Look, I comment rather infrequently and I'd classify myself in the lurker/passive consumer cohort, but seeing all the meta-talk going on recently I figured my thoughts might be useful. Or maybe not. Because that's the crux for me at least. Ninety-nine percent of the time I really don't consider my own opinions interesting enough to present to you lot. Is it an acceptance thing? Maybe. Perhaps it's the idea that my hubski presence needs to be curated in some way, throttled but then distilled. That seems to be the ideal, but if it makes you think that my comment history is going to be an intellectual goldmine or whatever don't even bother looking, because honestly my recent comments have been quite mediocre. It could be just me, in which case I'll get and take what's coming to me, but hubski incubates a fucked up kind of performance anxiety in me. Right now I'm having a bit of an internal conflict about whether or not to just erase everything I wrote and remain silent. Don't get me wrong though, I really like hubski and I really like the conversations and debates and whatnot which take place. If hubski command thinks lurkers are counter to the mission statement, then I hope this kind of info is helpful to you. I think I've said everything that I wanted to (not) say, so two final things: a. If you think this is complete bullshit, does that validate what I was trying to get across? b. Here's some weirdly relevant poetry which may or may not lose its meaning in translation: ...[O you] Controller of Conversations
Sir...
My Lord
No!
guess I'll try again...
later
I don't think lurkers are counter to the mission statement. I think its fine. I lurk many other sites and never comment. You owe us nothing, so don't feel obligated to comment, but also don't be afraid to comment. I follow you, I'd be glad to hear what you have to say. For instance... I dig the poem.It could be just me, in which case I'll get and take what's coming to me, but hubski incubates a fucked up kind of performance anxiety in me. Right now I'm having a bit of an internal conflict about whether or not to just erase everything I wrote and remain silent.
It's not just you. I have friends that I consider very smart and capable people. They post prolifically on FB but are afraid to post on Hubski because they don't think it will be "good enough". It's a mixed bag, part of me thinks this is good and part of me thinks it's too much of a barrier to entry. But unlike you, most of these guys haven't spent time lurking and don't have a feel for the site.