Ponky Poll: A Social Experiment · 10:04pm Jan 24th, 2013
First of all, I'd like to apologize for offending anyone with my last blargh (even though, as you'll soon find out, that was part of the point).
This morning, I posted a Ponky Poll asking the wonderfolk if they Followed SS&E. I kept the rules very simple: 1) Don't comment, and 2) Click "Thumbs Up" on the statement that applies to you. However, I added a twist: in the negative statement, I tossed in a snarky little insult (it read "I'm an idiot I don't Follow shortskirtsandexplosions."), which would usually be worthy of reprimanding. However, I had clearly stated that there were to be no other comments other than the two I provided.
I could care less how many of you are Following shortskirtsandexplosions. He's a dear friend of mine and great author, but the true purpose of the poll had nothing to do with statistics. I wanted to see how well the wonderfolk could follow directions. Most of you did very well.
There are currently 18 comments on that post; some are written answers to my poll, but most are along the lines of chastisement: "Ponky told us not to comment." Many comments are slathered in Thumbs, both Up and Down, even to the point that they are "hidden" due to overwhelmingly negative feedback.
Now, I'm not really sure what to think or feel about all this. I'm sure I lost a few Followers, and I'm sorry for that, but I was far too interested in the results of this little social experiment to care for my own popularity. I have a few thoughts written down, but first I'd like to ask all of you: What conclusions (about FiMFiction users, or people in general) do you take from this data? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts.
Ponky
We're apparently incredibly bad at following directions.
We demand compensation, in whatever form you wish, for participating in your experiment !
747531 I wouldn't say "incredibly bad." Some of us are just... less observant than others. Also, just about all of us are mainly here for the same reason: FIMFiction!
What 747531 said.
That comment on the other page made me laugh so much.
I didn't comment OR thumb a comment.
dashie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw3931_small.jpg
I'm not really sure. I find it ironic that people commented (against the rules) to tell people they weren't supposed to comment.
I think I remain with my previous opinion: people are generally good. Stupid, but generally good.
Comment voting is a silly system that gets easily abused when no oversight or firm social norm exists. This is exacerbated by the symbolism in in thumbs. A thumbs up is not just promotion, it's agreement.
We aren't all the wonderful wonderfolk, I wonder why some of the wonderfolk couldn't follow the wonderful directions.
Wonder.
Oooh! I love experiments like this. I've been noticing a steady decline in the intellectual ability of the users (not all of them of course, this is just a generalization) as the site gains increased popularity. Now, whether or not there is a correlation here is up for debate. Saying "Because the site is popular, the percent of the amount of users incapable of following basic instructions or completing other similar simple intellectually challenging tasks goes up" is akin to saying "Ice cream sales and drownings increase during the summer months, therefore ice cream causes drownings". I admit I did not participate in your experiment but I find it interesting nonetheless. Hopefully, this fandom will remain true to itself and still prove to be full of creative, imaginative and smart people.
Make polls with this, Ponky.
It'll help a lot.
747531
I concur.
It's me who downvoted on all comments, for obvious reasons.
(not on yours anyway)
I'm a rebellious teen. I DON'T LIVE BY YOUR RULES.
But I still love you.
I commented because I forgot to on your last blargh.
Anyhow, I kinda have to wonder why people stopped following you, it was a simple question with an yay or neigh answer. Just because some people commented, and some people replied to those comments, and some people replied to the replies to those comments, does not mean that you're a bad person.
Technically speaking, even the 'SHHers' were commenting on the post to do so, meaning they're just as wrong as the others.
But really, who has the right of condemning?
Isn't everyone guilty to some degree?
I deliberately ignored your 'directions', so pthbbbbbtttttt.
I'm sorry Ponky-senpai-san. Prease don't hate me for disobeying your command. I hope my dishonor can be rectified.
I skimmed it, so I technically didn't even read the directions! I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do to make up for it?
I was a bit offended and disliked you more, but I simply didn't care enough to post a comment. I can understand you doing this though, I'm sure I would have at the chance.
I can't draw any conclusions other than the majority of your followers like you and respect you enough to follow simple directions, which we already knew!
747587
Thou shalt be executed.
I took everything as completely tongue and cheek and, as such, answered as truthfully and candidly as I could. With my thumb. After all, if you can't laugh at yourself (I'm an idiot), who's self can you laugh at? Those people who post to not post, I guess...
I love social experiments, especially when I find out retroactively that I was in one. Nice going, Ponky. (I don't mean that in a snide way, promise)
It appears that
allsome of us are INCREDIBLY AWFUL at FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS747595Isn't there some way to prevent this from happening? I enjoy my existence!
747620
Yeah, there is. You can still commit seppuku.
747540
I'm with this guy. Time to take off your shirt again, Ponky.
747625
That doesn't aid me very much.
747626
PropMaster could live here where I am, and noone would notice the difference. He thinks on my wavelentgh or something. (he may even have played Myst, it helps)
747632
Hey, it's your fault.
747642Fine. *commits seppeku with a rusty, dull butter knife* I'm not dying... looks like my honor was restored. Ja matane!
Your followers that were offended don't deserve to be your followers.
747674
NOPONY USED SEPPUKU!
HONOR IS NOW MAXED!
747531
Truths.
Well, you see, you've run into a common theme among humanity: Telling people not to do something only makes some want to do it even more for the simple reason that they can. It happens. As for me, I left my upthumb on the appropriate comment and went about my business. And, uh, waited to see who would be the first to inevitably comment on the blog
We]'re bad at following directions, but we're also really quick to defend ourselves or others... which can be good or bad.
747550 This is what I mean. We're quick to enforce the rules of or protect the reputation of those we like. Good or bad.
I actually never saw the second one...
That a good chunk of your followers also follow SS&E. :3
Eh, I dunno. If you're looking for a deep answer or something, I apologize for failing to deliver.
On a side note, did SS&E remove one of his stories? For some reason there's one less in his first featured stories box on his user page than there was.
I'm good at following directions, apparently.
It really isn't an insult, Skirts is too good.
But I think this shows more evidence that people tend to, when told not to do something ("Don't push that red button!"), do it anyways ("Pushing the red button!") just because. I think it provides something of a positive psychological boost, knowing that you are allowed to disobey something with little to no real consequences. I dunno.
ANARCHY!
-Plyxe
For some reason when commenting on that, my gut told me not to do it. I should have listened. Oh well.
747568 747619 >>Ponky OH MY GOODNESS I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO IT JUST HAPPENED!!!!!!!!
I wonder what the poll numbers were....
>I could care less how many of you are Following shortskirtsandexplosions
Do you actually mean that you could care less, or do you mean that you could not care less?
I didn't comment on the other blog because a) you told us not to B) I came here later and saw there was another blog post and C) I'm very lazy.
I also kinda don't want to comment on this one either because as of right now you have 42 comments... and like a good little nerd I like that number.
Social experiments are fun. I like the one where you recieve a list of instructions that tell you to do various things, and then the last instruction is to disregard all the above ones. My teacher pulled that one on us in high school.
Also staring/pointing up at nothing to see if anyone looks up to see what you're looking at.
747531
Yes, yes we are.
TSD lead me to read Background Pony and follow Skirts.
We all have different opinions I guess? Also what PropMaster said.
Hmm... capitalization in the word 'Follow'. Not sure if that was intentional, or...
Anyways, it was an interesting experiment. Huh, I never would've thought of doing something like that. But nevertheless, it was cool!
You have made me a happy wonderfolk.
748103
There there.