Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Hey guys, I need your help with something and since I imagine most of the readership of the site comes from here who better to ask? As some of you may have seen in the comments section of a recent article entitled How Could Dark Angel Minimates Fail... the tone of the article as well as the tone (and relevance) of all of my writing was called into question. Capt. Concerned, who is aptly named, is concerned that all of my work, and I'm paraphrasing here, is confusing. That the blending of fact and opinion isn't clearly delineated. Fair enough. Now, it is my belief that most of the readership, especially those that have been with MMHQ since Jatta Pake started it and have continued with it since I joined, understand not only the tone and intention of my writing but of the site in general. That being said, I write stuff that I think is funny or interesting but do other people find them confusing? Do we need a 'Humor' tag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny B Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I think it may not hurt to have a humor tag, but I dont know if it's necessary. Personally, I too was slightly confused by the Dark Angel article... I did catch some humor in it, but I didnt realize it was supposed to be more humorous than I interpreted it to be. But still, I didn't get quite the impression that Captain Concerned had. I think he over reacted a tad bit. If you want to add a humor tag, it may help... but I think it may be wiser to simply communicate the humor aspect a bit more as you're writing the articles... From all I can remember, this is the only article I've read where it was slightly confusing in this regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyCarter Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I've voiced my opinions on this before. I vote yes. Im not stupid but several of your articles have confused me as to whether they are your opinions/ideas or if they are a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 I've voiced my opinions on this before. I vote yes. Im not stupid but several of your articles have confused me as to whether they are your opinions/ideas or if they are a joke. And that's my confusion about the whole discussion. They are the same. Fact is always clearly fact in my articles with accompanying links and the rest are my opinions which are usually jokes meant to entertain. I figured that this paragraph would clarify the last article: "I’m not sure if it would work but it certainly wouldn’t be an unpleasant experiment. And incidentally, if AA does give this idea a try let me be the first to say that if they are looking for volunteers to work the booth they need look no further. " I was saying that I would want to try this out. Who wouldn't want to work a booth at a con surrounded by a bunch of spandex wearing hotties?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 For those that are voting I would love to hear your opinions as well. This is important to me and important to how we run things over at the HQ as well. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBT! Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 If someone has found the need to comment on it the way C.C. did then I'm assuming that he at least has an issue, I didn't read the whole thread. I guess you have to decide if should listen to those that visit or simply run it the way you want to and hope you are doing what people want. As for my personal view, Like Ady I sometimes find it hard to grasp context of your stuff, it's not always clear to me if it's tongue in cheek or not. T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyCarter Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I've voiced my opinions on this before. I vote yes. Im not stupid but several of your articles have confused me as to whether they are your opinions/ideas or if they are a joke. And that's my confusion about the whole discussion. They are the same. Fact is always clearly fact in my articles with accompanying links and the rest are my opinions which are usually jokes meant to entertain. But thats just the thing, people are likely to disagree with your opinions/ideas or call you on things based on false assumptions or their own differing opinion, yet if you then retort that the article was a joke it makes the line rather unclear. I've been confused previously by such things as the Minimates Recycling Program and the article where you encouraged people to call/email Adam, only to be told by you that the entire articles were jokes. Also there was the Star Wars Minimates Saga that all went a little confusing... Just because you assume people know the site is humorous doesn't mean that they do, what about a new reader finding one of your joke article via google for example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amazing.JL Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I vote yes as well, I can tell most of the time but sometimes things seem obscure. I'll have to say that the article really seemed to be serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 But thats just the thing, people are likely to disagree with your opinions/ideas or call you on things based on false assumptions or their own differing opinion, yet if you then retort that the article was a joke it makes the line rather unclear. Good point. Although my real opinions wouldn't make for interesting reads. I've been confused previously by such things as the Minimates Recycling Program and the article where you encouraged people to call/email Adam, only to be told by you that the entire articles were jokes. Also there was the Star Wars Minimates Saga that all went a little confusing... Just because you assume people know the site is humorous doesn't mean that they do, what about a new reader finding one of your joke article via google for example? As for these articles, and I can appreciate how they can be confusing, but if someone finds The Minimates Recycling Program and thinks that I was being genuine - I don't see the problem -isn't that what makes it funny? I guess you have to decide if should listen to those that visit or simply run it the way you want to and hope you are doing what people want. I guess that's what it comes down to, doesn't it? That's also part of my confusion over this. I just assumed that if someone found a blog that they didn't agree with, which is easily done with the number of them out there, you simply don't read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 I vote yes as well, I can tell most of the time but sometimes things seem obscure. I'll have to say that the article really seemed to be serious. And again, that's what I thought was funny about it. In my opinion, telling someone what they are about to read is "funny" makes it not. But thanks for all of your feedback guys, it's really appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Fujis, when you're doing a humourous article that you think may be misinterpreted stick something in your comments section along the lines of 'Before you kneejerk be aware this article was tongue in cheek'. So rather than it being at the start of the article where, as you say, it will spoil the humour, it'll be at the end and there to spike anyones ire. Just a thought mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny B Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Fujis, when you're doing a humourous article that you think may be misinterpreted stick something in your comments section along the lines of 'Before you kneejerk be aware this article was tongue in cheek'. So rather than it being at the start of the article where, as you say, it will spoil the humour, it'll be at the end and there to spike anyones ire. Just a thought mate. Yeah, that's what I was thinking when I made my comment about playing the humor up while you were writing the article... At the very least, if you don't do a humor tag, you will have something that will communicate the non-seriousness of the article... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totalus_Kat Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I voted no, because at the end of the day they are your articles... and its been going for how long? With next to no bad press or anyone seriously complaining... then CC comes along and doesn't take a liking to one of your fab articles. Sure not everyone is going to get the articles but you shudn't have to change the way you've been doing your articles... maybe some tweaks here and there, but I enjoy reading them whether or not I pick up the humour. All though the Dark Angerl article is right, sex sells... even if it is meant in jest, why is there always a female cast member who is sexy, to draw the young adolescent males in... or the older ones At the end of the day they are just toys whether they are for kids or adults they're selling, so tbh I dont see the fuss over the article? cheers, Tk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBT! Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 The fact this thread is growing so fast and people are pretty much saying 'they dont get it' means that yes you probably should look at how you organise and write your stuff. After all if you are writing and people dont understand your viewpoint then maybe you need to address how you get that point across, be it a joke or something with a little more weight. BTW what does JP think of this? after all it's his site. T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 Fujis, when you're doing a humourous article that you think may be misinterpreted stick something in your comments section along the lines of 'Before you kneejerk be aware this article was tongue in cheek'. So rather than it being at the start of the article where, as you say, it will spoil the humour, it'll be at the end and there to spike anyones ire. Just a thought mate. That's a great idea, Rad. I guess I'm just taking this as a personal attack. I'm not used to being called out on the carpet for something that I do as a hobby but I suppose that's what happens when you put stuff out there. Again, thanks for all the comments, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdyCarter Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Its by no means a personal attack Fujis. Comments invite opinions, as does this thread. Hell if I put up a thread asking what I could do better/different the results would probably scare me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny B Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I guess I'm just taking this as a personal attack. I'm not used to being called out on the carpet for something that I do as a hobby but I suppose that's what happens when you put stuff out there. Don't take it super personally. I get attacked for all kinds of stuff, usually whatever I post on my xanga or myspace. I've learned that if you put something out there, it is inevitable that someone is going to jump on you for it. Because no matter how much we as a society try to promote tolerance, we will never truly grasp the idea. The best we can do is try to learn from what we experience But yeah - just like Ady said, most of us are not attacking you at all. It may seem harsher than it really is, mainly because it's in written word and not delivered in person (which is why I dont talk on AIM anymore... it's so easy to misinterpret what is being said when you don't have body language and voice inflection/tone to rely on)... Take it as constructive, cuz that's how we are giving it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amazing.JL Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 It is meant to be taken more of a suggestion and not an attack. Their is a reason we visit MMHQ. I think most of us stop by daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have voted Yes for a "humor" tag. Or maybe even something like "offbeat"? Just something that separates the "We might be getting Star Wars!!!!" faux-articles from the "Wave 12 is here and here are some great pics!" real articles. 2 extreme cases, I know. For what it's worth I loved the booth babe article. Key word? babe! But maybe I'm easily pleased. Anyway, regardless of this (and it's a good thing to ask for feedback sometimes, I do it a lot) it's YOUR article, you do what the heck YOU want. No-one is paying you to write tehse articles, after all. If they were, they coudl tell you how to write 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 Comments invite opinions, as does this thread. Oh, absolutely, which is why I posted this. I wanted to see if more people felt the way CC felt, and as Timbo said, it's becoming clear that my assumtions were incorrect and my writing either needs changing or clarification. As for the attack, I didn't mean here, I meant in the original discussion with CC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 BTW what does JP think of this? after all it's his site. That's another reason I started this thread, I have no intention of taking the site in a direction that JP doesn't want to go. And since the original comments were based on my writings and not his - I needed to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jatta Pake Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 *rolls out of bed* *looks around* I picked a hell of a day to skip work and work on MMHQ! *crawls back into bed* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBT! Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have a consipiracy theory I want to throw out there! Is this just a cheap publicity stunt on MMHQ's behalf? Are you really C.C. as well Fujis and this is just to bump your 'hit's as people go look at the now infamous thread? T. p.s. Concise and funny J.P. no need for a humor tag there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fujis Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have a consipiracy theory I want to throw out there! Is this just a cheap publicity stunt on MMHQ's behalf? Are you really C.C. as well Fujis and this is just to bump your 'hit's as people go look at the now infamous thread? Okay, now I think it's you who needs to clarify your position, Timbo. Are you being serious? The number of hits we get at the HQ is irrelevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBT! Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have a consipiracy theory I want to throw out there! Is this just a cheap publicity stunt on MMHQ's behalf? Are you really C.C. as well Fujis and this is just to bump your 'hit's as people go look at the now infamous thread? Okay, now I think it's you who needs to clarify your position, Timbo. Are you being serious? The number of hits we get at the HQ is irrelevant. Ok so maybe I should have added humor tags It was 90% said in jest.... although it does accidentally prove the humor and subjectivity thing. It touched a nerve with you and I thought it was a funny aside. As for the hits thing yep it's irrelevent to me but was part of the joke, I know you're having a rough day but lightenup, you asked for our thoughts and we're giving them, I thought it would add some lightness to a fairly dark thread. T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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