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Bramblethorn

Sleep-deprived
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Feb 16, 2012
Posts
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Every so often I see an AH thread that goes something like this:

OP:

"I am writing a story set in Hungary. I am seeking advice specifically from Hungarian locals about how a Hungarian woman might let a Hungarian man know that she's attracted to him."

Replies:

"I'm not Hungarian, and I don't know any Hungarian women, but one time I watched a James Bond film set in Hungary and here's how I think it would go..."
"I'm not Hungarian, and anyway Hungary sucks. You should set your story in Spain instead, it's much better. Here's how women flirt with men in Spain."
"I'm not Hungarian, but I took some of my favourite pick-up lines and put them through Google Translate, and I think 'A légpárnásom tele van angolnákkal' would work..."
"I'm not Hungarian, but I typed this question into ChatGPT and here's what it said..."

Gentle reminder to people who do this: You don't need to be in every conversation. If you don't have the information the OP is looking for, it's fine not to reply. If the OP is asking specifically for advice from Hungarian locals, they probably have reasons for that. If they're not relying on GPT or a quick Google search for the answers, they probably have reasons for that also.

When you find yourself typing that "I'm not Hungarian, but...", stop and ask yourself: do I really have something useful to contribute here? Something that OP would be grateful for? Or am I just posting for the sake of saying something?

Sometimes it's marginal. Maybe you're not Hungarian, but you lived there a couple of years and you think you can give the OP something that's better than nothing. In those situations, one option is to wait and see whether somebody else who is Hungarian shows up and answers the question. If that hasn't happened within a couple of days, maybe then go ahead and offer that "better than nothing".
 
Every so often I see an AH thread that goes something like this:
[Short version: "You don't need to be a part of every conversation."]

I don't need to be part of every conversation, and honestly, conversations suck excepting the ones that attract my unique and flavorful energy. However, my point of view is necessary to this conversation Because of Reasons that I will now elucidate at length:

[You can leave the rest to your imagination. Assume that I would probably work some bullshit about Australians being criminals in there just to wind you up.]
 
Except for the occasional cases where non-regulars come to ask why their story was rejected or is still pending, almost all other posts are not meant to share information but to pass the time.

"I'm not Hungarian, I'm bored, please give me some attention."

And that's perfectly fine; that's what social media is all about: a haven for bored (somewhat lonely) attention seekers.

This thread (and this post) is a fine example.
 
I reserve the right to take the piss in any AH thread I see fit to. It's my sworn duty as an ADD person.

FYI The following are the ONLY topics I'm qualified to give advice on:

  • Python Programming Language
  • Sex
 
With the exception of posts saying “I’m looking for a female to admire how sexy my smut is and/or write my stories for me while she fluffs my ego”. In those cases anyone is welcome to tell them to go fuck themselves.
People eager for an opportunity to tell people to go fuck themselves actually enjoy that kind of roll-eyes emoji post.
 
I'm not a record seller, or a musician, but I've heard that scratching records is a technique used in some music forms.
I don't know much about records either. But, if I were to respond to you with a [well-structured explanation as to whether or not record-scratching can be an intentional musical technique], I would finish with this line:

For the record, I wouldn't recommend it.
 
We often say here write what you know.

We could add [post what you know which would make sense, but wouldn't be a lot of posts.

I see the point being made here, and its why you don't see me on every thread, either I'm not up on the topic or have no interest. That's how I've always been. I don't talk just to talk, what's the point?

This would cause less arguments as people who don't know anything on the topic would stop acting like they, being called out, and let the games begin.

But this can't be enforced, people can say what they want, and in the end this will turn into a jacked goofball thread because some people, regardless of age, are still sitting at the Lit kiddie table. Above me they're now talking about records.

But I appreciate Bramble's thread because my attempt to have a legit AH Tip/How To thread for new members/writers to use as a reference, and see us as a helpful community devolved into an argument very quickly, even with me stating in my OP, that if you have a different experience from whoever posted a "Tip" feel free to share it, but if you want to debate it do it in another thread.

Yeah....sure.
 
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But this can't be enforced, people can say what they want, and in the end this will turn into a jacked goofball thread because some people, regardless of age, are still sitting at the Lit kiddie table.
Bramble made his point. It's a good one. But what do you want us all to do? Reply with "I agree, and I hereby solemnly pledge not to bring my lack of understanding into any thread where understanding is requested"?

Because if so, the grown-up table sounds boring.
 
We often say here write what you know.

We could add [post what you know which would make sense, but wouldn't be a lot of posts.

I see the point being made here, and its why you don't see me on every thread, either I'm not up on the topic or have no interest. That's how I've always been. I don't talk just to talk, what's the point?

This would cause less arguments as people who don't know anything on the topic would stop acting like they, being called out, and let the games begin.

But this can't be enforced, people can say what they want, and in the end this will turn into a jacked goofball thread because some people, regardless of age, are still sitting at the Lit kiddie table. Above me they're now talking about records.

Sometimes drift is okay. (Or at least, I'd be a massive hypocrite if I said it was always bad...) Once the OP has good answers to their Hungarian flirting question, no harm done if people wander on to discussing some other topic. With this thread, all I really wanted out of it was to get that rant off my chest and encourage AHers to think about it. With that done, I don't much mind if people talk about records or whatever.

IMHO it's much more of a problem when the drift chokes something that still has potential, which is what was happening in your How-To thread. There are plenty of useful things people could post in that thread, but that's not going to happen if it gets flooded by people arguing back and forth about one particular piece of advice.
 
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