“How hot are the girls?” on the front page of your site? Really?
Yes. Consider who my target audience is. I need to convey that this site provides answers to questions you normally don’t get answers for.
The fonts are unprofessional looking too.
I agree. Within the next week or so, I’ll get some good google fonts (just recently figured out how to do that). And if I raise a seed round, I’ll buy equity and concourse.
I understand what you’re trying to do, but have you considered that even those young women who aren’t “upset” by the inclusion of that question might straight away, on the front page of your site, get the impression that this site is not for them? I assume women comprise roughly half your intended target audience. (Not to mention—are there really systematic differences in “how hot the girls are” between colleges??)
Furthermore, would you agree that if you succeed, at some point you might be interested in developing a relationship on some semi-official level with colleges—for example, you have a student rep at the college who drums up people to provide answers for you? Student unions can be pretty touchy about discriminatory type stuff. (Edited to clarify that by use of the word “touchy” I don’t mean to imply disagreement with them.)
When I was applying to university a few years ago, I reckon the equivalent question that the “alternative” descriptions tended to include to demonstrate their alternativeness and focus away from academics was “How much does a pint cost?” Less likely to be found offensive. UK, not US, though; I guess your drinking age precludes the use of that one.
I understand what you’re trying to do, but have you considered that even those young women who aren’t “upset” by the inclusion of that question might straight away, on the front page of your site, get the impression that this site is not for them?
I’ve considered it, but I figure that the value of having it outweighs this. I don’t see it as something that is strong enough to draw too many people away from the site. Maybe it’d be a good idea to remove it from the front page though to be safe. What do you think?
I assume women comprise roughly half your intended target audience.
Yup, even more.
(Not to mention—are there really systematic differences in “how hot the girls are” between colleges??)
I don’t know. I don’t see how anyone would know without having access to a site like mine.
For the record, I don’t think it should be insulting that people care about appearance. I wish I didn’t care about it, but I do (it isn’t fair because it’s not something you can control. however, pretending that you don’t care is poor instrumental rationality). I get the sense that it’s human nature, and you can’t really help it. That’s not to say that you think someone has some sort of lower “worth” if they aren’t as attractive. It’s just to say that more attractive people ⇒ better chances of finding a girl/boyfriend, and more fun hooking up. It has nothing to do with respect or social/intellectual interaction, just romantic/lustful.
Furthermore, would you agree that if you succeed, at some point you might be interested in developing a relationship on some semi-official level with colleges—for example, you have a student rep at the college who drums up people to provide answers for you? Student unions can be pretty touchy about discriminatory type stuff. (Edited to clarify that by use of the word “touchy” I don’t mean to imply disagreement with them.)
I’m not sure. I’ll have to acquire more information and think about it. It does seem like something that is rather likely though (schools can help me get answerers, mentors, representatives). I would have to make sure that their involvement isn’t biasing my site though. As for the “discriminatory stuff”, it doesn’t seem worth trading comprehensiveness of my site for colleges involvement.
I’ve considered it, but I figure that the value of having it outweighs this. I don’t see it as something that is strong enough to draw too many people away from the site. Maybe it’d be a good idea to remove it from the front page though to be safe. What do you think?
Removing it from the front page could certainly get you a few visitors who stay longer than to read that, react with “huh, guess this is not a classy site” or whatever, and leave.
For the record, I don’t think it should be insulting that people care about appearance. I wish I didn’t care about it, but I do (it isn’t fair because it’s not something you can control. however, pretending that you don’t care is poor instrumental rationality). I get the sense that it’s human nature, and you can’t really help it. That’s not to say that you think someone has some sort of lower “worth” if they aren’t as attractive. It’s just to say that more attractive people ⇒ better chances of finding a girl/boyfriend, and more fun hooking up. It has nothing to do with respect or social/intellectual interaction, just romantic/lustful.
Of course it’s simply true that people are interested in the physical attractiveness of other people. Declaring that fact insulting is a nonsensical thing to do. It’s the choice (not on this one isolated occasion, of course, but in the context of millions and millions of other such choices constantly made in the media etc) of the “hot” and “girls” framing of your understanding of this point that rankles, and may well rankle with others. Of course it’s the women who are evaluated for their hotness, not the men. Of course hotness is chosen to evaluate them. Of course they’re referred to using the term “girls”. Because it’s that way all the time. You’ll tell me that it has to be like this, because that’s how college-aged men speak and think. Pity you’ll gain some people who speak and think like that and lose some who don’t, in my opinion.
I’ve considered it, but I figure that the value of having it outweighs this. I don’t see it as something that is strong enough to draw too many people away from the site.
I would caution you against the Typical Mind Fallacy and believing that other people will perceive writing the way you do.
In projects I’ve seen, the founders and marketing people worked on marketing copy, and spent a lot of time fine-tuning the messaging. As as programmer and a LW reader, it is unlikely that you are well-calibrated about marketing and messaging (similar to how the typical marketing person would be miscalibrated about web development). Getting feedback from others is important to avoid biases in this area.
Yes. Consider who my target audience is. I need to convey that this site provides answers to questions you normally don’t get answers for.
I agree. Within the next week or so, I’ll get some good google fonts (just recently figured out how to do that). And if I raise a seed round, I’ll buy equity and concourse.
I understand what you’re trying to do, but have you considered that even those young women who aren’t “upset” by the inclusion of that question might straight away, on the front page of your site, get the impression that this site is not for them? I assume women comprise roughly half your intended target audience. (Not to mention—are there really systematic differences in “how hot the girls are” between colleges??)
Furthermore, would you agree that if you succeed, at some point you might be interested in developing a relationship on some semi-official level with colleges—for example, you have a student rep at the college who drums up people to provide answers for you? Student unions can be pretty touchy about discriminatory type stuff. (Edited to clarify that by use of the word “touchy” I don’t mean to imply disagreement with them.)
When I was applying to university a few years ago, I reckon the equivalent question that the “alternative” descriptions tended to include to demonstrate their alternativeness and focus away from academics was “How much does a pint cost?” Less likely to be found offensive. UK, not US, though; I guess your drinking age precludes the use of that one.
Those are better fonts.
I’ve considered it, but I figure that the value of having it outweighs this. I don’t see it as something that is strong enough to draw too many people away from the site. Maybe it’d be a good idea to remove it from the front page though to be safe. What do you think?
Yup, even more.
I don’t know. I don’t see how anyone would know without having access to a site like mine.
For the record, I don’t think it should be insulting that people care about appearance. I wish I didn’t care about it, but I do (it isn’t fair because it’s not something you can control. however, pretending that you don’t care is poor instrumental rationality). I get the sense that it’s human nature, and you can’t really help it. That’s not to say that you think someone has some sort of lower “worth” if they aren’t as attractive. It’s just to say that more attractive people ⇒ better chances of finding a girl/boyfriend, and more fun hooking up. It has nothing to do with respect or social/intellectual interaction, just romantic/lustful.
I’m not sure. I’ll have to acquire more information and think about it. It does seem like something that is rather likely though (schools can help me get answerers, mentors, representatives). I would have to make sure that their involvement isn’t biasing my site though. As for the “discriminatory stuff”, it doesn’t seem worth trading comprehensiveness of my site for colleges involvement.
Removing it from the front page could certainly get you a few visitors who stay longer than to read that, react with “huh, guess this is not a classy site” or whatever, and leave.
Of course it’s simply true that people are interested in the physical attractiveness of other people. Declaring that fact insulting is a nonsensical thing to do. It’s the choice (not on this one isolated occasion, of course, but in the context of millions and millions of other such choices constantly made in the media etc) of the “hot” and “girls” framing of your understanding of this point that rankles, and may well rankle with others. Of course it’s the women who are evaluated for their hotness, not the men. Of course hotness is chosen to evaluate them. Of course they’re referred to using the term “girls”. Because it’s that way all the time. You’ll tell me that it has to be like this, because that’s how college-aged men speak and think. Pity you’ll gain some people who speak and think like that and lose some who don’t, in my opinion.
I would caution you against the Typical Mind Fallacy and believing that other people will perceive writing the way you do.
In projects I’ve seen, the founders and marketing people worked on marketing copy, and spent a lot of time fine-tuning the messaging. As as programmer and a LW reader, it is unlikely that you are well-calibrated about marketing and messaging (similar to how the typical marketing person would be miscalibrated about web development). Getting feedback from others is important to avoid biases in this area.
Have you considered rephrasing as
and have immediately next to it the question
in order to keep things gender-neutral? Presumably this latter question would also be something your target audience cares about.
I ask the same thing about males. I don’t think that’s the phrasing that my target audience is looking for.