I do find it annoying because I’ll likely never be able to got to one for geographical reasons, but on the other hand I can see why it makes sense given how large a part of the readers DO live in the US.
Even majority of readers participated to these meetups every time, it doesn’t matter. Quoting the about-post: “”Promoted” posts (appearing on the front page) are chosen by the editors on the basis of substantive new content, clear argument, good writing, popularity, and importance.”
Meetup-posts do not contain new, important, argumentative content. It’s meta-level discussion, meta that it bit by bit trying to take over the whole LW. I don’t want LW that exists for posts about LW. Meetup-posts are not the only thing driving LW towards uselessness, but as far as I can tell, having those posts in the front page is by far the most visible and obvious warning sign.
Meetups bring out lurkers and infrequent posters, such as myself, and make LessWrong more than just some intellectual exercise online. At the last Berkeley meetup I was in a discussion that touched on the following two issues with the same group of people.
Most lurkers admit to not reading the discussion session, but number at least half of any meetup group. (Maybe, but doubtfully, this is Berkeley/SF Bay specific)
We were generally interested in some recent comments that had been made about the NYC meetups incorporating an instrumental rationality/support aspect, and some present desired more frequent and more specifically social meetups.
I admit that a rather large and disproportionate amount of front page posts are about meetups now, so here’s a solution that I think may please everyone. Some designated meetup Super Organizer collects info on meetups planned for the next month, then publishes a monthly front page promoted post with info on all upcoming global meetups. Individual meetups could still be posted in the Discussion section so as to have their own threads, and obviate the need for a designated Super Organizer, instead being handled something like Open Threads where one is posted anew as necessary.
Edit: And as an added bonus, no one has to hack any code.
I do find it annoying because I’ll likely never be able to got to one for geographical reasons, but on the other hand I can see why it makes sense given how large a part of the readers DO live in the US.
The meetup posts are not limited to the US, fortunately. :)
I do find it annoying because I’ll likely never be able to got to one for geographical reasons, but on the other hand I can see why it makes sense given how large a part of the readers DO live in the US.
Even majority of readers participated to these meetups every time, it doesn’t matter. Quoting the about-post: “”Promoted” posts (appearing on the front page) are chosen by the editors on the basis of substantive new content, clear argument, good writing, popularity, and importance.”
Meetup-posts do not contain new, important, argumentative content. It’s meta-level discussion, meta that it bit by bit trying to take over the whole LW. I don’t want LW that exists for posts about LW. Meetup-posts are not the only thing driving LW towards uselessness, but as far as I can tell, having those posts in the front page is by far the most visible and obvious warning sign.
I disagree.
Meetups bring out lurkers and infrequent posters, such as myself, and make LessWrong more than just some intellectual exercise online. At the last Berkeley meetup I was in a discussion that touched on the following two issues with the same group of people.
Most lurkers admit to not reading the discussion session, but number at least half of any meetup group. (Maybe, but doubtfully, this is Berkeley/SF Bay specific)
We were generally interested in some recent comments that had been made about the NYC meetups incorporating an instrumental rationality/support aspect, and some present desired more frequent and more specifically social meetups.
I admit that a rather large and disproportionate amount of front page posts are about meetups now, so here’s a solution that I think may please everyone. Some designated meetup Super Organizer collects info on meetups planned for the next month, then publishes a monthly front page promoted post with info on all upcoming global meetups. Individual meetups could still be posted in the Discussion section so as to have their own threads, and obviate the need for a designated Super Organizer, instead being handled something like Open Threads where one is posted anew as necessary.
Edit: And as an added bonus, no one has to hack any code.
The meetup posts are not limited to the US, fortunately. :)