In a context of writing contribution appreciation, what does giving or receiving a "like" mean to you?
That you funny little people living in my computer/mobile device might be mildly interested in what I have to say about random things when most people I know in real life tuned my ass out a long time ago.
If this were a face to face conversation, I'd use a nod of agreement, short laugh, or appreciative "Absolutely" that wouldn't interrupt the other person's flow of speech the way I use the like button here. When I see something that would elicit more of a response from me, I type one out, but I think some of our threads are long enough already without adding numerous quoted posts with comments like "Yup."
I'll give a "like" for that. If only you funny little people were real...I'd invite you all over for tea.
It's kind of like Horton Hears a Who. I open the electronic box and ya'll are in there doing your thing. I close it and everyone disappears. Weird.
I suppose to me a 'like' is exactly what it says. I liked this post, maybe don't know how to reply but enough to click the little button to 'like' it.
We should have more options than just "like." I think we need a "hate," an "STFU," an "are you drunk?" and a "I think you have the wrong forum."
Yes, a "hate" button at least would be great...but I also agree with the rest of your list @Homer Potvin and would like to add a "dumbass" to it.
To me, a "like" doesn't mean diddly-squat. I've seen too many people "like" something, then their very next action is to "like" it's opposite. Miller Lite is the best beer in the world. It taste great and is less filling. "LIKE" Guinness is the best beer in the world. It's the only one that drinks like a meal. "LIKE" It makes me wonder, who are you people and do you have brains?
Sometimes I like something I don't agree with to let the person know that I'm not trying to be an asshole when I disagree with him/her and I appreciate learning about differing opinions...
It's already been said, more or less, but I hit 'like' when I want to show agreement/support/solidarity/appreciation but when I don't have enough to say to warrant a whole response. Too many threads on too many forums are full up with posts like "(quote) 'this'." and "(quote) 'agree'." etc. These comments add nothing to the conversation and just give annoying notifications to people who've previously commented. How much does receiving a like mean to me? Well, enough that I currently know that I've received likes for almost 89% of my comments overall on the forum. And I don't do math well. I need to deliberately pull out the calculator to figure that out. *slinks away shamefacedly* This. ( )
You see? I have owls living in my computer. Three of them at least. @jannert @ChaseTheSun and @Apollypopping, and polly is like nine owls at once. And never mind @minstrel and the squirrels. True story--a few years ago I had a squirrel infestation and ended up trapping five or six of them in my attic. They would duck into the crib when it got cold, and I had to release them 5 miles away or they'd find their way back. UCONN did a squirrel study and found that squirrels that could see where they were going (like in an open cage in the back of the pickup) could find their way "home" from up to 20 miles away. They would follow the same route back as the truck that delivered them, taking a left at McDonalds and everything. My squirrels didn't make it back to my attic, but once I got the troublemakers out of there I never had a squirrel problem again. They were like a posse. Or a mafia crew.
Because there is no alternative, I often use 'like' simply to indicate that I've read the post and think it was worth reading. That's why I sometimes argue against the point that's being made. I define 'like' as being different from 'I agree with.' I wish there was a simple 'read' or 'noted' button, though.
I suggest adding the "funny", "interesting", "I might not agree, but I understand where you're coming from", "you're on point" and "virtual hug" button.
I actually guessed. Nine seemed like the right number. Your avatar makes me think of two things, and both of them are rap albums:
If we get enough buttons, we may eliminate the need to type responses of any sort ever! Very efficient.
You only appreciate statements you fully agree with? That seems a bit limiting. (I'll avoid any comments on whether or not you have a brain...)
When people reply to a thread or a writing piece I post, I usually like their replies almost as a form of being polite. If I didn't, somehow it seems as if the person was telling me something and I was staring into space all the while, totally zoned off. But then again you people are all inside that funny magic box,; so that's probably just me trying to make things more real than they actually are.
When I give a like it's either: I agree That made me laugh Thank you (if someone responded to a question of mine or gave a critique) I didn't realise how seriously some people take them until I saw a few whinging about not getting likes. So now I'm more conscious of using them.
When I joined, or re-joined, or whatever, @Oscar Leigh was the one man "like" brigade, sprinkling them all over the joint like a Soviet helicopter pilot clusterbombing an Afghan village a kid at a party, on a Red Bull high, with a bucket of confetti. I guess I interpreted that as forum protocol here, although I later learned he'd been instrumental in increasing the number of likes being thrown around.
