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2004 sats \ 58 comments \ @Undisciplined 7h AskSN

I've asked this question before, but it continues to perplex me.

This community is clearly highly selected and has maintained it's current fairly small size for a long time. And yet, I can't pin down what trait, or combination of traits, makes Stacker News resonate with us when it doesn't with so many others.

Obviously, we are all interested in bitcoin. So are innumerably more people on nostr and X, though, who aren't finding their way here.

We are also mostly people who like learning and having conversations with smart people. However, that's also something many others on alternative platforms claim to want and, despite not finding it, they don't come here.

So, what is it that Darth and Sensei and Blok and the rest of our collection of misfits share that's unique to us?

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145 sats \ 7 replies \ @Aardvark 6h

For me personally, it's a combination. I have a lot to learn, and there's some really good teachers here. Combined with the fact that I like tedium. Owning a territory and tracking a bunch of shit in a spreadsheet falls right into my wheelhouse as far as hobbies go.

42 sats \ 6 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

I doubt it's the defining trait, but I bet Stackers do have an unusual number of spreadsheets open.

42 sats \ 5 replies \ @Aardvark 5h

I'm guessing it's a pretty individual thing. I would be interested to see results of some sort of survey though. I would happily spend time filling one out, although stackers do love their anonymity so good luck getting a lot of participants.

42 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 5h

I'm guessing it's a pretty individual thing

I agree, but that's part of what confuses me. How can Stacker News be something that appeals to so few people, but does so in a wide variety of ways?

62 sats \ 3 replies \ @Aardvark 5h

Maybe the common theme is that we all have thick enough skin. There's some real assholes around here, and it's a small community.

Being a fresh face was a little intimidating for me at first. I'm just some random asshole and SN is full of incredibly smart people. Under those circumstances, it doesn't take a whole lot of abuse to feel like you aren't welcome here.

42 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 5h

I suspect that's a big part of it. I also wonder how important those guard dogs are to the community we enjoy.

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42 sats \ 0 replies \ @Coinsreporter 5h

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309 sats \ 2 replies \ @Scoresby 7h

I still can't get over zapping and getting zapped. No other place on the internet has it so built-in. By far my preferred way to interact with people online. It's the zaps.

144 sats \ 0 replies \ @BlokchainB 4h

Every day I get to use lightning is a blessed day! I’m trying to be the change I want to see in the world so I focus my time energy and sats to doing so!

102 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

I can well believe that appreciating zaps is a manifestation of whatever unifies us.

What traits allow us to appreciate zaps, though? It doesn't seem to be obviously correlated with anything I can identify.

162 sats \ 2 replies \ @siggy47 3h

Scoresby zapping and getting zapped.
For the most part, I don't think we enjoy being assholes online. On other platforms people seem to only be there to fight and insult others.

64 sats \ 0 replies \ @unschooled 1h

Scoresby zapping and getting zapped.

i'm glad for this too. sn legend.

36 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 2h

Even those who do enjoy being assholes here mostly seem to value the substantive content.

141 sats \ 3 replies \ @WeAreAllSatoshi 7h

I think in simple terms, we are collectively sick of and/or over the current “system” - whether that be the governmental systems, the fiat money system, the social media system, whatever it means to you.

50 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

I suppose those are messed up in a bunch of different ways, which creates a bunch of different paths to SN.

This is a very encouraging hypothesis, since it should mean many more stackers are out there.

49 sats \ 1 reply \ @WeAreAllSatoshi 6h

I am a little afraid of what will happen when the masses end up here.

107 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

Me too. That's why I've always favored organic growth over mass outreach campaigns.

56 sats \ 1 reply \ @elvismercury 1h

A combo for me:

I can curate more successfully, block noisy people, have my own territory where people who are anti-compatible don't generally go
Btc selects for a certain inquisitive type, a certain counter-culture hunger (which can def go bad, but see above)
I can get a surprising amount of engagement, not in the "millions of followers" sense, but in the "handful of people will read me closely and talk to me" sense; it feels like a bar where I'm one of the regulars, and though I am not really known in most ways, I feel deeply known in a few
Zapping is just enough of an honest signal

It may be a smallish site, but I feel like it's still actively moving forward, really searching. Bullish on it becoming even more meaningful.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 27m

There's probably something about stackers needing to have enough patience to appreciate how powerful the feature set is.

56 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder 2h

i think it's a cross between enjoying stacking sats, old school forum vibes, and a small community vibe, like an autistic cheers

i probably wouldn't have ended up here, if not for the fact that i had seen in on some alby list, then i posted some savage comment about Germany, and then was amazed that it got some sats. It was enough to pull on the thread

49 sats \ 1 reply \ @stax 1h

Nostr feels like it's really expanding right now, with all the different interoperability between apps.

But K00b and ek have done an amazing job of making SN interoperable with Nostr, nip05 integration, note ID rendering in SN posts are the first things that spring to mind.

So eventually as a Nostrite, you notice SN links and decide to take the plunge and sign up.

Firstly you or I, navigate the landscape here and realise quickly there's a small clique that control the majority of posts.

The way to be a successful stacker is to contribute interesting, original content that piques the interest of the room.

And that's not to say, just to earn sats, but to be adopted into the stacker web of trust.

And then Darth ignores all of that and speaks the truth.

And then you learn to listen.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 28m

contribute interesting, original content that piques the interest of the room

That's a bit of an adjustment and learning process. I can imagine some people bail before they figure it out.

42 sats \ 2 replies \ @HardMoney 3h

Stacker news kinda sits in between a normie site like Reddit and a super cypherpunk social media like Nostr

Time is scarce so I guess the Nostr folks seem to enjoy that experience more and like the “self custodial” feel to the platform although the UX here is better imo (since it’s technically a centralized company with some decentralized features like bringing your own wallet)

People on Reddit probably don’t know about it and maybe eventually will migrate once they understand bitcoin better and realize the better product of earning sats for posts vs upvotes

7 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 2h

There are probably a lot of people who used to love Reddit but don't like how it's changed. They might be interested in Stacker News.

42 sats \ 0 replies \ @HardMoney 2h

Yea likely a discovery issue of them knowing about it

21 sats \ 6 replies \ @Coinsreporter 6h

Stackers are the rarest of the rare breed!

20 sats \ 5 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

Why? How?

21 sats \ 4 replies \ @Coinsreporter 6h

Why?

Because Stackers are still in thousands while Billions of people attend social media daily.

How?

Stackers zap and are being zapped on v4v.

20 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

On what trait are we so bizarre that there are only hundreds of us?

49 sats \ 2 replies \ @Coinsreporter 5h

I think you've not realised that we're now growing faster than ever or since I logged in 1.5 years ago. I believe it's not far when we'll start seeing thousands of us.

Talking about traits it's not us but the UI design of SN is not attractive to those who are still staying away from SN, or the incentives are not at par with other platforms like X or YT. On top of this the concept of Pay-to-post is not yet very popular and often misinterpreted or understood.

If I may ask you where else do you see millions of us or like us?

Other than SN I visit X and afaik there aren't more than a thousand of real Bitcoiners who believe in the fundamentals of it. Others are just fiat maxis, shitcoiners, or those who just make noise.

To prove above statements, I wanna add that I've a knack of following who call themselves Bitcoiners on X but unfortunately it happens so often that I have to unfollow many of them finding that they don't know why Bitcoin.

34 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 5h

I definitely don't see millions of potential stackers anywhere, but there are plenty of people (maybe dozens) who I interact with regularly on nostr and seem like they'd fit in here. For some reason it doesn't resonate with them, though.

Even a dozen new stackers who are significant contributors would be very noticeable.

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63 sats \ 5 replies \ @unschooled 7h

Maybe verbosity?

Other communities you alluded to incentivize "fitting in" (touched on briefly here #1035258) but the zapping structure on SN tends to reward careful, meaningful engagement.

131 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Good point. There probably are a lot of people who claim to want a community like this, but are actually very uncomfortable with their ideas being challenged by people who don't fit into obvious boxes.

49 sats \ 3 replies \ @unschooled 7h

i'd be willing to bet, if i met if i met the prominent stackers irl, i'd find they are the type that never are self-assured, and never shut up once you get them going, and i mean that lovingly. i'd love to be proven wrong though. SN meetup?

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @unschooled 6h

Sorry this should have read:

... i'd find they are the type that ~~never~~ are self-assured, and never shut up once you get them going,

22 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

never shut up once you get them going

The "once you get them going" is probably important. People with a lot to say, who are somewhat reserved about saying it.

49 sats \ 0 replies \ @unschooled 1h

actually, that is an important point.

i came across SN while researching nostr (i stll remember the post actually), but i stuck around because the territory structure appealed to me more than just shouting into the void of countless obscure relays.

it is too bad that there seem to be two separate camps emerging. it doesn't seem like it has to be zero sum, but that is the way people act. this division that has always perplexed me.

49 sats \ 0 replies \ @rootmachine 5h

You said it well. We are misfits in the world we live in. This is our home. We all have familiar "faces" (to be read as users) we like to see daily. And then there are the zaps.

49 sats \ 2 replies \ @LibertasBR 7h

I’ve noticed that the filter among participants is quite strict when it comes to low-quality content. There’s a high standard for content with real proof of work — showing that the person wrote it in their own words and with clarity.

In short, we — and I include myself in this — are very demanding with the posts shared here, and I have no tolerance for AI-generated junk or nonsense. I ignore shitcoin talk and even partisan or statist politics.

My goal is to learn, and because I’m aware of the high standards here, I always come here first. I slowly share what I believe I can teach when I feel I have the necessary quality for it.

7 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

There probably is an uncommon humility in listening before speaking, which would filter out those who just want to talk at an audience (or into the void).

49 sats \ 0 replies \ @LibertasBR 1h

The older folks around here show a lot of humility in sharing genuine content, no matter how simple it is — and that’s a good thing.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @jakoyoh629 5h

it's all about being super thoughtful. Sats is power, and with great power comes great responsibility.

42 sats \ 1 reply \ @SimpleStacker 6h

If I had to guess, it's knowing how to read

jk... but I think enjoying reading has gotta be a big part of it

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

It must be reading plus engagement, because we could just follow people we like on Medium or Substack to sat our appetites for reading.

42 sats \ 1 reply \ @flat24 7h

We are also mostly people who like learning and having conversations with smart people.

I think you've given on the nail.

Additionally I think the following. I love SN is a small community and without so much noise. In addition, most people do not want to configure a wallet, do not want to pay for something, and do not want to read, they just want videos and images made with ia so you see more stir in Nostr. or in normies networks (X, Ig, Tiktok 🤮)

SN

is something select, at the same time as we are the bitcoiners.

how much percentage of people on the planet they know or use bitcoin?

7 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

I started asking this question before social media was overrun with AI slop and before SN required external wallets, but those two things probably are adding to the effect.

Attention span makes sense as a dividing factor.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @Akg10s3 7h

I feel like S.N. is my comfort zone. I share my concerns, and I've learned a lot since what's published here is quite practical and educational! And it also supports the circular economy! There are days when I work or express myself in Nostr. But every day, the first place I turn to to begin my Bitcoin learning activities is here on Stackers News!

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

This is part of what puzzles me. Don't more people want a place like that?

42 sats \ 0 replies \ @Akg10s3 6h

I think the new generation of people who are introduced to Bitcoin and are arriving here want places or networks that stimulate them more visually! And not so much reading or having to draw conclusions to learn...

49 sats \ 1 reply \ @bitcoingecko 7h

I heard about this site for a while but just recently have gotten into it. Why? Hard to say. But happy I'm here! Loving it!

7 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Where had you heard about and where did you used to spend most of your online time?

42 sats \ 1 reply \ @denlillaapan 7h

has maintained it's current fairly small size for a long time.

what?! Coins says the bet is over, hoooow can this be?!

And yet, I can't pin down what trait, or combination of traits, makes Stacker News resonate with us when it doesn't with so many others.

We're the most susceptible to assmilking? Cheapest to bribe with cheap sats...?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Don't most people do this online stuff for free?

Maybe we're some odd tweener group that expects to be compensated, but not by a significant amount.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @hasherstacker 7h

"What makes a Stacker?" Nice question. Stacker News means more than just stacking sats. SN means stacking value: sats, knowledge, time, relationships, happiness. All to achieve satisfaction.

9 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Why don't more people want those things, though?

7 sats \ 0 replies \ @d680ecaa8e 6h

Stacker means staking crypto currencies for earning, it is a manner of earning crypto with investing money.