Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Why Did You Join Ricochet?
I know, I know: broken record time. But here’s the problem: we here at Ricochet HQ know why we love Ricochet. And from the rate of returning and renewing members (which, just so you know, is what someone in the member/subscription business called “stratospherically high”) we know that our members love it, too.
So here’s my question: why did you join? What triggered you to sign up and join this excellent community?
Because our problem is this: we have, across all of our podcasts, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of listeners. And we have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of unique web visitors. We — all of us — are bigger than MSNBC. Seriously.
But we have vastly fewer members.
And that’s okay — really, it is. We’re not tottering on the verge of collapse, I promise.
But we’d like to grow our membership. Just a little bit. A few thousand new members would be a very big deal to us.
So: when you joined, what pushed you over the edge?
(And I’d be roasted alive at the next management meeting if I didn’t also add: if you haven’t joined yet, what are you waiting for?)
(And also: Hey! Sign up for The Daily Shot! It’s open to all, even non-members, because we don’t think you’ll be a non-member for long…)
Published in General
I had meant to get around to it for months…but I hadn’t…and then “boom” the free 30-day membership popped up and I signed up right then for it. After 30 days, I was completely hooked on the member feed….then I made a comment and no one said “idiot, why are you commenting?” So I decided it was worth it and I actually followed through and signed up…and for me, the follow-through is the trick…my execution skills are weak.
The reason I renewed is because of the podcasts (the only reason I exercise) and the meet-ups.
The reason I promote to others to join is the quality of the posts, the “local news” aspect of stories your wouldn’t hear otherwise, and the respect and quality of the comments.
I found Ricochet via a virus. The virus is called iTunes.
It happened one day while I was at work and searching for new podcasts to listen to and I stumbled across some of the first Rico-casts with Mark Steyn. Soon thereafter, Mark blew up while guest-hosting the Rush Limbaugh show with Jesse Jackson protective underpants for President Obama.
I anticipate a similar explosion for James Lileks at some point.
Because you provided me with quality infotainment and deserved to be paid for it.
I don’t even recall how I found Ricochet. I do remember why I joined, however. After reading just one or two main feed articles I was hooked. Then I thought “why not sign up, it’s only 40 bucks?” And I’d get to read stuff written by a huge number of wise folks who I would never have heard of if I didn’t join. Plus, I got to read the intelligent, funny, and sometimes even sweet member feed articles. It was like a seduction. But, as they say, you can’t really seduce the willing.
I signed up for a Thatcher a few weeks ago, primarily for the coffee cup(-:, but mostly because I want Rico to grow and prosper. So, people, sign up. You’ll not do better anywhere else.
Plus, where else will you see a world class scholar like Paul Rahe write about high heel shoes?
Dave Carter, DocJay, Dime, and the maturity of the members and their comments. I can’t listen to the podcasts, so completely dependent upon the quality of the discussions.
“Maturity” is really the first thing you thought of after DocJay and Dime?
The podcast, definitely the podcast.
But then I was drawn to the remarkably sane dialogue between members and the (rare in this world) remarkably sane posts by the contributors…I’d finally found a place that thought about politics and the world in much the same way I did.
And to boot, without the fanatics and howl at the moon types you see elsewhere.
Although, I’m sure we at Ricochet indulge our howling needs from time to time :-)
I came for the podcasts and stayed for the comments.
No, really, the podcasts are the raison d’etre. For some it might be blogging, but for me a few others, it’s the podcasts.
Why the podcasts? Because they are funny, also interesting and informative. But mainly funny. And we need a break after 150 years of Obama.
I joined because Rob Long told me to. On all the podcasts. The ones that I stumbled across because I frequent National Review Online.
I was getting such value out of the podcasts that I wanted to support their production. Which is unusual for me, as I’m the kind of person that doesn’t make more coffee when the office pot is empty; or give $3 to Wikipedia, or NPR, or the local symphony.
As I recall, this was more of a motivator than the actual services that Ricochet provides.
However, to appease my inner free rider, I remain a Calvin Coolidge member.
I signed up because Mark Steyn was advertised as a regular for the Ricochet Podcast! I have stayed because of all the other contributors and the lack of snark. Best deal in the world.
Steyn-Goldberg-Long was important to me, too.
I joined to hear Mark Steyn speak.
Don’t remember how we stumbled into the fold, but find that we are hooked. The commentaries, both by the editors and members, give us reason to believe that there is a constituency remaining in America who still believe that their lives and words matter.
Also, in our case, especially, we have seen true Christian charity at work, and are blessed in knowing that not all of those who care claim Christianity as their religion.
God is at work here in many ways.
We had this conversation over bisque at our recent Ricburgh Meetup. I can’t remember exactly but basically it boiled down to being part of a conversation above the news.
Talking to real life people is tedious. People, even those I agree with, have rarely reached their opinion. They’ve just internalized one. And so you just go around in circles about the topic of the moment. Here we discussed ideas. It was fascinating.
Also, I care about saving the country and this concept is really powerful. Ideas having sex. Ordinary people sharing ideas that just might change the course of history.
One day many years ago, while following my usual selection of blogs and news sites, I was given a link to a new podcast. It turned out to be the very first Ricochet podcast, and I have listened to every single one ever since. At that time it was available from a web-site that said “coming soon”, both on the site and in the bookmark. In fact, I think my bookmark for the site was “Ricochet, coming soon” all the way up until Ricochet 2.0 was released. Anyway, I got such great enjoyment from the podcast and the site, when it was finally implemented, that I was one of your charter members and signed up as soon as I was given the opportunity.
I still find the site and podcast enjoyable and very educational and I think it’s worth every penny that I pay for the subscription, even if I don’t take advantage of the posting ability that much. It’s one of the very few sites I’ve visited where the comments on the posts are often as much or more informative than the posts themselves!
For spite.
I was a long time reader of National Review because of Buckley.
When they started NRO, I followed that.
That’s where I found Uncommon Knowledge, with Peter Robinson.
Ricochet was advertised nearby.
I immediately liked the concept: an internet site that allows writing contributions from the general public, but insists on a Code-of-Conduct. In effect, Ricochet made the general public its writing staff. I loved the idea that I could have a stockpile of things to read, without being forced to follow … let’s face it … the clannish, in-house opinions of the professional writing class, who have to justify their j-school education. Instead, I could read from professionals who just enjoyed writing, and took the time to fashion coherent arguments based on their experience. Instead of listening to half-wit journalists who ask a couple interview questions and then pretend to be experts on everything, I could hear it from the professionals themselves – writing out a love for their topic or their country or their faith. They wrote, basically in their spare time, not to impress or make money, but to converse about the things they were interested in.
It was a place to read interesting people without the “blogger” or “journalist” baggage. Just people. Mostly, I’ve found that.
Some member posts get promoted to the main feed, which is akin to the editors declaring that a normal person has written a post worth talking about. That’s a clever dynamic, if you think about it. It’s a way to accomplish real journalism without all the … you know … bratty journalists.
I joined to get access to the Goldberg, Steyn, Lileks podcast. (I think those were the headliners…) It had 1 episode. Let me reiterate; 1 episode. That’s how good the rest of the content is. Even though I got totally gypped of my sole reason for joining, I’ve stuck around ever since. However, to show my displeasure, I’m only a Calvin Coolidge level member.
If you want more members, I suggest making more GLoP. Much, much more. Once a month is not cutting it, Gentlemen.
I lurked for years — three? four? five? — listening to the podcast and reading the main feed.
Then one day, someone said or wrote something wrong, so I had to join in order to comment. I figured there was little risk — I could cancel in a month if I didn’t like it. And then I got hooked on the member feed.
The monthly cost is no longer the price of a cup at Starbucks, but it’s not much more. And I get to hang out with friends and discuss politics every day.
It’s been four years since I signed on so I don’t rightly recall what prompted pulling the trigger exactly. But it probably had something to do with the fact that James Lileks was on board. Any project he’s involved with is likely to be worth throwing a few shekels at. Sure enough, worth every penny!
Well, I’ll go ahead and wreak some havoc here!
I joined because I loved the posts from the Evil Kenneth, Lady K, Charlotte and Michael Labeit.
I continue to re-up because I like those Chix on the PIT, and certain members who post on books, business, and sports. (You know who y’all are.)
Also, many Xs and Os go to Yeti who has exercised unbelievable patience and diligence in solving my technical difficulties. (I also appreciate his excellent taste in music for the podcasts.)
I found the Ricochet Podcast on the NationalReview.com site several years back and listened to it fairly regularly. At some point later I decided to actually check out Ricochet.com and thought it was a neat site, but still didn’t join. I don’t know how long I listened to the podcast, but eventually I was suckered into, er, reasonably convinced to get some skin in the game and paid for a Ricochet membership (back when we only had one kind).
For years before ever finding Ricochet.com I was on some private motorcycle forums and stayed there, because there were some rules and some requirements for decency amongst the membership that made the chatting enjoyable. The Code of Conduct here provided a similar, but even better environment here, which helped pull me in beyond Rob’s longsuffering pitches to get some skin in the game. Although I mostly comment, I’ve enjoyed my time here and even became a Thatcher member to help ensure that Troy and The Blue Yeti don’t find themselves homeless during yet another year of national financial recovery.
I first heard of Ricochet on Facebook. Either someone I followed shared the link or it came up because I posted/read/argued conservative issues on Facebook. I listened to the pre-opening podcasts because they had Mark Steyn, Jonah Goldberg, etc. I kept listening until the official release, and then refused to join because why would I pay for something when I can just read it for free.
I still can’t remember to this day what article it was, but I saw some main feed article I just had to comment on it. In fact, I had to comment enough that I was willing to fork over the $3.50+ just to comment. Now a paying member, I was determined to get my money’s worth and stuck around.
I’m also addicted to likes and getting my articles promoted. Happens rarely enough, but when it does it’s so satisfying. I’m a recognition junkie.
National Review>NRO>Uncommon Knowledge>Ricochet Podcast. Listened to that for about a year (?) before joining.
What made me make the jump was the intelligent and often very funny comments, which I couldn’t join in on. Also, there were a few titles of posts in the sidebar that were…very tantalizing, especially things put up by this DocJay guy. I’ve been here about 18 months.
I found my way here via NRO. I was a fairly regular 3 Martini Lunch listener and then one day there was this odd podcast with three guys in an even odder photoshop. I think I signed up within a week or two.
For the marketing folks, here’s a data point for an unasked question: if you forced me to choose between keeping my ability to comment, or listening to the podcasts, I’d choose to keep the podcasts every time. Great stuff.
I think it was December 2010 (that nifty little data point goes missing from under our avatars in R2.0). My blog had gone dormant for long stretches. There are only so many “outrage of the day” posts one can read or write about the Obama administration.
And then, I discovered Ricochet via NRO (I think) and learned a membership would give me posting privileges. Well, that was tempting. I’d never really developed a large following for my blog, but felt more people had a right to my opinion (heh). Still, I delayed.
Finally someone put up a provocative post on which I simply had to comment! As in, was compelled by force! I paid my Starbuck’s cup of coffee monthly rate and never looked back.
Thanks for the forum, fellowship, and all the fun, fellas! It’s been a great four years with this intelligent, stylish (that’s for you, Troy), informative, civilized, thoughtful, witty community. I’m looking forward to the next forty years.
This tale might have a grown a few inches in the telling:
I found Ricochet via NRO -another Steyn-Goldberg-Long follower. I was a poor graduate student at the time, so I didn’t sign up. It must have been in August of 2011 -wow, that was a long time ago -because I saw Paul Rahe’s post about going to APSA in Seattle, and so I planned to go see his panel.
And he scared the bejesus out of me. He’s a very intense person when he’s arguing. I don’t even remember what he was arguing about, but I just kinda hid in the back of the room.
A full year later, when I finally landed a job, Rahe had a post that included the “click here, get your 30 day trial” so I signed up.
I commented a lot at first. My life has gotten appreciably more complicated since so, I comment less. But I do enjoy reading the member feed and making the occasional bon mote. I also find that, having a said a lot before, I have less to say now.
I’m less motivated by the desire to get on the front page than I used to be. Mostly, if I have something to say, I just want to say it. Getting comments is mostly just a bonus. And I don’t have to maintain my own blog. So there’s that.
Speaking of which does the coffee mug just magically appear because I didn’t give any shipping info or anything…….just wondering :-)
I received an unsolicited email from an obscure member of the Nigerian royal family. He instructed me to come here, enter my credit card number, and wait. I keep checking my inbox for wire transfer instructions but, so far, nothing.