What Happened to Nightfall's Post Count?

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

The psychology of how people assign authority is pretty interesting. One way they do that is "authority through experience." That is to say, people that have done more, know more. In theory, sounds completely logical, but people don't always recognize experience as opposed to simple time.

There's the phrase, "Respect your elders." That's an example authority from experience. Are all older people smart or wise? Definitely not. Conversely, not all younger people are dumb and stupid either. However, paying respect to older people is highly ingrained in most societies in the world.

Now, translate that to the internet. Unfortunately, on the internet, age is generally obfuscated. I could be twenty-seven, or I could be fifty-seven, and without physically meeting me, no one would really know (the former is true). So, experience is derived from time, and time is generally calculated two ways - the date someone joins a community, and how often they participate in that community. In this context, join date and post count.

Now, I'm not saying that everyone will equate join date/post count with experience or knowledge, nor do those dictate a degree of experience, or lack thereof. A large percentage do though, because that's how societies work, and have worked, for a long time. Hence, the whole "f-ing newb" mentality.

Wow. Deep.

Now explain why no one listens to me.

 

[Bacris]

I tell myself to shut up all the time iykwimaityd

Crothian, that post count is... disturbing. Congrats!

 

[LightPhoenix]

Wow. Deep.

Now explain why no one listens to me.

Did you say something?

 

[Nonlethal Force]

There's the phrase, "Respect your elders." That's an example authority from experience. Are all older people smart or wise? Definitely not. Conversely, not all younger people are dumb and stupid either. However, paying respect to older people is highly ingrained in most societies in the world.

To nitpik - and I admit nitpik, because I agree in principle with the post that you are making ...

The phrase respect your elders has nothing to do with listening to them. It has everything to do with acknowledging the fact that they've made it more years in life than you without killing themselves! I can respect someone without having to listen to them. I respect just about everyone who makes it through a Ph.D. program. But many of the professors I had when earning my masters I did not listen to! [And am doing fine without listening to them, fwiw].

Heck, even my own grandma, who is 91 1/2, I don't listen to! Her frame of reference is so antiquated that most of her advice really isn't sound in this century. It would have been really good in the 70s and 80s, though! But in spite of not listening to her advice, I still respect her enough to let her give me all the advice she feels necessary to give.

Anyways, ending the nitpik now.

 

[Dog Moon]

Nightfall's posts have apparently been returned to normal.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Nightfall's posts have apparently been returned to normal.

No, Nightfall's just been really happy to be allowed back!

 

[Nightfall]

That and I got an UPGRADE back to where I should have been..erhm sort.