood. Things are tough all over."
I interjected, quite strongly, that this is my industry. These are my friends. And that nobody should be that dismissive of someone else's suffering, particularly when they're standing there talking to you.
The response was basically "suck it up, ass."
Once I threw a tantrum, the response was "I regret using the phrase boo-fucking-hoo." It sure as fuck wasn't "I'm sorry".
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Something you all should know - digital theft is often discussed on set. The old-school union grudges usually phrase their discussions in some form of "fuck those dirty pirates, they don't understand what real work is like and they don't give a shit about anyone but themselves." I am routinely involved in these discussions, and I have gotten quite practiced at turning the conversation to "punitive pricing models" and "oppression of civil liberties". It's never easy. It's usually tense. But I believe deeply that allowing people to think that content is stolen because "everyone outside of Hollywood is fundamentally an asshole" is detrimental to finding a solution.
MK and I had a discussion a while back about Detroit, and how old-school union car families would give him a hard time for driving a Toyota - first, because it meant he was giving work to a bunch of foreigners but also because Toyotas last longer than American cars, therefore he was stealing food from their families not once, but twice. This is obviously an absurdist position to take. It's always been my opinion that "everyone outside of Hollywood is fundamentally an asshole" is an equally absurdist position.
But apparently not. Anyone within the Thirty Mile Zone reading yesterday's discussion would look at me grimly, shake their heads and say "I told you so."
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Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone can believe whatever they want to believe, think what they want to think, say what they want to say. But as I understood it, what separates Hubski from any other social news aggregator was the human connection. This "human connection" has been used as an excuse for not implementing features that are commonplace everywhere else. Fine. Sobeit. BUT:
If you're reading an article posted by ME
In which MY industry is being discussed
As has been made abundantly clear not only by comments to the post, but by MY extensive posting history...
To which YOU subscribe, first- or second-hand...
Make the vaguest fucking effort to be polite. Particularly when you're reading an article that discusses the difficulty in discussing things.
I'm the 3rd most popular hub on this site, and the 2nd most popular commenter. There is NO EXCUSE for "oh, I didn't know you had a stake in this game, therefore I'm perfectly justified in being a total asshole." That shit flies on Facebook. That shit flies on Reddit. On a site where your entire method of discovery is getting to know MY interests, that caliber of thoughtlessness is wholly and completely beyond the pale.
I didn't reply to the original post, but I felt little sympathy.
I have friend that works on a major network show, he makes way more money then I do to drive a truck and operate a lift gate. He works really hard (as in lots of hours, but not half the labor I do). When he is done with a season he goes on vacations and buys a bunch of stuff. Sure it hurts when the gravy train runs out. Maybe these people should have socked some money away instead of getting half million dollar mortgages. If my wife and I lost our jobs we could pay for about six months of our current life style and about a year if we cut corners. That isn't even accounting for unemployment insurance or food stamps. We save and plan for an uncertain future. There are many wall street bankers who could cry you river but I don't feel terribly sympathetic for them either.
Are you saying that you are so important to Hubski that we need to handle you with kid gloves? That is what your post reads like.