Reddit’s Plan to Recover from Its Meltdown

Re:Reddit’s Plan to Recover from Its Meltdown by Idontagree on Wednesday October 07, 2015 @11:42PM (#10350795)

I like that you at least admit to the bias, certainly an important stepping stone. However, I don't think you can ever have it both ways, you can't believe that the 'identity' should be part of the message and all identities should be treated equally, not if you believe it's natural to consider something like identity in the first place. I mean the whole point is to choose an identity, thus you can't be all of them, and you don't need all of them anyway, just yours.

'Identity' really isn't necessary, anyone and everyone can see the logic in something (or perhaps lack thereof). I guess what I'm saying is identity is tied to things that are often controversial like sex or race, but also issues that should be universal (like respect for all races and sexes), but it doesn't take an identity to make those things true, those things are true because (hopefully) we believe people deserve to live and live as they chose.

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Re:Reddit’s Plan to Recover from Its Meltdown by unabst on Thursday October 08, 2015 @03:54AM (#10351399)

"I like that you" is already references to two identities. You as yourself, and I, who did something you liked. Maybe you don't consider this exchange anonymous, but when we have conversations, we instinctively associate something which, however slight, is still shaped by what was said, and this becomes part of the collage associated with the source.

Identity is mostly shaped by reputation and by impression, both of which are not in our full control, and both of which just happen. So there isn't anything to believe. Identity is already part of every message, and the lack of identity is already consequential, unless one deliberately dismisses those consequences. At this point, anonymous exchanges require skill, and this is a new skill that, for example, my parents would not ever be comfortable with. The idea that "no one is talking" is new and quite novel actually. And has only become possible at large scales (as communities) with the internet.

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