theferrett: Let's Talk About Me

The Ferrett (

theferrett) wrote,
@ 2008-03-20 15:36:00

Let's Talk About Me
Thoughts inspired from someone else's post about me:

1) People tend to think that whatever they don't like is my filler stuff.
I had someone commenting that my reverse-Seasonal Affective Disorder must be kicking in, because I had all of these tossed-off, crappy articles on Surprise Buttsecks so forth. (The exact quote was, "I think he knows he's not keeping people's interest; that's probably why he has defaulted to stoopid sex posts recently.")

Funnily enough, the exact opposite was true. I've been so bored of the old blog over the past few months, but the last three weeks or so it's come alive again. I thought the buttsecks post was hysterical. I looked forward to writing about the loss of the D&D Planes, and then I got even nerdier when I dissected the Hero System mechanics. And though The Rock Band Purity Quiz had scandalously few suggestions, I was way too thrilled to write it. Hell, even my Nader post felt real to me.

There are days I'm like, "Crap, I should write about something. Just to have it up there." But recently, I'm excited to get up there and post about this crazy shit. I have things I want to say! Yet when I do and it's not to their tastes, people - not just this person, but people - go, "Aw, man, look at the filler."

The truly hysterical thing is that some of you may be reading me only for my filler, enduring those tedious Realdoll posts to get to my tossed-off, I-don't-care pieces. That amuses me to no end.

2) Not everything I write is meant for you.
My wife walked in on me, pointed at my latest post on webcomics, and actually said, "tl;dr." I shrugged. I had something to say about webcomics, and I did. It was dense stuff. I can't make everything interesting.

Still, it was a post I loved. Y'all don't have to. But I wanted to say it.

3) I apparently encourage both ass-kissers and Ferrett-haters.
I actually don't care if you tell me you hated a given post. That's honest feedback. I'm down with it. The person who thought my good stuff was filler? I'm more amused by her misconstruement of my motivations than I am by her dislike of my posts.

Y'all can go right ahead and find this post boring. I don't mind! (Just as long as you don't mind when I find it boring when you go, "THAT WAS BORING, FERRETT! AH HAH HAH!" in the comments.)

But some folks seem to think I have an army of people who will agree with me no matter what I say. Others have told me that they don't bother to leave positive comments because I never respond to them, but I almost invariably comment back to the people who disagree, thus quietly encouraging the most disagreeable people to comment the most. And you know, for a guy who has a blog consisting only of people who plant their lips on my buns, I sure do have a lot of heated arguments whenever I raise any controversial topic.

The truth is, nobody's generally reading me unless they agree with me a fair percentage of the time. That doesn't make y'all zombies, but rather echoes the human sentiment that you don't listen to people who are full of crap most of the time. (Even the studied opposition makes a kind of sense.) So I get a lot of positive feedback. But yes, I do try to encourage polite debate when I can, so I tend to have a fair amount of people calling me on my shit.

S'all good. Especially when it's just some filler piece.

tl;dr.

(Post a new comment)

	fax_celestis 2008-03-20 07:40 pm UTC (link)
	I see what you did there. (Reply to this)

	stripedsocks 2008-03-20 07:41 pm UTC (link)
	Just for the record, I thought your Surprise Buttsecks post was funny as heck. And I believe you should write for you! That's what this is all about, after all. (Reply to this)

losgunna
2008-03-20 07:42 pm UTC (link)

Here is my thought:

You are writing what *you* want to write, to make *you* happy. This is *your* journal, you have that right. Yes, you do have a horde of fawning fanboyz & girlz (I'll admit I'm one!), but I'm not stupid enough to think "OH! He's writing this for me!" You're not! You're writing it for you, which is who you should be writing it for.

Do I like everything you write? Nope. But I don't chalk a piece I don't like up to you slipping - I chalk it up to writing a piece I just don't give a rat's ass about.

For those that complain? Fuck 'em.

(Reply to this)

Heh.
(Anonymous)
2008-03-20 07:43 pm UTC (link)

Originally I was going to say "It's okay, you can link this to me as the instigator, I could use the extra eyes on my blog." Then I realized that that could very well be seen as you sending your "flying monkeys" to defend you against this person you are laughing about.

For the record, I've been enjoying the posts that you've liked writing, for the most part. Today was the first day that I was off-put by any of your essays, "filler" included.

I have noticed that negative comments elicit many more responses than positive ones do, but as you've said, what can you really respond to someone that only writes "That was awesome?"

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: Heh. theferrett 2008-03-20 07:47 pm UTC (link)
	Then I realized that that could very well be seen as you sending your "flying monkeys" to defend you against this person you are laughing about. Exactly. I know you and I thought you'd be okay with it, but I didn't want the person who'd made the negative comment about me to have to endure me. She's still cool wif me, mang. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	anivair 2008-03-20 07:48 pm UTC (link)
	Honestly, I like when we don't agree. I get the impression that you'll fight back and not take it personally. I dig that in a person, so I'm a happy guy. And if I don't dig something you're writing about, I don't read it. I'll come back later. No big. (Reply to this)

unsafesects
2008-03-20 08:00 pm UTC (link)

You come across as very concerned about what people think of you, even as you are saying you don't care what people think of your particular Livejournal entries. Sometimes you seem to really NEED attention, even though I know you have a loving wife and many friends.

So...I ask...how much value do you place on this sort of thing...getting comments here and on your webcomic? How much of your self-worth is based on feedback?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

Oh noes, wanting feedback == insecurity and low self-esteem!

dragonpaws
2008-03-20 08:32 pm UTC (link)

You realize the man has a public journal, writes a public column and has a webcomic, right? Presumably feedback is his tastycakes, just like it is everybody else's.

I mean, imagine if you wrote all these entries and made a webcomic and got no comments at all? You wouldn't keep going for very long, I suspect, withouut SOME kind of reinforcement, and most of Ferrett's online work is unpaid/poorly paid.

As a social psychologist, I really enjoy Ferrett's meta-comments on peoples' comments about him. I think anybody who's big enough to have lots of people reading, reacting and commenting about them en masse eventually gets things they want to talk about-- people in aggregate are weird, anonymous people in aggregate on the internet are even weirder, and anonymous people in aggregate on the internet talking about ME are absolutely the funnest, weirdest thing EVER.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Oh noes, wanting feedback == insecurity and low self-esteem!

unsafesects
2008-03-20 08:42 pm UTC (link)

Hm. No. As a writer, I've found there are two different sorts of writers. Those who write because they love creativity...creating worlds. And those who write because they are entertaining an audience. I'm not saying one is wrong and one is right, but the latter of the two tend to be people who madly crave attention.

I don't really understand the desire for attention, being someone who keeps greatly to herself. It's always been a mystery to me what people get out of fame (or even internet-fame). My question was forthright, rather than accusatory. As

theferret seems like a generally happy person, despite the need for attention, I was wondering how he gauges his own self-worth, and how much LJ/webcomics/etc really play into it. As opposed to how I perceive them to play into it.

Seriously, I did not mean to be offensive...only to inquire.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Oh noes, wanting feedback == insecurity and low self-esteem!

dragonpaws
2008-03-20 08:58 pm UTC (link)

It seems like you're saying that one can either love writing for the creativity or love writing because it gets feedback. Isn't that a false dichotomy? My guess, given the Ferrett's amount of production and the way he gravitates toward writing projects, is that he enjoys both the fun of creation and the fun of feedback.

I suppose my objection to your question was that it seemed to imply that if a person was doing something for attention, it was a) weird (because they already have family and friends) and b) not done for any other, additional, reason, like because it is fun.

You're still saying that the need for attention is bad, or at least will make a person unhappy, and I'd like to suggest that just because you don't need attention and excess attention might make you uncomfortable or unhappy doesn't mean that attention isn't a positive, happy-aking thing for others.

It also seemed strange to me that you interpreted theferrett's interest in others' opinions of him as "need for attention" and "caring about others' opinions." Saying "huh, that's weird, people misinterpret me" is very different from "wah, I'm misunderstood, I cry now!" And it seemed theferrett was pretty direct in saying that he wasn't bothered by peoples' misunderstandings, but rather found them amusing and interesting. And aren't we all interested in other people and the weird ways they work?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Oh noes, wanting feedback == insecurity and low self-esteem! mightydoll 2008-03-23 04:21 pm UTC (link)
	grin I agree with everything you say right up until the last line. Not all of us are. A surprising (to me) number of people couldn't care less how other people work and find it strange and misguided that I'm fascinated by exploring it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	gentlemaitresse 2008-03-20 08:07 pm UTC (link)
	I disagree with you a lot. But I keep reading because you write in a way that I find entertaining. That's really all there is to it for me. (Reply to this)

	pavel_lishin 2008-03-20 08:08 pm UTC (link)
	I generally don't identify any of your posts as "filler", but there are some topics that I read the first and last sentence of, and skip. For example: Rock Band. I don't have the game, and don't plan no buying it, so unless you say something hilarious in the body of the post, I don't generally care. (Reply to this)

thetathx1138
2008-03-20 08:13 pm UTC (link)

LJ CUT!!!

Just kidding. Well, not really, but you don't seem to be in the habit of cutting, and I doubt you'll change for some dude in Boston.

On surprise buttsex: I was talking about who could have sex with the Hulk (long story) and I noted there are two people in the 616 capable of genuine, surprise buttsex: Reed Richards and Sue Storm.

Sue's obvious, but Reed I think is nastier. He can thread through a needle, after all. So he can make himself tiny, carefully thread his way in and then HELLO CLEVELAND!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	kellyfaerie 2008-03-20 08:25 pm UTC (link)
	OMG Reed Richards! Too funny! Well done, sir! (Reply to this)(Parent)

Interesting

kellyfaerie
2008-03-20 08:20 pm UTC (link)

I'm at work and thus a little bored. Turned to the internet for amusements, and said to myself, "Self, you should read your friends page. Probably Ferrett has written something amusing. If not, maybe one of your other friends has." Thus I came seeking one of your articles. In the back of my mind I was sorta thinking of the Surprise Buttsecks post as an example of the type of thing I was hoping to find.

So I find it amusing that someone else is calling this type of post your "filler" stuff. I have never really made any kind of judgement about what is filler and what is not with you. In my journal, the filler stuff is photos, content copied directly off the webs, or song lyrics. Anything I took the trouble to think about and type out is probably not something I'd consider filler.

I don't think you have too much filler in your journal, based on that criteria.

Anyway, commence with the amusements :)

(Reply to this)

amurana
2008-03-20 08:32 pm UTC (link)

1) I freaking loved the buttsex post

2) what is tl;dr."? I'm guessing too long; didn't read.

3) whether a journal is fill of ads, filler, topical observations, or heart-wrenching personal secrets, it is still just a journal. The beauty of it is that it's free and it's yours, meaning you can write whatever the fuck you want in it. You don't have an editor. You don't have stock holders. You don't have a deadline. I've got a statement on my journal saying read me or not, I don't give a fuck. My journal is mine. I believe that. People can enjoy some or all or even none of what is written, but they don't own me. They've got no room to judge or to bitch as if their oppinion is more important than you doing what you want. Critiques and opinions are one thing. Arrogance pisses me off. :)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	terpsichoros 2008-03-20 11:24 pm UTC (link)
	#2 - yes, because sometimes even "too long; didn't read" is too long. (Reply to this)(Parent)

alicetheowl
2008-03-20 08:35 pm UTC (link)

tl;dr.

Damn you for getting to it first!

Nah, seriously, it's your LJ, and I don't remember paying you to dance for the audience. So I'm really okay if, every dozen or so entries, I find my eyes sliding past a post because it doesn't hold my interest. I'm fairly sure I bore the crap out of my flist. The only reason that isn't a 100% certainty is because, every time I remark I'm boring, people argue with me about it. Even the one time I said I wasn't comment-hunting. Hell, ESPECIALLY then.

LJ people are weird.

(Reply to this)

	vrax 2008-03-20 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	I ADORE your various RPG posts, so in case I haven't said...oh wait I have. I have this ability to like start to read things, and then scroll past if they seem uninteresting to me. It's amazing. (Reply to this)

	coffeeinhell 2008-03-20 09:08 pm UTC (link)
	I find this post boring. Amuse me, you bastard. (Reply to this)

	dougals 2008-03-20 09:10 pm UTC (link)
	It's like Eddings said through Belgarath (paraphrased because I can't find the exact quote): "We always judge the level of someone's intellignece on how much they agree with us. And you may or may not agree with me on that, but I'm sure you're intelligent enough to know the right choice." (Reply to this)

	skamamawa 2008-03-20 09:19 pm UTC (link)
	tl;dr? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	leozz 2008-03-20 09:31 pm UTC (link)
	This was actually the first time I saw this abbreviation too, but google quickly enlightened me: too long; didn't read Actually seems really useful (if a bit rude). (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dragonpaws 2008-03-20 09:42 pm UTC (link)
	It's funny, I always read it as "too long; don't read," which is still rude but at least serves some kind of directive purpose as a warning to others. "Too long; didn't read" is much more offensive to me, since it's basically a stranger walking up and saying "I DON'T CARE!!!" right in your face. Not to mention being easily decoded as "I have the attention span of a gnat." (Reply to this)(Parent)

	merle_ 2008-03-20 09:27 pm UTC (link)
	tl;dr Great. Now I know another acronym that I can dislike, because of course I was forced to google it. Thanks... (although I am impressed that it incorporates a semicolon; that's pretty rare) (Reply to this)(Thread)

	jenk4525 2008-03-20 09:40 pm UTC (link)
	On most forums I frequent, it's seen as TLDR rather than tl;dr. But maybe that's just because WoW players can't use punctuation. ^_^ (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dragonpaws 2008-03-20 09:43 pm UTC (link)
	"Semicolon? Is that some kind of quest item? What mobs do I kill to get it? What's the drop rate? Is there a blue reward?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	meyerweb.com 2008-03-20 10:17 pm UTC (link)
	"It's what you get when a disembowelment attack only partially succeeds." Nah, you're right. Probably too intellecktchul. (Reply to this)(Parent)

kisekinotenshi
2008-03-20 10:08 pm UTC (link)

See, I thought of your Buttsex post (along with the hilarious sequel posts) to be filler, but in my mind, that's not a bad thing. I liked them a lot, as I tend to enjoy most filler, so that's fine. I'm one of those people who likes eating vegetables while she waits for the meat to come along (figuratively speaking, since I'm a vegetarian) and sometimes finds herself enjoying the vegetables more than the meat. But I still consider the vegetables as vegetables, and the meat as meat. Does that make sense? XD

(Reply to this)

	girlofthemirror 2008-03-20 10:08 pm UTC (link)
	I am so sorry to diappoint - but I would never, ever kiss your hairy buns. (Reply to this)

	jenphalian 2008-03-20 10:16 pm UTC (link)
	So there are ass-kissers and Ferrett-haters, but what about the scads of Ferrett-fangirls who don't care about your content, but still scan your posts in the hopes they'll someday rock your world? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	theferrett 2008-03-20 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	They generally send me photos. Especially if they're really cute. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	jenphalian 2008-03-21 12:37 am UTC (link)
	Wow. They must be gullible... (Reply to this)(Parent)

	meyerweb.com 2008-03-20 10:18 pm UTC (link)
	I thought the buttsecks post was awesome solely for the Garfield. (Reply to this)

	tormentedartist 2008-03-20 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	See I liked all of the post that you mentioned especially the webcomics one. I might not agree with everything you say but its cool to see a different opinion. (Reply to this)

	e_scapism101 2008-03-20 10:43 pm UTC (link)
	I loved the Surprise Buttsecks post. Especially since I've participated in actual Surprise Buttsecks. (Long story. Well, not so much. But it's pretty fucking funny to surprise someone when you are actually on the receiving end.) (Reply to this)

	bardicwench 2008-03-21 01:41 am UTC (link)
	Hummmm.... I'm not a ferrett-hater, but I'm also not an ass-kisser. Where do I fall? giggle I'll let you grab my breast at a con but I won't kiss your ass. How's that for amusing? (Reply to this)

<3 !

cathy_n
2008-03-21 02:43 am UTC (link)

"Others have told me that they don't bother to leave positive comments because I never respond to them, but I almost invariably comment back to the people who disagree, thus quietly encouraging the most disagreeable people to comment the most."

!!!

I said that once... you must have read what I said!

... or you read somebody who said the same thing. There's nothing new under the sun after all. Even Magic decks undergo simultaneous discovery and evolution at dozens of card shops around the world. My thoughts surely must have been said by another.

Still, I'll believe that you heard me and be happy for it. It's no fun babbling on the internet if I'm not heard at least 0.01% of the time.

(Reply to this)

	kittylitter1 2008-03-21 03:07 am UTC (link)
	So...when are you going to post about Nader having Surprise Buttsecks? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	clodia_risa 2008-03-21 04:08 am UTC (link)
	Oh. Dear. Lord. Your icon. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	johannah_rose 2008-03-21 04:21 pm UTC (link)
	I would suspect that any secks Nader has is a bit of a surprise. (Reply to this)(Parent)

rhodielady_47
2008-03-21 05:00 am UTC (link)

One reason there are so many books in the world is that one person's good hot read is somebody else's slow death by boredom.
I have found in my own writing that the quickest way to become dull and boring is to avoid writing about the stuff that interests you--whatever that stuff may be.
-------------
I sure do wish you could come to Inconjunction in Indianapolis some summer. I'm sure I'm not the only Midwesterner who'd like to meet you!
:)

(Reply to this)

	raylenetaskoski 2008-03-21 12:45 pm UTC (link)
	I think the surprise buttsecks is the only one I've commented on in a year. I laughed so hard at it! I actually mentioned it to friends. ...raylene (Reply to this)

	bohemean 2008-03-21 02:40 pm UTC (link)
	I love all of your posts about the web comics but knowing your wife said that about the last one killed me. She's amazing. :D (Reply to this)

johannah_rose
2008-03-21 04:20 pm UTC (link)

Wait, if I'm reading this right, there was more than one post on the Realdoll issue. Where are these posts? I found that article really fascinating. I told people about the Realdolls and all, including the price, and most of the guys said that if they'd paid that much for something they would keep it even if they got an actual girlfriend. If there is more to know, then I want to know it.

(Reply to this)

	stealing bandwidth to bring you ... ccr1138 2008-03-21 06:16 pm UTC (link)
	(Reply to this)

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