Whitechapel - You all have spoiled me

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T00:29:40-08:00

So I've been trying at the reddit community recently, since I have a lot of friends who are into it, and whenever I perused it I did find the odd funny or interesting post now and then. But now that I've been posting, fuck I hate that place. I know the karma system is there to prevent people from making dumb posts (or so I'm told by people who like reddit), but the number of rude posts I see from people just being assholes is downright disheartening. Or I'll see things downvoted that I can find no reason for downvoting. It feels like this huge popularity contest to me where people go to be dicks for the sake of being dicks.

All I'm saying is, thank you for being civil and educated in the way you carry yourselves, Whitechapelers. I know it's the internet and that's how it is, but for some reason the reddit community just set me off. I like that not only does Whitechapel often engage in intelligent discourse about varying subjects, but everyone is always civil, even when they disagree, and no one insults each other when we're being silly. You all rock <3 <3

And thanks to Ariana and Warren for keeping the place in line and keeping the bad seeds out. Seriously, this has become my little internet home.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T02:52:17-08:00

Whitechapel Is Not The Rest Of The Internet

And thank Christ (and Warren and Ariana) for it.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T11:05:19-08:00

I concur. And the Google reading level annotations are citable evidence:

Results by reading level for site: freakangels.com/whitechapel:
Basic 59%
Intermediate 35%
Advanced 5%

Results by reading level for site: reddit.com:
Basic 71%
Intermediate 27%
Advanced < 1%

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T11:34:19-08:00

I do have fun on some subreddits there, though. Keeping to the subs and generally away from all tends to help in dealing with idiots on reddit. But yeh. WC is definitely not the rest of the internet.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T11:43:02-08:00

Whitechapel is absolutely incredible, there ain't nothing else like it. Thanks Warren, Ariana, and all you wonderful denizens for making this place the most interactive, fun and usable site on the net

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T11:55:33-08:00

Having had unfortunate occurrences with one of the few trolls we've had here, and seeing the swift banhammer and arse-eeling that resulted, I feel very confidant in agreeing that This Is Not The Rest Of The Internet.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T12:11:12-08:00

It's not just Not The Rest Of The Internet. It's rather strikingly Not The Rest Of The World. Having started taking classes recently, I find myself thrust into the world and regular interaction with other humans. My university gets an 88% rating, and is one of the best business schools in the country. And yet.... in my philosophy class lass night, the suggestion that there was no god was met with shock and firm scoffing denial... the girl sitting next to me right in the front row did not stop phone texting whatsoever for the duration of class, and randomly made loud comments on class discussion like a rude rowdy person at a drunken movie night... nobody understands the notion of raising one's hand or even waiting their turn to SPEAK... and on the topic of mortality, THIS brilliant gem was uttered:

"hey... um. You seen, like, that show where they, like, died, and that guy met Death? ......... *pause*........ that was CRAZY!"

The apathy and ignorance is utterly astounding. Granted, this might just be a glaring example of how the age group 15 years my junior has been let down by the failing US public education system more than an indication of how the world on the whole outside of our lovely island of intellect on the internet, but... regardless, I'm so very thankful that this place exists.

It makes me feel human.

And not a solitary Wobbly Headed Bob in the universe.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T12:57:59-08:00

And not a solitary Wobbly Headed Bob in the universe.

Funny, i thought that was me.

Seriously though, Mr Ellis and chums, not least those at Avatar who provide the wherewithal to keep this little life raft of rational civility afloat on the shark infested sea of stupidity that is the internets and indeed, much of the world in general, have wrought a most marvellous thing for which i and i strongly suspect the rest of Whitechapel's denizens, am greatly thankful.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:09:08-08:00

@ Rachæl no, that's pretty much the caliber of folks I encounter on a daily basis at work. Granted I work in a mall, but customers of all ages show pretty much the same level of sheer... ignorance is the nicest way to say it.

Whitechapel is the only forum I've ever stuck with. You all really do help bring a smile to my face, and many an intelligent thought process is started by reading the forums here. I may have joined for the jaw dropping artwork I found myself loving to look at, but I stayed for the intelligence and straight up humanity at it's best that seems to permeate every inch of the invisible walls of this little corner of the internet. I know I don't chime in very often, but it's usually for fear of sounding like the usual ignorant folks you mention in here.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:09:35-08:00

Want a big 1440x960 desktop to remind you? Click here.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:14:26-08:00

Right on, Sizer.

And to those that make Whitechapel happen, thank you.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:23:59-08:00

This is a Vile Hugging Thread in disguise and I claim my five pounds.

(I love Whitechapel too)

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:31:02-08:00

I love it here too. And I take my lumps for forgetting that Whitechapel = good Interneting whereas comments on nearly any other site = bad Interneting.

Though I think our good behavior is due in no small part to Ariana & Warren being totally willing and sometimes glad to come down on trolls and useless posts/threads like a ton of bricks. The fear of ~~God~~Ellis is a powerful thing.

Also, you people are nifty.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:32:03-08:00

Aye, aye, and thanks to those who keep Whitechapel a troll free glade on the internet. (how's that for fancy writin'... not as fancy as Sizer's sign, but fancy none the less)

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T13:58:38-08:00

My apologies, 'shark infested' was not intended as a slight on the good Mr Space.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T14:22:37-08:00

Just for you, Whitechapel.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T14:34:46-08:00

That kind of thing makes the servers crash

ALERT TOO MUCH CUTE FOR WHiiiiiiitechaaaaaapellll

daaaaaaaisyyy

daaaaaaaaaiiiisssssssssssyyyyyyyy

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T14:35:03-08:00

Oh man this thread is going to get killed so hard that our ancestors are going to feel it rippling through the space-time continuum.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T14:51:44-08:00

Sizer, I love it!

@keyofsilence

This is a Vile Hugging Thread in disguise

Truth

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T15:50:03-08:00

Oh man this thread is going to get killed so hard that our ancestors are going to feel it rippling through the space-time continuum.

No no I wouldn't dream of it LET'S SEE HOW DEEP YOU CAN DIG YOUR OWN GRAVES

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T15:52:05-08:00

*shovel shovel* HUGS FOR EVERYONE *shovel shovel*

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T15:58:24-08:00

I love you, Warren.

I think we all do.

I think we should all give you a big hug.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T16:09:38-08:00

It's hugs all the way down.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T16:11:06-08:00

... and then a bullet in the back of the skull if you're lucky.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T16:13:58-08:00

Well, something will enter the back of you, but I don't think it'll be a bullet...

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T16:17:35-08:00

I'm willing to dig a very deep grave in appreciation of this place... I'd even dig multiple graves if need be...

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T17:33:24-08:00

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T17:50:31-08:00

Goddamn it, now we've infected the host. Alice, fetch my morningstar and a quart of whiskey.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T18:13:30-08:00

Oh good God what have you all done?

I can't help but agree. Haven't been a part of a forum since... the mid nineties on some old BBS's. This place is like nowhere else. And people I know in flesh and blood just can't seem to understand it. Which is fine, because I share it with you fine folk. I feel lucky to be accepted here.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T18:36:09-08:00

And now I have that old Birthday Party song stuck in my head with Nick Cave shrieking "... I'll dig myself a hole/and fill up that space/I'll fill it up with eels/I'll fill it up with eels/... "

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T18:51:15-08:00

I've learned more here than I did in high school. Illinois education is not so good. I brought my shovel, let's dig and dig. If only arse eels could be a threat provided to the world.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T19:11:13-08:00

It's so damn good to be in here with you guys. Under the Guv and Ariana's watchful eyes and the everpresent arse-eels, we show that true conversation can be done on the internet.
This is Whitechapel. Courtesy here is a right. Hard to beat that.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T20:12:52-08:00

No no I wouldn't dream of it LET'S SEE HOW DEEP YOU CAN DIG YOUR OWN GRAVES

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T20:15:51-08:00

You know, I really do love this forum. I've learned so much on here, gotten some interesting views from a group of VERY diverse people, and it's been the first internet-community where I felt comfortable enough to meet people from here in person. If not for Whitechapel, I never would have even heard of the people who, I now consider friends, most of which I have met in person.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T20:19:01-08:00

Yay, for me bringing some basic into whitechapel. Or is there something under basic?

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-04T23:15:38-08:00

...This community licked my face in 2002. I've been unable to leave since.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T00:03:18-08:00

I first joined Whitechapel as a fucked-up seventeen-year-old stuck in a country that has almost nothing to do with me. The positive influence this forum and its users had on me since then is immeasurable, in great part thanks to the high level of discussion encouraged by Warren's eels and Ariana's wrench. Needless to say I love this place and I hope I can meet its brilliant users personally at some point hey can you still hear me this grave is getting really deep

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T01:31:17-08:00

As someone who's been around the intertubes for a while, I have to say this place is special and unique. Thanks to all who make it what it is through their creativity, intellect, imagination and dedication. Whitechapel is awesome.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T02:17:52-08:00

This is the only forum which has held my interest for longer than a year. Mostly, it has a lot to do with all the awesome people here, and with the really interesting discussions going on. That, and the threat of arse eels being sicced upon the poor bastards who piss off the host.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T03:34:27-08:00

i love you guys....

that is all

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T07:20:12-08:00

I'm with Kahavi. Whitechapel has been the only forum that I have been able to frequent and contribute to for more than a couple of months. Most other places seem to be filled with hatred and stupidity. I really don't see any point in reading stuff like that. People here (for the most part) can have an actual discussion without it degrading into each of them trying to hammer their own thoughts and beliefs into the other person.
I see that much too often in the real world, why would I want to see it on the 'net too?

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T09:53:03-08:00

HAHAHHAHA. Warren's funny.

And yeah, this place is IT, man. Between the pleasant conversation and the horrifying imagery, I'd say it beats Disney World as the Happiest Place on Earth.

I love you all a disturbing amount. Including the people I have met in person. And not just Robin but ALL OF YOU.

If I end up six feet south tomorrow with a bunch of sea creatures writhing in my nethers, IT WILL ALL HAVE BEEN WORTH IT.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T11:56:34-08:00

Yeah, this is a fine, smart as hell place. Oftentimes I feel I probably drop the place's IQ by a few points by my very presence, but it's still a great place to be.

...Jesus, this hole's getting deep. I can barely see the sky anymore.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T17:21:15-08:00

We're about to hit 10,000 users here? I didn't know that many decent people could congregate in one place for any serious length of time (and remain mostly civil). I'm impressed, and pleasantly surprised.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-05T17:48:00-08:00

I've been cruising the interwebs since 1990 and have to agree with the OP. The Whitechapel populous is one of the most excellent groupings on on the net. I honestly feel that the moratorium on hugging and crying is one of the main reasons.

With that said...

/hugs to you all and /cry some tears of joy that Warren, Arianna, Avatar, and their posse make it all possible.

Cheers and smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

(edited for typo)

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T06:20:57-08:00

I'll just leave this little post here to re-iterate what everyone has already said here. The main inspiration i get from WC and it's denizens is the filtering and funneling of ideas and information, from comics, art and other forms of culture, to technologies and other weird shit. It's an evil swamp out there in the internet trying to sort out the things that really interest you, and WC seems to put forward the things that really grease my wheels.

Oh the people are lovely as well, while Warren is a little like Mary Poppins, "Kind, but extremely firm"

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T07:44:13-08:00

@icelandbob: Warren Ellis=Mary Poppins? Thank you for that image.

Still, this is a good place.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T09:47:31-08:00

A wretched hive of scum and villainy, a home away from home and the last, best hope for conversation on the internets.
Bravo and LLTBM

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T09:56:29-08:00

I am on two forums.

One is a semi-hidden forum put together by a band of precocious kids selected for our talents, who met when we were all 12, and we've been connected one way or another ever since.

The other is Whitechapel.

Despite a decade+ of knowing the other folks, and plotting all manner of mischief with them, it's Whitechapel that has less friction.

You're all fantastic people.

I think I have to go vomit pink, cuddly bunnies now. See you all later.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T10:03:33-08:00

Looks as if the grave has become a well, and it's filling with eels...

I have to agree and give in to the hugs...Since discovering this place a couple years back, I like to call it home...it houses the most creatively talented, consistently funny, best mannered, and outright most intelligent humans that I have had the pleasure to interact with on this big bad interbuttz !!! Cheers!!!

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T12:10:07-08:00

Lotsa e-hugs all-around.
-and now to hide from the eels.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T12:18:36-08:00

Shall we all sing Kumbaya?

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T12:36:20-08:00

hug-eels

mwah mwah

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T12:42:34-08:00

KPG-
I don't think that's allowed. We'd all spontaneously burst out of existence from the sheer force of Mr.Ellis' eye-rolling.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T15:07:31-08:00

I am kinder to myself and the people in my life partly because of this place.
You are all daunting and delightful at the same time.
It is good.
add my thanks to the bobcat digging this trench of cuddles.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T15:53:52-08:00

I come here when my tank of inspiration runs out or whenever I need motivation to face the world. Many have been the times that I would have straight given up on things without this place.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-06T16:21:22-08:00

I really like some of you.

I respect Warren.

Ariana scares me a little.

Not jumping the crazy love wagon, but when Warren finishes FreakAngels I'll be really sad if he closes this place up.

You all have spoiled me

2011-02-07T10:32:39-08:00

I've threatened to hug Mr. Ellis once here, so I'm not too afraid of jumping into this trench.

(Also, this is something I've opined about before...)

Web forums have scared me in the past. Cold places that just scream "we don't want you here, this is OUR club, you better get to proving yourself". Being social is a little bit of a struggle for me (I would say "it's ESPECIALLY hard living in Tennessee", but it's really not all THAT backwards here.) So needless to say, I didn't expect much out of my experience here. You guys... this really isn't the rest of the internet, or the rest of the world. I have made awesome friends (well, I've met one in person), got introduced to all the cool things on the web, found great music (most made by people here), traded recipes like a bunch of old women, watched political discourse not completely deteriorate... basically found what a web-community is supposed to be.

I'll daydream about what I'd do if I got a fuckton of money occasionally. One of my very first thoughts is to get on a plane and try to meet as many of you guys as I can.

So, yeah, thanks to Warren and Ariana. I don't know if either of you went into this wanting to make such a meaningful place (well, okay, so Warren kinda knows what he's doing here), but you have.