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Rallypoint was created to be a resource for military members: Veterans, Retirees, and Active Duty and one feature that stood out that was unique amongst Social Media was the concept of Influence where people could offer advice or contribute ideas which then could be upvoted and/or downvoted if users thought it was lacking in merit. The military tends to focus on the mission so hurt feelings is not a major consideration when rendering judgment -- or at least one would think so...
I have been with Rallypoint almost from its inception and have on and off looked at what people were posting. For awhile, I paid attention to influence score and then realized how meaningless it is. It's not like you can put your influence score on a resume and impress people. There was a brief time where I was like #25 but I wasn't chasing the score... because the score isn't really indicative of influence [as in, what you have to say is actually worth listening to] so much as it is indicative of how much time you spend on Rallypoint posting.
The people early on that were the first to pass milestones such as a million points aren't even that active anymore. I've seen people come and go. You see the same people posting and I suspect that the number of people that are very active on this site is relatively low. My participation is a bit sporadic because I'm split between Facebook, Truth Social, Quora, and Rallypoint... but I've been around the whole time and have seen RP evolve.
Sites that try to pass themselves off as neutral have an inherent obligation to respect free speech but for awhile Rallypoint seemed to be dominated by those whose political opinions were well Left of center. I questioned the staff and they assured me that RP was neutral. I'm not sure I believe it, because RP is HQ'd in MA which is very, very Blue. And that's okay so long as you can be professional and not allow your personal biases to affect your professional judgment. To be fair, I have seen a concerted effort by the RP Staff and Admins to be more neutral and that is a good thing.
In a free country, people are free to express their views. The Right to Free Speech does not guarantee your right to not be offended by what others say. I took many downvotes on the chin, but it didn't change my views, nor did it silence me. Even after I got banned for expressing my views on Obama, Transgenders, and Don't Ask Don't Tell, I still continue to express them. And I see that others likewise are more willing to weigh in on topics of substance and express their views, which a few years ago would not be tolerated. The side that seeks to silence the other is not confident in its message. Truth withstands the test of scrutiny; lies do not.
Regarding influence score... Is it even meaningful because it has been so badly gamed by folks whose names you see all the time, who in the big scheme of things don't have much to say that's worth your time? Well, that's just my opinion. It's a free country and you don't have to share my opinion or like what I have to say. Some of you are wearing yourselves out chasing influence score and perhaps one day you'll figure out that you wasted a bunch of your time chasing the wind.
People will always figure out a way to game the system. RP has to figure out if it wants to be defined by people who post lots of music video posts that contribute nothing to RP's core mission.
I have been with Rallypoint almost from its inception and have on and off looked at what people were posting. For awhile, I paid attention to influence score and then realized how meaningless it is. It's not like you can put your influence score on a resume and impress people. There was a brief time where I was like #25 but I wasn't chasing the score... because the score isn't really indicative of influence [as in, what you have to say is actually worth listening to] so much as it is indicative of how much time you spend on Rallypoint posting.
The people early on that were the first to pass milestones such as a million points aren't even that active anymore. I've seen people come and go. You see the same people posting and I suspect that the number of people that are very active on this site is relatively low. My participation is a bit sporadic because I'm split between Facebook, Truth Social, Quora, and Rallypoint... but I've been around the whole time and have seen RP evolve.
Sites that try to pass themselves off as neutral have an inherent obligation to respect free speech but for awhile Rallypoint seemed to be dominated by those whose political opinions were well Left of center. I questioned the staff and they assured me that RP was neutral. I'm not sure I believe it, because RP is HQ'd in MA which is very, very Blue. And that's okay so long as you can be professional and not allow your personal biases to affect your professional judgment. To be fair, I have seen a concerted effort by the RP Staff and Admins to be more neutral and that is a good thing.
In a free country, people are free to express their views. The Right to Free Speech does not guarantee your right to not be offended by what others say. I took many downvotes on the chin, but it didn't change my views, nor did it silence me. Even after I got banned for expressing my views on Obama, Transgenders, and Don't Ask Don't Tell, I still continue to express them. And I see that others likewise are more willing to weigh in on topics of substance and express their views, which a few years ago would not be tolerated. The side that seeks to silence the other is not confident in its message. Truth withstands the test of scrutiny; lies do not.
Regarding influence score... Is it even meaningful because it has been so badly gamed by folks whose names you see all the time, who in the big scheme of things don't have much to say that's worth your time? Well, that's just my opinion. It's a free country and you don't have to share my opinion or like what I have to say. Some of you are wearing yourselves out chasing influence score and perhaps one day you'll figure out that you wasted a bunch of your time chasing the wind.
People will always figure out a way to game the system. RP has to figure out if it wants to be defined by people who post lots of music video posts that contribute nothing to RP's core mission.
Influence Points
Social Media
Career Advice
Military Career
Military Life
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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Agree in principle. I only monitor two social sites, Winnebago Owners Assoc. & RP. and these only when I come in for a glass of water, waiting for glue to dry or calming down from wrestling with that #@*%&$ welder. Should buy a new one.
Politics seldom intrude on the Winnebago site. It's a technical site i.e. my slides are jammed and I can't find the hydraulic drain........That's because your model doesn't have schwintech slides stupid, read your damn manual.
RP on the other hand (IM-not so-HO) cannot distance itself from politics and culture wars. There is no facit, no corner of the military or military life that is not intrinsically bound to politics and actions of politicians. From the abysmally reality bending uniform changes to mold in barracks to the abominable divisiveness of Diversity (If diversity is a strength, is unity a weakness?), as Americans, staying current is a must. There are a number of folks on RP whose viewpoints - even when differing from my own - I value. Others not so much, but are read to understand the political spectrum. Then there are that small subset who spend waaaay too much time munching cheetos in their beanbags and are fun to engage with for a round or two. (a moral failing on my part I'm sure)
I seldom have time to respond to all the humor memes, and YouTube videos, (need to prioritize my time for those subjects I'm compelled to bloviate on) but more power to those that do.
As mentioned several times in the past. I see RP as a practice for Friday Afternoon Dart Drop at Famous Sam's. We are a loud and raucous group of retirees and near, where insults are a given, who will argue over why the fly landed on who's beer, don't agree on anything but part ways as the friends we are. I like my world problem solving discussions up close and personal. I like to look 'em in the eye and watch their lips quiver. Sam's satisfies, this is practice.
Don't know if that is in line with your essay, but I enjoyed the opportunity. Now, back to that ancient Sears welder. I'm thinking burned reostat contacts.
Politics seldom intrude on the Winnebago site. It's a technical site i.e. my slides are jammed and I can't find the hydraulic drain........That's because your model doesn't have schwintech slides stupid, read your damn manual.
RP on the other hand (IM-not so-HO) cannot distance itself from politics and culture wars. There is no facit, no corner of the military or military life that is not intrinsically bound to politics and actions of politicians. From the abysmally reality bending uniform changes to mold in barracks to the abominable divisiveness of Diversity (If diversity is a strength, is unity a weakness?), as Americans, staying current is a must. There are a number of folks on RP whose viewpoints - even when differing from my own - I value. Others not so much, but are read to understand the political spectrum. Then there are that small subset who spend waaaay too much time munching cheetos in their beanbags and are fun to engage with for a round or two. (a moral failing on my part I'm sure)
I seldom have time to respond to all the humor memes, and YouTube videos, (need to prioritize my time for those subjects I'm compelled to bloviate on) but more power to those that do.
As mentioned several times in the past. I see RP as a practice for Friday Afternoon Dart Drop at Famous Sam's. We are a loud and raucous group of retirees and near, where insults are a given, who will argue over why the fly landed on who's beer, don't agree on anything but part ways as the friends we are. I like my world problem solving discussions up close and personal. I like to look 'em in the eye and watch their lips quiver. Sam's satisfies, this is practice.
Don't know if that is in line with your essay, but I enjoyed the opportunity. Now, back to that ancient Sears welder. I'm thinking burned reostat contacts.
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CWO4 Terrence Clark
SSgt (Join to see) No. Airstream are creme de la creme of the bumper haulers. Beautiful inside and out. Don't think any have slide outs. Winnebago crafts a line of bumper haulers of various length. They also have a line of Class A's ranging from the Journey (which we bought new-to-us, cuz new price wouldn't leave us enough for the dollar menu at McD's)(even we we sold a couple of the more pesky grandkids) to the Vista. All come in three lengths. Journey and Forza are diesel pushers on Freightliner chassis. The others are gassers on Ford chassis. Winnebago also makes a line of gasser Class C's on Ford Chassis and a line of diesel Class B's on Mercedes chassis.
Nope don't get a commission, just like Winnebago's. Ours is a 2007 34SE that we maintain as new. Since we finally, fully retired in 2014, we wander around the country for two or three months starting late spring, then another two or three months starting early fall. Meet great people, build huge bonfires, experience our great country, reinforce our belief that the TV talking heads have never gotten out of their hotel rooms.
Nope don't get a commission, just like Winnebago's. Ours is a 2007 34SE that we maintain as new. Since we finally, fully retired in 2014, we wander around the country for two or three months starting late spring, then another two or three months starting early fall. Meet great people, build huge bonfires, experience our great country, reinforce our belief that the TV talking heads have never gotten out of their hotel rooms.
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RP is social media. Full stop.
You are expecting a social media site to not be social media. Yes, there is a specific target audience. But it is still what it is. Just like any other social media, if a post does not interest you, keep scrolling.
As far as contribution.... those music posts are usually pretty high in up-votes and have more than a couple comments. So evidently a defined portion of the community appreciates them. I am not really in that boat. I will post a song once every blue moon, but it is either to introduce a rather obscure song/group or because the song has a particular message which I expound upon. Either way, if you aren't interested.... keep scrolling.
You speak about being censored here, while at the same time low-key pushing for censorship of others. Just a thought.
You are expecting a social media site to not be social media. Yes, there is a specific target audience. But it is still what it is. Just like any other social media, if a post does not interest you, keep scrolling.
As far as contribution.... those music posts are usually pretty high in up-votes and have more than a couple comments. So evidently a defined portion of the community appreciates them. I am not really in that boat. I will post a song once every blue moon, but it is either to introduce a rather obscure song/group or because the song has a particular message which I expound upon. Either way, if you aren't interested.... keep scrolling.
You speak about being censored here, while at the same time low-key pushing for censorship of others. Just a thought.
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Capt Jeff S.
SFC Casey O'Mally I'm not advocating RP decide what is relevant. I'm saying that RP should make a mechanism for users to manage what content hits their news feed and leave it up to users by giving them the option to silence notifications from content categories they're not interested in.
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Capt Jeff S.
Capt Jeff S. - Taking away influence points for spam categories is not censorship; it's simply a means of encouraging more relevant discussion.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
Capt Jeff S. "more relevant"... to who? Again, those music posts are generally well received. So it must mean they are relevant to a large number of people.
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In my opinion, the influence score has increased the chaff to wheat ratio. It is getting worse.
It would be great id RP admin would come up with a way to block individual posts, without blocking the individual. Quite often when I check RP, the vast majority of posts are the same ones I've been skimming past for 3 or 4 days. Admin help us get to the wheat.
It would be great id RP admin would come up with a way to block individual posts, without blocking the individual. Quite often when I check RP, the vast majority of posts are the same ones I've been skimming past for 3 or 4 days. Admin help us get to the wheat.
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SSgt (Join to see)
As a person who has been here since May 2013, Jeff is correct because if someone posts, they may never see the comments to 'that post'. Why does it matter? Why? Because it takes me several hours to post a comment, about what matters, REO Speedwagon or a Hurricane? I know this is rhetorical but it is a valid point. And this is not up for debate and no fallacy.
Many people are pilots who actually enjoy and appreciate what I post. I only post about the weather (for the most part) Right now, the country faces many problems and while I cannot be all places at once, it is a start. At one time I was number in points (for a day)
lol. But I'd rather be 200th and relevant, than 10th and redundant. Capt Jeff S. SFC Casey O'Mally Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Many people are pilots who actually enjoy and appreciate what I post. I only post about the weather (for the most part) Right now, the country faces many problems and while I cannot be all places at once, it is a start. At one time I was number in points (for a day)
lol. But I'd rather be 200th and relevant, than 10th and redundant. Capt Jeff S. SFC Casey O'Mally Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SSgt (Join to see) I live in Kentucky. Hurricane posts really aren't that relevant to me. But Capt McMenamin has been posting a lot about children's social services lately. That IS relevant to me. And neither have anything to do with the military. So who gets to decide what has value to the community?
If pilots want to see posts about the weather they can already go to the weather tag page or follow it. Arguing your posts are more important than someone else' is hubris of the highest order.
If pilots want to see posts about the weather they can already go to the weather tag page or follow it. Arguing your posts are more important than someone else' is hubris of the highest order.
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1LT (Join to see)
Capt Jeff S. I'm tracking. I think it could be good. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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