Stack Exchange: A network of Q&A sites for miserable fucks whom take rules too seriously and are devoid of a sense of humour and/or fun, where questions that attempt to inject some of it get not just closed, but deleted. I found that out, to my annoyance and disappointment, when I went to post an answer/comment on my own question about the logic of Discworld's universe (specifically Unseen University and magic). Surely, the only person whom should be able to delete a question is the OP, but that's Web 2.0 for you ... That's particularly unfortunate for the SciFi & Fantasy site, since escapist entertainment is surely a large part of the genre's raison d'être, AFAIK. If you told me that SE is now owned by Donald Trump or Mark Zuckerborg (two notably humourless fucks), I wouldn't be surprised.
Comic by Chris Madden (2022/09/06), whom doesn't find people enjoying and sharing his comics funny, apparently ...
"People (particularly politicians) tend to mistake seriousness for solemnity. They're not the same thing. We can have a serious conversation in which I still crack jokes."
— John Cleese; Comedian
“To protect the public health, the Department of Regulated Civil Seriousness (DORCS) immediately bans any remaining sense-of-humor. Prohibitions include any outward display of mirth, levity, cheerfulness, glee, gaiety, hilarity, or merriment. Prohibited manifestations of a sense-of-humor include but are not limited to the following actions: laugh, giggle, guffaw, cackle, snicker, tee-hee, woo-hoo, grin, snortle, chortle, titter, whoop, hoot, holler, snort, smirk, chuckle, and hee-haw. DORCS officials warn that in addition to criminal penalties, violators can expect dour looks, shameful glances, and virtue-signaling.”
— Duncan Banner; Officially Banned: A Sense of Humor
That's one of the reasons I seldom visit the sites on it. The other is that the inclusion of questionable/sketchy library code in its pages (stuff like analytics, fingerprinting and tracking code) makes me leery of it and causes me to avoid using it if I can help it. Anyway, I stated as much in its annual survey (particularly regarding how I feel regarding its decision to incorporate AI: I'm not impressed and even less inclined to use the network further, as well as if I feel like a member of the community: No, I don't).
Jeff, I am still disappoint! I'd rather use Lazy Fox, although it's still tiny and lacks many of the features that made SE popular/useful in the past. I'm hoping that will change. At least the reward for using it is crypto (BCH or XNO, I can't recall), not meaningless reputation points.
"Hello, officer? I'd like to report a joke!"
— Jimmy Kimmel, in response to a tweet by Marjorie Taylor Green, calling on police to arrest him for taking the mickey out of her
Why so serious? When did SE turn into FB? Fucking hell, folks! Loosen up a bit and stop being so bloody Prussian!
"All jokes are now banned because they may be offensive to people without a sense of humour."
— Ricky Gervais on Twitter; 2016/02/15
Ah, I've got it now. Thanks, Mr. Gervais. Still, I feel ill at ease there, in that new dispensation ... Perhaps it is time to delete my account(s) and not look back.
Software developers (and scifi/fantasy fans; there seems to be considerable overlap in that Venn diagram) are generally outsiders to communities, but I feel like an outsider to one of the Web's biggest communities. Then again, I have difficulty relating to humans in general; "they're not my sort of people", to borrow a stupid phrase. Cthulhu knows, developing, debugging and testing software can be an endeavor certainly devoid of fun or mirth at times. If we're not allowed to seek it in our communities (including those for clarification on certain aspects our extracurricular SIGs), where shall I turn? Do I have to amuse myself again? Maybe it's time to reread the tales of the BOFH and archives of Scary Devil Monastery (or Pratchett's Raising Steam, which is where I stopped reading Discworld novels)...
I do miss Sir Pratchett's writing, chock full of his refreshingly warped way of looking at the world. GNU Terry Pratchett. I'm just glad he didn't live to see Brexit or the Trump presidency, although I'm sure he would have had a field day with them and we'd get more stories involving Nuggan's lunatic views.
