"This is a social experiment."

[Feytalist]

"The first time you see this in a signature, put it in your own signature and add one to the number. This is a social experiment."

I'm referring of course to this Generation X business you see in people's signatures. I've always wondered exactly when and why this started. And what exactly is this social experiment?

I'm always amused to see how long this has been going on, considering the... short attention span of the internet. I've recently seen Generation 18 somewhere, and I remember back in the day seeing Generation 2 (this was about 2000, I think). That would have been the first iteration, assuming the progenitor(s) started with Generation 1.

So, anyone know what this is all about? Maybe someone was just bored someday and started this off. But I've always been interested in seeing this progress.

[THAC0]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

[Heliomance]

Then you get the subversions , like "the first time you see this, multiply by two, add the digits together, and divide by pi". Or "the first time you see this, ignore it completely."

[Feytalist]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

There are a few with those in their signatures on these forums. Krazzman for instance (sorry Krazzman, I saw a post by you just now, heh). A quick search turned up two others: Omeganaut and Byzantine. You can check their profiles for a reference. The Succubus has an amusing version.


Then you get the subversions , like "the first time you see this, multiply by two, add the digits together, and divide by pi". Or "the first time you see this, ignore it completely."

Those are obviously based on the original version, and are iterations of their own. Hence the social experiment.

The "experiment" is to see how long this can be kept going, I think, as well as an indication of how long the poster has been using the internet. I'm wondering if anyone actually knows more about this.

[llamamushroom]

I've always been confused by it as a "social experiment", largely because the first one I ever saw was a generation 2, and the next one (later in the same thread) was gen 18 - if I had obeyed, I would have been out by at least 15, probably more. So... yeah.

[The Succubus]

I think my own signature neatly surmises the problem.

[Heliomance]

The first time you see this: If the generation number is even, divide it by two. If the generation number is odd, multiply by 3 and add 1.

[Feytalist]

I think my own signature neatly surmises the problem.

Heh, you replied. I was hoping you might :smalltongue:

But see, by having the Generation thing as their signatures, people are overcoming that apathy and actually participating. And, ironically, so did you :smallbiggrin:

That's perhaps another facet of the "experiment" (if there even is one). Seeing how many people will take part.

[Rawhide]

Someone at some point decided to try to create a meme. This is not a social experiment and there is absolutely zero ways in which it can be tracked effectively.

[The Succubus]

Yup. As a social experiment, it's failed spectacularly. As a meme, it's doing well.

My "social experiment" on the other hand, is going splendidly. I haven't seen it in anyone else's signature, thus supporting my hypothesis that people really don't give a monkey's about "social experiments". :smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

[H Birchgrove]

At least it doesn't try to guilt me, like those chain-mails about some kid having some problem at some place, giving me no source whatsoever for this, and when I point out that there is nothing I can do about it, the latest poster calls me a mean meanie-meanie. :smallannoyed::smallsigh:

[The Underlord]

I believe someone started Countdown to Zombiee apocalypes on these very forums. Cant remember who it was.

[Haruki-kun]

It's possible someone BELIEVED s/he was starting a "social experiment", i.e., "Let's see if I find someone in 10 years with a much higher number" or something like that. I don't think it was a FORMAL social experiment...

[enderlord99]

Mine's funniest. I think.

[Lord Raziere]

yea, first time I saw one of those I just said "yeah….. you are going to be very disappointed with that in a few years." a few years later, I am right

and is the experiment even going on anymore? for all we know whoever put it out forgot about it and never checked back. was s/he making an experiment to see if it would become a meme? or if people would catch it like a meme and get a higher number?

instead the person got a bunch of thing parodying the experiment and poking fun at it, and yea probably not formal at all, especially when you release to the wide wide net with all its crazy uncontrolled variables running around. not very good in my opinion, and I wonder what the point of it even was.

[llamamushroom]

Ok, this is probably just my mind going in weird ways, but Lord Raziere, your post reminded me of... some kind of philosophy. Possibly absurdism... the one where either god is dead, or has abandoned creation...

[PirateMonk]

Yup. As a social experiment, it's failed spectacularly. As a meme, it's doing well.

My "social experiment" on the other hand, is going splendidly. I haven't seen it in anyone else's signature, thus supporting my hypothesis that people really don't give a monkey's about "social experiments". :smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

*Ahem* :smalltongue:

(For the benefit of anyone reading this after I change my signature:


Generation Meh. If you see this just ignore it completely. This is an attempt to prove The Succubus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12194598&postcount=10) wrong.

)

[Lord Raziere]

Ok, this is probably just my mind going in weird ways, but Lord Raziere, your post reminded me of... some kind of philosophy. Possibly absurdism... the one where either god is dead, or has abandoned creation...

I do don't believe in god, and I do have a philosophy where balance, imperfection, change and chaos all exist to keep the world from being destroyed by perfection and purity, or at least the seeking thereof, and it said philosophy is based heavily on doubt….

so its probably just my inner philosopher/speculator leaking out again. whats absurdism? I'll go google it.

edit: looked it up. I like it, has many similarities to my philosophy. accepting that the world is absurd? I accepted that a long time ago while I watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

might have some disagreements with it though, will have to look at it more.

[Howler Dagger]

I believe someone started Countdown to Zombiee apocalypes on these very forums. Cant remember who it was.

That would be me.

When I firsted signed up, I wanted some sort of generation thing in my sig. But I though: "Well, the standar de/generation are lame, how about an apocalypse!"

And thus Countdown to Zombie Apocalypes was born. It hsa been quite succesfull, I have seen the number get to 97, and a spin off, by fizzlybobnewt( which was deleted from his sig.), which Countdown to Zombie Apocalypse 3: When you first see this, copy it into your signature and add one. Because I am an optimist.

Grantedm Im not prentending that its a social expeirement.

[PirateMonk]

accepting that the world is absurd? I accepted that a long time ago while I watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

Absurd by what standard? Wouldn't it be better to say that many people have unreasonable expectations for the world which make it look absurd?

Maybe we should start a new thread for this...

[Lord Raziere]

Absurd by what standard? Wouldn't it be better to say that many people have unreasonable expectations for the world which make it look absurd?

Maybe we should start a new thread for this...

Very well, how about one called "On Absurdism"?

[PirateMonk]

Very well, how about one called "On Absurdism"?

Sure.

*Runs off to read more about Absurdism*

[Feytalist]

So I guess the answer is "no-one knows". Cool. I get the feeling I should have maybe asked this question about 8 years ago. Heh.

Thing is, I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. As a meme or as an experiment, formal or informal. And it hasn't died out yet, which is quite a long time for a silly little message to last.

Then again, this is the internet. To paraphrase my quotebox, we're all insane simply for being here.

[Heliomance]

Can't find it on knowyourmeme.com, which surprises me.

[Knight9910]

Let me tell you kids about social experiments on the internet.

Back when I first got started internetting I created a persona who would troll one of the message boards I was on, then when everyone hated him he would apologize and try to become respected. My goal was to see how people would react. Back then I thought social experiments were cool.

Later, when I was an admin at that message board one of our members started telling people he was a neo-nazi, again, to see how they'd react. This is when I discovered that 100% of all social experiments are done by mad-scientist wannabes who have more curiosity than ambition or empathy.

Later still, a guy griefed City of Heroes players in one of the PvP zones for weeks on end. After finally getting his account deleted he wrote a paper claiming it was all an experiment and that they'd fallen right into his trap. This is when I realized that only 10% of social experiments are done by mad-scientist wannabes. The other 90% of social experiments are claimed to be such after the fact, by pricks who did bad things and are trying to get away with it.

[LaZodiac]

So if I understand this correctly this is the hipster version of "Number that is high Percent of people have/haven't done negative/positive thing, if you are one of the Number that is low Percent of people, post this in your sig" stuff.

Right?

[Feytalist]

Heh, if this was done by a griefer, he went about it in a very strange and ineffective manner.

Actually, I think it's the opposite of an exclusivity thing. It seems to be "I'm a part of this thing, are you?"

[The Succubus]

You might even say that this very thread.....

:smallcool:

...is a social experiment. Awwwww yeeeeeeeah.

[Asta Kask]

"The first time you see this in a signature, turn off your computer, go outside and get a life. This is a social experiment."

[Teddy]

I think the best "social experiment" I've seen was with a highly complex complex number (as in a+bi, but with more annoying numbers). What you were supposed to do was something along "square it and add c", with the obvious intent of no one bothering to do so. The catch was that some month later I saw one who actually had done exactly that and put it in his signature with the tacked on note "You thought no one would pick up on that one, didn't you?" (or somewhere along those lines). :smallbiggrin:

[Kjata]

"The first time you see this in a signature, turn off your computer, go outside and get a life. This is a social experiment."

It's 3 in the morning, and I don't live in the best of neighborhoods. You trying to get me robbed?

[Asta Kask]

Yes. It's also an experiment in Darwinian selection.

[Feytalist]

One that will depopulate the internet, it seems. Do you really want that? :smallbiggrin: