Strange Disclosure of Lists and Threats of Removal

Posted on at


Some members keep lists of people to whom they send buzz.  Presumably, the idea of this list is fairness to buzz back anyone who sent buzz.  It takes time the make the list, and the frequent changes in the activity level of members requires regular list updates.   Personally, I don't see how the work of keeping this list pays for itself. After all, you can spend the same amount of time recruiting new "buzzers".

By far the most perplexing list phenomena occurs when the list keep actually posts a copy of the list on the internet.  In this way, the list keeper shows who will receive buzz and, by implication, who will not.  I find this inexplicable.  In a game which rewards social networking, the list keeper who posts the list inform everyone who is not on this list that "their buzz is no good here".  The list poster puts a small finite limit as to the actual amount of buzz he or she will receive or fund.

Even crazier, usually the list poster threatens to remove inactive members ("non buzzers").  Presumably the list poster thinks he or she will motivate the wrongdoers to start buzzing again.  In reality, inactive members are... inactive.  The will not start buzzing because someone threatens them.  

Moreover, the list threat makers seems completely to miss the point.  Sending buzz is a method for elliciting buzz. Why would you give that up?  The truth is... it is really easy to get buzz on Bitlanders.  If one person does not send me buzz, I will get it from someone else.  I am not going even to waste my time figuring out if I am on a list, because in the same amount of time, I can provide buzz to three or four members.   

I am not going to keep a list, because I am going to respond to every post I receive.  I could conceivably forget to sent certain members buzz on specific days.  If that is going to lead to someone removing me from the list, they no longer receive buzz from me the rest of the time, which is more of their problem than mine.  This is not me making a threat... I am just saying that since I look at incoming posts to see to whom I need to send posts, if I am not on your list, and you do not send me a post, I am likely not to send you one.

So, posting a listing, and threatening other Bitlanders with removal is about as strange a thing as you could do on here.  The people who do this are about the only people on here who have explicitly told me that there is no point in sending them buzz.  I believe that this method is counterproductive.

 

 



About the author

160