Why do people still use Reddit?

[jammies]

I've never been on reddit before, but all this drama over "supporting" creeps & perverts by going there has made me consider joining up. Psycnet, you seem to be holding an amorphous, anarchic entity to the same standards as a person. It is not a person. It is the efforts of a vast collection of people with different goals and mores.

It sounds to me like there is a clique of pederasts on the site. There are probably also cliques of car enthusiasts, wine aficionados, square-dancers, amateur astronomers, ham radio operators, and movie buffs. Difference is, the pederasts are going to be both more tightly knit and intent on accumulating power as they are (rightly) oppressed and made pariahs. That some succeeded in their short-term goals is not at all surprising, and the best that can be hoped is that their activities are kept to a minimum and that their unwise decision to gather publicly will be exploited by law enforcement to find them out and punish them when they transgress.

Boycotting the site, however, does nothing. If it did not exist, something similar with the same problems would. If you are that concerned, going there, searching out inappropriate content and publicizing it would be far more effective. Yelling at clouds is not.

[dsavillian]

Originally Posted by jammies

I've never been on reddit before, but all this drama over "supporting" creeps & perverts by going there has made me consider joining up. Psycnet, you seem to be holding an amorphous, anarchic entity to the same standards as a person. It is not a person. It is the efforts of a vast collection of people with different goals and mores.

It sounds to me like there is a clique of pederasts on the site. There are probably also cliques of car enthusiasts, wine aficionados, square-dancers, amateur astronomers, ham radio operators, and movie buffs. Difference is, the pederasts are going to be both more tightly knit and intent on accumulating power as they are (rightly) oppressed and made pariahs. That some succeeded in their short-term goals is not at all surprising, and the best that can be hoped is that their activities are kept to a minimum and that their unwise decision to gather publicly will be exploited by law enforcement to find them out and punish them when they transgress.

Boycotting the site, however, does nothing. If it did not exist, something similar with the same problems would. If you are that concerned, going there, searching out inappropriate content and publicizing it would be far more effective. Yelling at clouds is not.

An upvote gif seems mighty appropriate here

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

I am, I went out and bought a new video card to handle 2 screens and now one is dedicated to Rediit. Thanks for the heads up psychnerd

You guys don't seem very inclusive.

They say children who were bullied often grow up to be bullies. Were you a fat kid?

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

You guys don't seem very inclusive.

They say children who were bullied often grow up to be bullies. Were you a fat kid?

No, but I am now from all of the time I sit in front of the compute surfing reddit.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

No, but I am now from all of the time I sit in front of the compute surfing reddit.

Well then you're right on your way to becoming a fedora-wearing, cheeto-encrusted Brony with ~~UGUU~~! hentai all over your walls.

[GP_Matt]

PsYcNeT,
I haven't seen you mention the drugs yet, but is it safe to assume that you also despise the fact that things like /r/trees exist to glorify drug culture? That would be the same drug culture that supports so many terrible things in our society.

A quick Google search of 'something awful drugs' brings up the very first hit as a posting on SA asking for help passing a drug test. How can you possibly be against one website that fosters an environment that allows people to break one law while wholly supporting a second website that helps people break different laws? Have you decided that drug use and the gangs that profit from it are less harmful to society than the pedophiles? Do you really not have any idea of the terrible things that drugs and gangs do to children?

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

PsYcNeT,
I haven't seen you mention the drugs yet, but is it safe to assume that you also despise the fact that things like /r/trees exist to glorify drug culture? That would be the same drug culture that supports so many terrible things in our society.

A quick Google search of 'something awful drugs' brings up the very first hit as a posting on SA asking for help passing a drug test. How can you possibly be against one website that fosters an environment that allows people to break one law while wholly supporting a second website that helps people break different laws? Have you decided that drug use and the gangs that profit from it are less harmful to society than the pedophiles? Do you really not have any idea of the terrible things that drugs and gangs do to children?

Ignoring the fact that you are moving the goalposts of the topic, anyone with half a brain can see that there are degrees of laws (including lawmakers themselves). Gray areas exist.

I believe our drug laws perpetuate gangs, organized crime, and put an inordinate amount of money and power into the hands of unsavoury individuals. Drug prohibition is a grand failure, and despite never having touched hard or synthetic drugs in my life, I do believe they should be regulated by the government and distributed to users via controlled channels, outside of the criminal element.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Ignoring the fact that you are moving the goalposts of the topic, anyone with half a brain can see that there are degrees of laws (including lawmakers themselves). Gray areas exist.

I believe our drug laws perpetuate gangs, organized crime, and put an inordinate amount of money and power into the hands of unsavoury individuals. Drug prohibition is a grand failure, and despite never having touched hard or synthetic drugs in my life, I do believe they should be regulated by the government and distributed to users via controlled channels, outside of the criminal element.

That may well be, but the fact is that while you wait for the rules to change you continue to support the heinous acts of the drug gangs.
Is that really different from someone who would like to see Reddit get rid of the illegal activity but continues to use the site in the meantime.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

That may well be, but the fact is that while you wait for the rules to change you continue to support the heinous acts of the drug gangs.
Is that really different from someone who would like to see Reddit get rid of the illegal activity but continues to use the site in the meantime.

Again, moving the goalposts (or, False Equivalence).

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Ignoring the fact that you are moving the goalposts of the topic, anyone with half a brain can see that there are degrees of laws (including lawmakers themselves). Gray areas exist.

I believe our drug laws perpetuate gangs, organized crime, and put an inordinate amount of money and power into the hands of unsavoury individuals. Drug prohibition is a grand failure, and despite never having touched hard or synthetic drugs in my life, I do believe they should be regulated by the government and distributed to users via controlled channels, outside of the criminal element.

That didn't answer his question at all.

You're urging people to boycott Reddit because well-meaning and innocent people may be indirectly supporting scumbag pederasts by your previously-stated tenuous connection. Yet you yourself are an admitted drug user, and it's no secret that proceeds from the sales of illicit substances fund all manner of horrible activities by organized criminals. In fact, it's fair to say that there's a much stronger link between purchasing illegal drugs and supporting violent crime than there is between browsing Reddit and supporting child pornography.

You, sir, are a hypocrite.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

That didn't answer his question at all.

You're urging people to boycott Reddit because well-meaning and innocent people may be indirectly supporting scumbag pederasts by your previously-stated tenuous connection. Yet you yourself are an admitted drug user, and it's no secret that proceeds from the sales of illicit substances fund all manner of horrible activities by organized criminals. In fact, it's fair to say that there's a much stronger link between purchasing illegal drugs and supporting violent crime than there is between browsing Reddit and supporting child pornography.

You, sir, are a hypocrite.

Doesn't dilute my message in the least, unless you're the type of person to get hung up on the messenger vs the message. Which of course is another logical fallacy but it's tiring to keep up.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Doesn't dilute my message in the least, unless you're the type of person to get hung up on the messenger vs the message. Which of course is another logical fallacy but it's tiring to keep up.

I am when said messenger is passing judgement on my actions while committing offenses that I find to be worse.

I wouldn't sit there and listen to a drunk driver telling me that I am a terrible person for speeding either.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

I am when said messenger is passing judgement on my actions while committing offenses that I find to be worse.

I wouldn't sit there and listen to a drunk driver telling me that I am a terrible person for speeding either.

Well, have fun with your insular world-view and smug sense of self-superiority then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque

[Senator Clay Davis]

As far as meltdowns go, this one confuses me to the point where I actually think Psycnet's whole goal here was to actually drive more traffic to Reddit rather than away from it. So this is like a reverse jedi mind #### crossed with a troll job. It's fascinating really.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

As far as meltdowns go, this one confuses me to the point where I actually think Psycnet's whole goal here was to actually drive more traffic to Reddit rather than away from it. So this is like a reverse jedi mind #### crossed with a troll job. It's fascinating really.

More than anything, I find it amusing that you guys think Getting Mad At The Internet is a thing.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Well, have fun with your insular world-view and smug sense of self-superiority then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque

If you were arguing your point past your initial post you might have a point, but most of your post have been self-aggrandizing and condescending. I don't think it is wrong then to point out the things that you do that break your own moral code.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

If you were arguing your point past your initial post you might have a point, but most of your post have been self-aggrandizing and condescending. I don't think it is wrong then to point out the things that you do that break your own moral code.

That would fine and dandy if my OP question had been answered, but simply put, it has not. The only answers I have gotten have skirted the issue or deflected from it.

No on has simply said "In light of this information, I still feel visiting Reddit is justified because..."

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

No on has simply said "In light of this information, I still feel visiting Reddit is justified because..."

Fine. In light of this information, I still feel visiting Reddit is justified because the site is useful/interesting to me.

Satisfied? Same reason that I continue to use Pirate Bay despite some of the questionable items that can occasionally be found there.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

That would fine and dandy if my OP question had been answered, but simply put, it has not. The only answers I have gotten have skirted the issue or deflected from it.

No on has simply said "In light of this information, I still feel visiting Reddit is justified because..."

Getting self-righteous when you yourself are a gigantic hypocrite is making all of us laugh, so why actually give you an answer when this is way more hilarious?

As to an answer, well, Reddit, like all American based companies, have a right to freedom of speech. Just like Neo-Nazi and Islamic Jihad websites are permitted, so is Reddit. You can ignore any portions of Reddit you would like, as is your right, just as I ignore websites about #### I have no interest in or care for. The fact you cannot ignore someone's right to free speech leads me to believe you are a communist.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Arsenal14

Fine. In light of this information, I still feel visiting Reddit is justified because the site is useful/interesting to me.

Satisfied? Same reason that I continue to use Pirate Bay despite some of the questionable items that can occasionally be found there.

Which again begs the question (phrasing), is it born of convenience or apathy?

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

As to an answer, well, Reddit, like all American based companies, have a right to freedom of speech. Just like Neo-Nazi and Islamic Jihad websites are permitted, so is Reddit. You can ignore any portions of Reddit you would like, as is your right, just as I ignore websites about #### I have no interest in or care for. The fact you cannot ignore someone's right to free speech leads me to believe you are a communist.

Perhaps I don't believe in Corporate Personhood.