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09-12-2015, 15:21
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,604
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The Cult Of Likabilty
Yesterday the New York Times published an article by critically acclaimed author Bret Easton Ellis that examines how groupthink in social media and the "Cult of Likability" marginalizes individuality and nonconformist thinking to the detriment of the diversity of our culture for the benefit of corporations.
Because Cuisers Forum is a form of social media where nonconformists are routinely and heavily discouraged, despite the fact that cruisers are by their nature a fringe group that chooses to live outside the norms of conventional society, I thought it might be of interest to some.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/08...ikability.html
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09-12-2015, 15:48
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 45
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
I read it earlier today and what he says is spot on. Another slant on this is the term I heard the other day "weaponized outrage" where a vocal group can wreak havoc, especially if their target is outside of the "group think" construct.
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09-12-2015, 15:49
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#3
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cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Carolinas and Bahamas
Boat: cal 29
Posts: 65
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Is this going to become an anchor/ gun thread?
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09-12-2015, 15:53
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,604
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkbait
Is this going to become an anchor/ gun thread?
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Classic examples of nonconformists being shamed for thinking differently. If I had a dollar for every time someone outside the sailing mainstream had to defend their choices to the more conservative members of this forum I would be sailing around in a big ass catamaran.
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09-12-2015, 16:34
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#5
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
4 15 year old boys brutally tortured a puppy.
They were arrested but as minors can't be identified in the press etc.
But Facebook et al found their names and photos and ran a hate campaign of such severity (death threats by the hundreds) that I weighed in and told the adults to grow up.
I knew I would cop a bit of grief for that one.
Apart from haters I am supremely well liked. Oh, except by internet sailors. And, well, any internet user...
It worries me.
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09-12-2015, 16:52
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,217
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Ahh, Mark... don't worry, be happy!
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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09-12-2015, 17:02
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Whoo! Finally made it back to Mexico!
Boat: Cheoy Lee Offshore 38
Posts: 1,458
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
No worries Mark J. I've never been in "the fold" . I believe my classmates called me weird.
I used to think that approval from others was a sign of "being ok" . As I've matured I now realize that approval from others means nothing of value.
As to the group think on this forum ...it's simply human nature to desire community and to assume joining with others on certain subjects will provide that.
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09-12-2015, 18:11
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#8
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
Boat: Valiant 40 (1975)
Posts: 4,073
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
And I thought it was just my opinions that were "weird" or "hateful" If Mark and Jim are in that category I am in good company.
In all seriousness, it has caused me to consider whether I want to be in CF many times. I stay as long as I am learning. Someday I will know enough to leave.
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09-12-2015, 18:57
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Boat: Pearson 367
Posts: 550
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Thanks for the link. Personally I don't consider CF to be a social media site, more of a tradesman forum. To be a cruiser you need to be a plumber, electrician, cook, and a sailor, and probably a couple other things. For social media most people are just spouting off about their daily lives and pop culture.
I have only met one person off this forum so the effects of a forum member telling me to eff off make me less likely to conform then on Fb, twitter, etc. I don't conform anyway so I don't have many friends on either.
The article is really about the "reputation economy" and I've been a waiter for ten years and I've seen the difference. We really don't have that here on CF. None of us are being punished because of our opinions financially.
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09-12-2015, 19:07
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#10
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
I believe in always going along with the group think majority, especially when it comes to topics like global warming, guns, anchors, multihulls, climate change, monohulls and global cooling. This way, I can be popular with the smart people.
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09-12-2015, 19:29
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,891
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
I believe in always going along with the group think majority, especially when it comes to topics like global warming, guns, anchors, multihulls, climate change, monohulls and global cooling. This way, I can be popular with the smart people.
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The "group think majority" are rarely the "smart people". Go along with the former and you will not be popular with the latter.
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09-12-2015, 19:49
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#12
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Quote:
Originally Posted by StuM
The "group think majority" are rarely the "smart people". Go along with the former and you will not be popular with the latter.
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I was being sarcastic... 'thought it was obvious.
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09-12-2015, 19:59
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: On a boat
Boat: 1987 Cabo Rico 38 #117 (sold) & 2008 Manta 42 #124
Posts: 4,174
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Not one of us.....!!!!!!
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09-12-2015, 20:04
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,604
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Recently on a thread elsewhere I expressed some opinions deemed unpopular by the majority and I found myself publicly and privately denounced, disavowed, and discouraged for my non-conformist thinking.
The irony being that my non-conformist thinking amounted to me trying to share my professional expertise with some people who very obviously knew little about what they were talking about but who were too busy falling over themselves liking something to tolerate what I was telling them.
I thought it was funny they were so bothered by what I was saying but it was also sort of sad.
I don't come to this forum to make friends and influence people. I come to learn what I don't know and hopefully pay it back by sharing what I do know. Sure, I've got my biases and imperfections. Requiring external validation to feel good about myself isn't one of them.
Probably explains why I am usually so blunt. Maybe if I was more warm and fuzzy I would have more green "reputation" squares on my profile page indicating that I am well liked?
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09-12-2015, 20:29
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,891
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Re: The Cult Of Likabilty
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
I was being sarcastic... 'thought it was obvious.
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Sorry, forget what thread I was in.
We've been seeing too much boneheadedness in the Arctic.... thread. That comment would be right at home with a few of the posters there without any sarcasm intended
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