What do you love about Fluther?

Mostly the founders

@harp: How about more specifics?

@Andrew
OK, specifically Ben

I enjoy the people, the open discussion, and the heated debates.

@harp: har har har. I’m looking for stories.

i like the feeling that everyone’s opinion matters

I am not sure if I can articulate why this is so, but I immediately felt as if I had come home on Fluther in a way that no other forum, Q&A, or social networking site ever made me feel.

I think of Fluther as if I were wandering through the stacks of a giant library with shelves of knowledge towering overhead. I pause in front of a topic that looks interesting and browse the entries. They are much more often than not warm, bright, caring, and thoughtful. They are also often witty and make me laugh. So I feel as if I have met a new friend among the stacks. Then I move on to the next question.

There is a sameness that is comforting along with an everchanging kaleidoscope of issues or takes on issues and new answerers that make for an unbeatable mix. I learn things every day. I think about things in new ways every day. I get understanding for my own questions and the issues that spawned them. I laugh every day. Some special days I get thanks from other Flutherers for answers that I have given.

I can’t think of a single other place I could go or activity I could engage in that gives me all of that.

How no one knows you allowing you to be whoever you want with no judgments, then when judgments are made, everyone agrees they shouldn’t have been. It’;s a collective of thoughts and opinions not judgments mmmm tasty :)

The three most important parts about fluther (for me) are: community, information, humor. Fluther has a strong sense of community where people go out of their way to help others. I feel like I actually know some of the people here. I can describe and identify with many of the users I interact with daily. I know what ticks them off, I know what makes them happy etc.

As for information, it is one of those sites where I truly feel like I learn something daily. Whether it is why certain songs get stuck in our head or how to prevent pie from getting burned off the edges, or the recent HIV drugs out there. The best part is, you don’t feel like you are “studying” while learning this. You actually find the information interesting. I have often use interesting Qs read on fluther as a conversation with friends IRL.

And in these times of “recession” or whatever you want to call it, nothing is more important than retaining your humor. I truly believe that Laughter is the best medicine, and many flutherites manage to make me laugh/smile on a daily basis.

Of course, the most important of these 3 is still the sense of community. That said, some recent events make me worry that the community might be sacrificed for corporate success (well…it’s not really corporate..but you get what i mean). But I hope that won’t be the case.

I don’t ask a lot of questions, so for me it’s about helping other people and getting other perspectives. I don’t claim to know everything, but it feels good to share insight on something that another user has a question about.

And I’m always learning from other people in the discussions that we have about a topic.

I think fluther has allowed me to curb my tendencies to judge people harshly based on one belief/opinion that I happen to disagree with (usually involving race, sexuality, politics, and religion). For instance, lefteh’s opinions, in his question about racism and statistics, were not in concordance with my own, but on many other issues he and I have very similar opinions. If I had met lefteh on the street, and we discussed race, and he stated those exact opinions, I would have judged him harshly and rejected him. But because I know his opinion on other issues, because of fluther, I am able to put harsh judgment aside and see him as a whole person, not just one opinion. Fluther has been very therapeutic for me. (I didn’t mean to call you out lefteh; you just happened to be the first example that popped into my head. :)

Of course this is only one thing; there really are so many reasons I like fluther.

Yay fluther!!

Easy! The people, and Ben’s hair. LOVE YOU ALL. AND BEN’S HAIR.

Most Flutherers (Flutherites?) put a lot of thought into their answers and really try to provide helpful information. I like being able to get all kinds of different perspectives on all kinds of different topics in one place. Oh who am I kidding, I’m in it for the lurve.

Getting to know the details of Milo’s life! :-)

Actually what I like most is engaging with people of very different backgrounds and from different locations i.e., wildflower), with a wide range of intellectual curiosities(i.e. astrochuck) and a tremendous amount of writing ability and knowledge (i.e. Marina, Harp and gailcalled).

What I don’t like is how much time I spend here a day, even though I often don’t write answers.

One word: Gail

I just love Fluther! I love the different mix of people from all over and I like being able to learn things. I also love to answer questions. It makes me feel smart!

I forgot to mention the Poo hat.

I really enjoy AstroChuck’s contributions. I find his clever questions and thoughtful answers very entertaining as well as his amazing wit.

And find his modesty refreshing.

Wow. I feel like I took this way too seriously.

And of course, the founders…

I really enjoy AstroChuck’s contributions too :)

and @tinyfaery – don’t worry, i did too.

@tf and PnL Or AC took it way too lightly. ;)

I love fluther for several different reasons.

1. The people. There is a strong sense of community here. it’s not a traditional forum, it’s almost like friends and family im a way.

2. You often find out the answer to questions and problems you weren’t even looking form simply by reading other peoples threads.

3. You never need feel alone. Regardless of what is going on in your life, you know that there are a collection of people out there who will go out of their way to help you if they can.

4. It gives a great perspective on society as a whole in a calm and intelligent manner.

all of the above. Nice place to hang out.Marina, again I relate to your answer. Thanks everybody keep up the good job.

Okay, seriously now…

This place is less like signing up to a website, and more like going to a new school. On most other websites, you have to be a founder, a friend of the founder, or an attention whore before people will recognise your input. Fluther, on the other hand, will have you very quickly getting to know people and making friendships based on taste and interests.

This place has some incredibly culture too. We have a mascot, and as unflattering as it is, refer to ourselves as ‘jellies’. From the fabled ‘poo hat’ to the cake question, there’s some history in this place. We turn to shilolo for medical advice (whether he likes it or not), and to Gail when we need our grammar checked. Everyone seems to have something to contribute, even if it’s only their cracking personality.

You won’t find this kind of buzz anywhere else.

Oh, and some pretty badass tees aswell.

I love the font with the curly serifs. Oh and you guys too :D

*incredible culture

Can I also just chip in my appreciation towards Andrew, Ben and Erik for making this place? The design is superb, and you’ve really attracted the right people and made us feel at home from day one.

All I ever seem to do is submit bug requests and tell you who needs banning. I’d like to extend a thanks.

Thanks :)

if you;re extending it dont you mean THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANKS

I’m so clever ;)

THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANKS

I see Fluther as an antidote for the modern plague of intellectual passivity. We’ve become voracious consumers of information and media; we plug ourselves into the feed of our choice and just sit back and ingest. We can customize that feed to the point where our worldview is never even challenged.

The sad result of all this is that we’re rarely called upon to actively engage the world on an intellectual level. We end up just sitting on the sidelines of mental life, cheering for our champions.

Fluther is an invitation to jump into the game of the mind. We’re constantly asked to examine our thoughts, opinions and knowledge well enough to explain them coherently to someone else. And, even more importantly, we’re exposing ourselves to challenge. In the give and take of a discussion that’s open to all civil points of view, we have the opportunity to put our ideas to a meaningful test, and learn from how others do the same.

And aside from all that, there are plenty of folks here who’s wit and insight are a pure delight.

I like Fluther for the same reason I like Barack Obama.

gives me a you-know-what

what?

in my pants

But really, its because I like most of the people. They seem more thoughtful than the average internetters.

I like pants.

Fluther is an international phenomenon.

not michael stripe, wth is michael stripe anyways?

Let’s all recreate and answer this question again!

In a word: Edutainment!

Specifically; I would have been kitty litter without the Fluther Cat mavens who saw me through the first month with the demon Cat from Providence.

Plus, I like being the gray eminence here. One of the few advantages of being the granny is that I have lots of stored trivia and can be helpful from time to time.

And I have become much more adroit with the computer due to the thoughtfulness and clarity of the skilled technical support.

And I thank all those who have helped me privately with the issue of autism.

Oh, I forgot. Getting regular free psychotherapy for Milo and me.

Fluther is unique. We argue, fuss, and fight. We share, learn, and lurve. It’s always a good time. And I’m thankful every time I get to log on.

—

@gail, only because it came up yesterday, and I see your here… some more instructions to help with caring for your cat.

@Rob: Another reason I love this site is the irreverence and the funny links that other people find; thereby saving me time and energy. ( That
cartoon is very close to the truth.)

Rob said it perfectly.
To me, Fluther is one big, happy, disfunctional, wonderful family.
Kind of like family on Thanksgiving.

just off the top of my head:
1. that feeling when someone asks a question, and i know that i know the answer (or that i can find it in a book i have, or an article i read in the new york times) but BEFORE i’ve actually begun to attempt it and of course gotten bogged down in all the details and convolutions of the issue.
2. reading a question, and being so intrigued by the question or some issue that it brings up for me that i have to find out the answer. i will go to just about any lengths to find out the answer. for example, i stooped to admitted to my friend/intellectual rival james that i (gasp) didn’t know something, that i knew he would know.
3. not having to surf millions of gardening websites to find out that my hydrangea has spider mites, and i need “safer soap”.
4. the friendships, the feeling of community, and the feeling of not being the only person who (fill in the blank)

“Talking” to insightful, intelligent people…and debating, debating, debating. It’s aerobics for the mind and soul!

We know each other!
We have experts to turn to.
We have compassion to offer and receive.
We get access to multiplicity.
We’re learning really fast here. I don’t think we know yet what we’re learning, but this is surely an example of what can happen when people open their minds in safety.

The jelly doughnuts!

…the girls

What jelly donuts??? What girls???

Is there some inner sanctum I’m missing out on?:-)

@AstroChuck I always feel like you’re on a slightly different planet from the rest of the world. It’s fun to read your posts.

@Everyone – Now you can understand the pleasure of being a reference librarian. You never know what you’re going to be learning about next..

well, jan, sorry to break it to you, but yes, you’re missing out on the girls… oh well, less competition never hurt anyone….

Heck with the girls – I want the jelly donuts!

…you obviously don’t know the girls on fluther, girls around their 20’s, smart, ambitious, willing to make out on the second date….that’s the stuff you need

The second date?......more like the first date!

i was afraid that if i was to say that (what my plan was) i’d get upset reactions, but in that case, what are you doing tonight ?

I love this site because Iwa calls me “a girl in her twenties, smart ambitious and willing to make out on the second date”. But because I am easy, come and get it.

Oh, and my dance card is empty for tonight.

Fluther is the best site on the internet, bar none. As a forum for information-sharing, a collective that discusses, debates, relates, and opinionates, and sometimes just shares a good laugh; I would say the bar has been raised past the stratosphere. Nothing else compares.
Besides, we have Gail. Need I say more?

The community is like no other I’ve experienced on the Internet

Cheeb may make out on the first date. The rest of us are stronger and will drive you insane.

I’m new, so I’m sure there will be more to love, but I love the welcome I have received here.

I love the friendly, inviting people here, the ease of navigating the site and most of all the intelligent individuals that provide thought provoking questions and well thought out answers.

Oh Fluther, thou sage, thou stately, sublime and supreme servant of humanity, thou lovely knowledge-bearing, smile-soothing, heart-opening, joy-inducing guild, to whose glorious vitality I owe the happiest moments of my life, let me fall prostrate.

I love pete.

Aww, I love you too aug.