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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   28724 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of August 28, 2023

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Long effort posts are often just meandering posts filled with unnecessary asides. We shouldn’t encourage length but quality. Sometimes length and quality go hand and hand. Sometimes brevity and quality go together.

The problem is we have this idea that short equals low effort (and therefore perhaps subject to moderation) whereas long equals high effort. I’d rather we judge based on “is this thoughtful.”

The problem is we have this idea that short equals low effort

I think people making this argument are way too dramatic. Yeah, some posters have this problem, but such is life, some people are better writers than others. But as someone who prefers to keep things brief, I haven't noticed you have to put in all that much work for a top level comment. I'm pretty sure 1-2 paragraphs is all you need.

Some posters use 7-8 paragraphs to communicate an idea that might take two sentences. It is annoying.

Some posters use 7-8 paragraphs to communicate an idea that might take two sentences. It is annoying.

Yes, some people are too verbose and could use editors, but we aren't a publication and we aren't going to mod people because "You're a bad writer." Your claim that we require verbosity is false. If you think someone goes on at too much length, you can either offer constructive criticism or ignore it. If you think they are going on at too much length because they think they have to to pass scrutiny here, you will have to give me an example of someone doing this.

There's nothing wrong with telling someone they're being unnecessarily verbose, especially if you can provide the two sentences that you think can replace the 7-8 paragraphs.

Go back to reddit if you want short thoughtless gotchas. This is the only haven I've found for long form posting, and I actually tend to prefer it, thanks. The rest of the internet has perfected the shortform. I don't see why you're so set on attacking the one place that rejects it.

Reddit is often pretty long-winded without good reason, to be honest. Smarter subreddits are positively infested with eloquent streams of consciousness in support of some pedestrian preconceived notion.

That's a fair point. I was a bit fired up when arguing with @zeke5123, I should probably tone it down a bit.

That being said, I'm more worried about the shift towards short form, mindless content than long form mindless content.

But (and maybe we agree here) the problem isn’t long or short form but the mindlessness.

You go back. I’m not rejecting it per se. Sometimes it takes time to lay out evidence or thoughts. But taking 100 words to say something that can be said in 10 words isn’t quality. It is bad writing.

My point isn’t that short form or long form is better. My point is that short form or long form can both be good or bad and choosing which one is dependent on what needs to be communicated.

My point is that short form or long form can both be good or bad and choosing which one is dependent on what needs to be communicated.

My point is that I agree with you, but because long form writing is an endangered species I'm more than happy keeping it alive here.

"This is the best place there is, so we should never critique it" is terrible advice. I'm sorry for cheaply paraphrasing what you said but it's how it read to me. This is the best place there is, you're right. It's worth trying to protect and cherish.

Honestly I can't recall a single mod action against things that are just short. I think top level CW posts should be a certain length to encourage discussion and prevent the strong pull of just having the Motte become a place where the news cycle is repeated.

Like the length of your comment is fine, and I see the vast majority of the comments on here around that length. Am I living in a bizzaro world where y'all are seeing all these comments modded and I'm not??? I am genuinely confused about these arguments.

Or is this just about the top level posts?

Just about top level posts.

Interesting. I'd say just put in the effort to add a couple paragraphs. The bar really is not that high.

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