I just realized that after reading all of these things that I was happy for each person’s achievement, and not the slightest bit jealous. I’m not sure why this is, but it’s a good thing.
It is a good thing to belong to a community where similar sentiments can be expected. Now it’s like peer pressure on me (and anyone else here) to become more awesome. And we all know how people can change because of the peer pressure.
(Somewhere else, there would be a peer pressure to start smoking or taking drugs, or just to not change.)
Indeed, even knowing that in general I’m not a very jealous person, I was surprised at my own reaction to this thread: I upvoted a far greater proportion of the comments here than I usually do. I guess I’m more compersive than I thought!
Should it be the coolest thing you’ve done this month, or cool things you’ve done this month?
For example, the last two months have been in many ways the most productive of my life, but it’s not from any one big thing (well, there are a few big things) so much as a combination of different things. I could put them all in the same post, but then that reduces the motivation this thread delivers.
I think it is generally a good policy not to talk about plans unless you’re specifically looking for feedback/help/advice with them. It’s hard, but I’ve been trying to avoid saying “I’ve been thinking about doing XYZ”. There’ve been a few instances I can think of where this has prompted me to:
take action when I probably otherwise would have waited
framed my desire to talk about it as “do you have any ideas?”
I’ve had an idea that should encourage more awesome: REWARDS. Now, I don’t currently have much expendable income (Though I expect that to change soon, while also expecting that expectation to be false.), but I suspect $50 given to the top commenter (after a several days wait) could make for some nice incentives. Thoughts on that?
Communal donations to the reward pool could ease my personal burden, and increase the scope of the prize as the scope of participation also increases.
note: I’m not doling out rewards for this thread, but I may implement something in future threads.
edit: I’m offering you money and getting negative feedback because of it… cool. :D
Should we worry about the overjustification effect with this? Or creating incentives for social and technical hacking when the site doesn’t seem to have a great deal of moderator resources for counteracting either?
META COMMENT THREAD: KEEP ALL META DISCUSSION HERE
Anything you do or don’t like about this thread, post here. Feedback fosters improvement.
I just realized that after reading all of these things that I was happy for each person’s achievement, and not the slightest bit jealous. I’m not sure why this is, but it’s a good thing.
It is a good thing to belong to a community where similar sentiments can be expected. Now it’s like peer pressure on me (and anyone else here) to become more awesome. And we all know how people can change because of the peer pressure.
(Somewhere else, there would be a peer pressure to start smoking or taking drugs, or just to not change.)
Indeed, even knowing that in general I’m not a very jealous person, I was surprised at my own reaction to this thread: I upvoted a far greater proportion of the comments here than I usually do. I guess I’m more compersive than I thought!
Should it be the coolest thing you’ve done this month, or cool things you’ve done this month?
For example, the last two months have been in many ways the most productive of my life, but it’s not from any one big thing (well, there are a few big things) so much as a combination of different things. I could put them all in the same post, but then that reduces the motivation this thread delivers.
Great thread idea, by the way.
hm.. A’d like “coolest thing”, but as an encouraging factor, any awesome things, cumulative or otherwise, should be fine.
I think it is generally a good policy not to talk about plans unless you’re specifically looking for feedback/help/advice with them. It’s hard, but I’ve been trying to avoid saying “I’ve been thinking about doing XYZ”. There’ve been a few instances I can think of where this has prompted me to:
take action when I probably otherwise would have waited
framed my desire to talk about it as “do you have any ideas?”
I’ve had an idea that should encourage more awesome: REWARDS. Now, I don’t currently have much expendable income (Though I expect that to change soon, while also expecting that expectation to be false.), but I suspect $50 given to the top commenter (after a several days wait) could make for some nice incentives. Thoughts on that?
Communal donations to the reward pool could ease my personal burden, and increase the scope of the prize as the scope of participation also increases.
note: I’m not doling out rewards for this thread, but I may implement something in future threads.
edit: I’m offering you money and getting negative feedback because of it… cool. :D
I expect cash rewards would mostly encourage lying.
top comment gets money donated to charity of their choice, unless proven (to MY satisfaction) that they really actually did what they say they did.
Of course, I’m reconsidering the reward plan anyway, as I now consider the overjustification effect to be potential problem. (Thanks to this comment)
Should we worry about the overjustification effect with this? Or creating incentives for social and technical hacking when the site doesn’t seem to have a great deal of moderator resources for counteracting either?
You’re right. I’ve now got new information. Excuse me while I go try and discard my idea, and rethink the potential benefits of rewards again.
That sounds like a fantastic way to expose perverse incentives in the karma system, but there are probably cheaper ways of doing so.
I think bragging is its own reward, and that giving cash would cancel out the intrinsic reward.
Top commenter by karma or some other way?
Opinion of the person giving the money seems reasonable.
I like that this thread provides an incentive to finish a project so that you can brag about it.