Cheap Treat
Doug Kimball ·
April 27, 2012 at 9:43pm
Ricochet has a very, very low protective wall which consists of two very small bricks, but these bricks are sufficient to keep the barbarians at the gate. Yes, I’m talking about our latte sized monthly fee and our code of conduct. Quite frankly, if Ricochet did not require any fee and simply asked for contributions, it would likely raise significantly more money. And as for the code of conduct – the Ricochetoise don’t really need it. Never has there been a more congenial, polite, respectful group. Our two little bricks are not there for us. Without our little wall, I’m sure the left would invade our conversation and attempt a hijacking. Deterred by the cost of a coffee and a promise to be civil. Amazing.
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: Cheap Treat
AGREE!!!
Jun '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Perfect post, Doug. Nicely stated.
"Deterred by the cost of a coffee and a promise to be civil."
Yes, truly Amazing.
Dec '11
Re: Cheap Treat
Doug, what keyboard brand are you using? I need to get me one of those.
Great post!
Nov '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Yes! Like! Agree!
:)
Jul '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Larry Koler:
"Deterred by the cost of a coffee and a promise to be civil."
· 4 hours ago
It needed requoting.
Ricochet's Line of the Week
May '10
Re: Cheap Treat
By the way, how's business? Hope all is going well.
Dec '10
Re: Cheap Treat
When you're drunk on your virtue, face down in the gutter, it's pretty hard to get over the curb, let alone a two-high brick wall. There isn't enough coffee on the planet.
Mar '11
Re: Cheap Treat
Doug Kimball
Our two little bricks are not there for us.
I'm not so sure.
Obviously, the paywall exerts a large negative selection force on loudmouths. But don't discount the positive selection: the entrance fee is an attraction to those who are looking for genuinely engaging conversation. And paying for Ricochet also gives us an incentive to contribute our best, if for no other reason than to get a good return on our investment.
Dec '11
Re: Cheap Treat
I'm just adding my agreement.
Jun '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Mendel
... the positive selection: the entrance fee is an attraction to those who are looking for genuinely engaging conversation. And paying for Ricochet also gives us an incentive to contribute our best, if for no other reason than to get a good return on our investment.
Isn't this true.
Mendel, you are a deep old file. (Captain Aubrey term.)
Feb '11
Re: Cheap Treat
Are there any stats on CoC rejections?
Oct '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Kenneth
Dec '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Kinda miss him.
Oh, and I agree completely with the original post. Even places where you are required to have a username/password to post--National Review--tend to have nasty comment sections. Heaven help the person who looks at Youtube comments...
I'd gladly pay more than my current fee. Frankly, I'd pay the fee just for the pod casts.
Best few dollars I spend all month.
Note: I am not advocating for price hikes ;)
Edited on April 27, 2012 at 9:47pmNov '10
Re: Cheap Treat
I've actually been a member for some time, but being a Mormon, I should have asked: What's the price of a grande hot chocolate at the flagship Starbuck's?
Aug '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Hmmm. I went to his profile page and he hasn't posted since Jul 2011 - just ended, and there was only 1 CoC violation in the final comment thread.
I find it hard to fathom he had been booted (assuming I am not reading into the earlier comment #11 and the reply #12.)
Has anyone tried to DM him via twitter?
Edited on April 27, 2012 at 10:01pmAug '10
Re: Cheap Treat
$2.45? link to the google search here.
Sep '10
Re: Cheap Treat
What took so long for this post to get promoted? I'm shocked. Hey all you lurkers, sign up! You are missing one of the best parts of Ricochet. The Member Feed! Come see what's behind the wall! My posts for example! Rescue me from those who refer to themselves as RINO's! (How can you label yourself a RINO?) Only a few bucks to find out!
Oct '10
Re: Cheap Treat
I spent $8 at Starbucks this morning. The whole time I was there I was thinking what a steal my Ricochet membership is.
Jul '10
Re: Cheap Treat
Oh, the CoC is needed at times, but I think the fact it is there makes people think twice before popping off like you see on other sites. This site is also well moderated, and that makes a world of difference, too.
Nov '10
Re: Cheap Treat
The psychology of Ricochet's "cheaply purchased" civility and high-calibre content is interesting to ponder.
First, there is some effort justification--a form of cognitive dissonance (basically, rationalization). I have invested at least some minimal $X in Ricochet. Hence, I will justify the decision by investing time and effort in Ricochet. I will enter long-term constructive, rather than short-term destructive, comments, consistent with my commitment, however minimal.
Second, there is my knowledge that everyone else on Ricochet has done the same, and so has on average the same expectations I have. I know that a norm of civility applies, and very quickly see it being applied, reinforcing this a priori realization. So, even if I feel like making a short-term destructive comment, I would stay my hand, to embody the norm. I would also hesitate to make everyone else disvalue me for ruining what they have invested in.
Third, there is a Darwinian sieve in operation. Only those people who care about civil discussion are going to bother investing in the first place. So, it is more than just the effect of paying the fee itself: it is the type of people who are prepared to.