I can't stand the culture of Reddit

submitted by [deleted] from self.Introductions

Reddit used to be one of my favourite sites. I could spend hours on it just mindlessly browsing. I don't know if things have changed, or if I have just woken up, but browsing r/all makes my blood boil now. Everything I see there falls into 3 categories.

  1. Politics. I've grown to hate politics. Every single day I have to look at American politics. I don't care about them, they don't affect me. The different presidents have made 0 difference in my life. I don't care about the way that Trump walks, or the way that Nancy Pelosi tweets. To me its just noise in the wind. But if you even slightly deviate from the political hivemind you get severely downvoted and accused of being a nazi. And its like a hydra. For every subreddit that became political I had to block, two more would turn. A subreddit dedicated to pictures of Bulldogs? "My dog hates Trump so much! Here's a pic of him ripping up a picture of him!". American politics has seeped into everything, and you are forced to pick a side. I'm sick of it.

  2. Wholesome. I'm so sick of wholesome posts. I've sat through what feels like thousands of "I overcame my depression" or "everything is so quirky relatable" posts, and I'm sick of it. Not everything in life is "wholesome 100" and it feels bad to wade through this forced positivity.

  3. Unfunny Memes. About half the front page is unfunny memes. I think it all comes from the massive proportion of the site thats under 18. Most of these memes are sterile, lowest common denominator shit, that appeals to everyone. Because when a sub gets massive, it has to appeal to everyone. This leads to memes that require no though, no introspection, and no prior knowledge. I don't think I've seen a funny thing on a reddit meme sub in months.

I've tried to mitigate this by keeping my homepage well curated and by removing any sub that gets on my nerves. I don't know if its the recent ban wave and changes to the rules, or just a pressure thats been slowly building over the past few years, but I'm sick of reddit. I've spent all day looking at alternatives to reddit, and picked my favourites. Sorry about the long rant, but I needed a place to voice my complaints. I hope that Saidit can grow and become something great in the future.

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[–]Tums_is_Smut_bkwrds 22 insightful - 1 fun22 insightful - 0 fun23 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Further to point 2 "Wholesome" almost all of the so-called wholesome memes now feature blacks. 17% of the population but 100% of the decent, everyday people like you and me, regular job holding folks. The propaganda is so blatant but Reddit is so deeply down the circle jerk hole of wokeness that all it does is make the place more smug and self satisfied. And don't get me started on BLM.

[–][deleted] 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

One of the most upvoted posts in the last month is literally "my mixed race friends just got married". Like ok, good for them, but why does this have 150k upvotes?

[–]Papitas 16 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 0 fun17 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That line of thinking just further spreads racism. Instead of celebrating two humans bonding together, they celebrate they can bond in spite of having different skin colors, which is frankly idiotic.

[–]Fat_Neckbeard 9 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 0 fun10 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Honestly, Reddit was a giant goddamn circlejerk even before PC Culture came in and started policing what they see as wrongthink. Even then, the smaller subs were always the way to go. Then after Aaron passed away, Reddit became a corporation, and they brought in Ellen Pao, shit started going downhill. Around 2009-2012, if you saw political content make it to the frontpage of a non-political sub, the top comment would usually be "Looks like /r/politics is leaking again" and/or critical of said political content being upvoted. Nowadays /r/politics hasn't just leaked, it's flooded the entire website and no one seems to care anymore.

I'm now frequenting both Saidit and Ruqqus a lot more now. I'm not against political content, but keep it in the political subs. It's annoying when I just wanna browse memes and all I see is "fUcK tRuMp!1!" or "cUcKeD aGaIn LiBz!!!1".

Another thing is Reddit is now banning people without warning for upvoting posts they don't think you should upvote. That is way too far in my opinion. It's only a matter of time before they ban you for agreeing with someone who happened to post in /r/The_Donald even if the comment has nothing to do with him.

The same shit that happened to Digg is destroying Reddit. I feel like it might just be an inevitable cycle at this point. Fark --> Slashdot --> Digg --> Reddit and so on

Also, an obligatory fuck /u/spez

[–]pequenoloco 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

My favorite is the r/pics posts of 'We just got engaged!' These have been a cancerous staple of Reddit for a while, but for the past year or so it's literally either interracial or gay EVERY SINGLE TIME! These posts have always been unproductive and cringy, but the recent ones have the added bane of forced 'diversity' behind them.

[–]NiceDickBro 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

BLACK GAY COUPLE adopts w*ite baby! UPVOTE OR U RACIST.

[–]BravoVictor 15 insightful - 1 fun15 insightful - 0 fun16 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Reddit used to be fun, a long time ago. Then one day I realized I'd developed a Pavlovian fear of the orange mail icon. It used to mean someone dropped me a comment that might be fun or interesting. Then it became a constant stream of trolls and insults and, occasionally, even death threats.

I know, sticks and stones and all that, but still. It gets depressing after a while when you spend some time writing up your viewpoint in a polite and articulate way, linking to reasonably objective sources that elaborate on your point, and all you get in response is, "It must suck to be such a stupid fuckwit like you".

Aw damn, you got me! I guess I need to rethink my entire political worldview because some random teenager ignored everything I wrote and simply called me names.

Then I tried just avoiding all the political subs in Reddit, but even that is now impossible. A fucking "Black Lives Matter I hate the cops hysteria" errupted in a sub about playing the god damn violin. The political obsession is almost cult like now. You can't just like topic X. You must like topic X...as it relates to whatever lefty political issue is the fad of the week.

Remember net neutrality? Remember how Reddit went apeshit over Trump removing the net neutrality regulations, which we were told would literally end the Internet? I remember seeing a ton of posts from people seriously considering murdering Ajit Pai, the FCC chair for daring to take away their beloved Internet. That's what he said he wanted to do, right? Do they know anything about market economies or computer networking, or anything else related to net neutrality? Of course not. But Reddit changed it's logo for a week and told everyone the world was ending unless they do something, so there must be blood.

And yet, I sat back and did nothing. I even had the nerve to argue that the Internet existed for decades without any net neutrality regulations, and seemed to thrive despite that. And now, here we are. The Internet's gone. Boy do I have egg all over my face.

So yeah, I totally understand you not wanting to get into US politics. It does effect me, but even I like to unplug from it every now and then, and that's not possible on Reddit.

[–]msteacherlady 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Don't forget how Epstein didn't kill himself. I even had a 14 year old in my class answer a question I asked about freaking photosynthesis and he ended his very good response with, "...and Epstein didn't kill himself." It left me stunned. Like, why is this even relevant to you kid? If I brought that up at Reddit, they'd be criticizing me for be skeptical why a kid might be concerned about a sex trafficker without once pausing to wonder why this shit never dawned on my generation when we were this age. Young people shouldn't be wading through conspiracies let alone broadcasting it. Mind you, I feel not one way or another on whether or not he killed himself, because I realize my feelings on the situation aren't worth a damn.

[–]BravoVictor 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I don't think that was a Reddit thing. The Epstein thing was such a big story that "Epstein didn't kill himself", just became a funny meme everyone was saying for a month.

[–]NiceDickBro 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You could not have said it better... I honestly reached the point on that website where everytime I saw the orange envelope I would just go "oh fuck me what now"

[–]Rationalmind 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That’s funny. I was thinking about the net neutrality thing recently and thought maybe I don’t understand it and these internet companies have too much power and should be broken up. I don’t agree with giving Comcast more money though.

[–]pequenoloco 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

And yet, I sat back and did nothing. I even had the nerve to argue that the Internet existed for decades without any net neutrality regulations, and seemed to thrive despite that. And now, here we are. The Internet's gone. Boy do I have egg all over my face.

The world would be a better place if that was the end result.

[–][deleted] 14 insightful - 2 fun14 insightful - 1 fun15 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I agree with you so much. Especially about the American politics stuff. I couldn't care less. It doesn't effect me in the slightest. And it really is starting to take over EVERY sub. This place feels a bit like reddit did when I first joined. I've been slowly becoming sick of reddit for about 3 years, and today just pushed me over the edge. I'm hoping this place will be better.

EDIT: Also, I hate the hivemind shit there. Like the weird boner everyone has for Keanu Reeves.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If you use the internet or consume any sort of entertainment product - it does affect you though. I agree, it's tiresome as hell. The Issue is woke (marxist) politics have invaded everything. I mean, I was excited for Bloodlines 2 (vidya game) until I saw a bio for a character that's making a cameo in it.

https://files.catbox.moe/38m8u2.png

[–]suckitreddit 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It's not a culture. It's a lack of culture.

[–][deleted]  (11 children)

[deleted]

    [–]Riva 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

    It was bought by tencent and turned into a Communist/Globalist propaganda machine. Kids did not do that to Reddit.

    [–]msteacherlady 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    But they're naive enough to amplify the signal.

    [–]Riva 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Yes, kids are the targets of brainwashing because their brains are easy to manipulate.

    [–][deleted] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Eternal September has been a problem on the internet for decades.

    [–]magnora7 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    On the plus side, most people now have been exposed to a forum before, so it's more now a problem of migrating cultures, rather than people just learning what a forum is for the first time. Which was the case for the the usenet September 1993 example that created the phrase "Eternal September" after AOL came in to existence and flooded usenet.

    Now it's people who have forum experience migrating to other forums. Which has positives and negatives. People are more sophisticated in their understandings of forums in general, but also some people bring bad habits from other low-quality forums.

    [–]BravoVictor 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    That's the problem with every social media website. Adults have jobs, families and other responsibilities that keep them from "hanging out" online all day. Kids on the other hand, have more time than they know what to do with. Especially over the last few months.

    [–]msteacherlady 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    And so do NEETs. Just sitting in their momma's basement with their cat ears on smashing "uwu, choke terfs" all day.

    [–]BravoVictor 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    And today I learned what a "NEET" is. Kind of like what we in the US call a "welfare queen".

    [–]magnora7 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Reddit is shills leading children around like a literal pied-piper culture. The more clearly I see this, the more disturbing it becomes.

    [–]bagano1 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    The biggest problem is that many of them don't disclose this. That or they are adults and they are clueless about reality. It happens.

    [–]pequenoloco 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Nah, I can't remember his name, but that lunatic boomer who comments on literally EVERY SINGLE TRUMP TWEET is also a an r/politics user. He's somehow even worse than average for that sub, since he inflects the standard anti-Trump lunacy with condescending boomer sage 'wisdom' on us youngins.

    [–]scamp 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

    I think redditards like to downvote enthusiastically because it gives a feeling of power. simple as xx

    [–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Unfunny Memes. About half the front page is unfunny memes. I think it all comes from the massive proportion of the site thats under 18. Most of these memes are sterile, lowest common denominator shit, that appeals to everyone. Because when a sub gets massive, it has to appeal to everyone. This leads to memes that require no though, no introspection, and no prior knowledge. I don't think I've seen a funny thing on a reddit meme sub in months.

    This is what i've been saying exactly... just stop with memes ffs... it just attracts kids. Kids like lazy stuff.

    [–]Riva 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

    Remember the cum box?

    Or the old Reddit switcheroo?

    Or April fools Day battles.

    Now it's just awful. Maybe more people will see now what it's become.

    [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

    That doesn't even feel like that long ago. Crazy how much things can change in a few years.

    [–]DooDooButt 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Lol, I have tried real hard to forget the cum box. Thanks. Also, remember The Button? All the madness that a simple button created?

    [–]Riva 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    oh, i remember the button. Such crazy social experiments.

    Ever read 'the player of games'?

    [–]jelliknight 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I agree with #1, whenever i have tried to venture into a political space it's just a bunch of people quoting catchphrases at each other, and reassuring each other that their team is the greatest and can do no wrong.

    [–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Maybe it would help to have more region-specific areas as the site grows. There's already /s/USPolitics, for example, I'd encourage people to use it.

    And perhaps keep in mind more that we're discussing things with an international audience when we're not on regional subs.

    Your explanation of the forced positivity stuff makes sense, I really like it sometimes and I don't like it sometimes but it's a little difficult to explain why I don't like it. So it's nice to hear that perspective.

    [–]Tarrock 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I remember 4-6 years ago when SRS was a joke to everyone. Now the entire site is SRS.

    [–]magnora7 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Welcome to saidit! I definitely can relate to your points, reddit is a very frustrating place these days. We hope saidit can be better.

    [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    I just hope it doesnt go the way of voat. I hope that the left-wingers that also came here will help balance it out.

    [–]hylia 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    OMG wholesome posts are so annoying now. I hate how everyone pretends to be happy unless youre trying to milk for karma. r/happy is a cesspool.