Giant non-fandom friending meme

[liv]

Here's the thing: a lot of people are about ready to leave LJ over the latest shenanigans. But they don't want to make the leap to Dreamwidth because, frankly, there isn't enough going on here. The site is smaller, so there are fewer posts, and fewer cool people to meet. And all their friends are on LJ, which is of course a self-perpetuating situation: if "everybody" is still on LJ, then there's a huge disincentive against moving, which means that everybody continues to be on LJ.

Lots of people have realized that the best way to address this issue is, well, creating content. Some people are organizing collective efforts to create more content. This is a great idea, except for one small problem: the people who are really good at organizing and creating content are mainly fandom. I have nothing at all against fandom, but I'm not really part of it, and I think that a lot of other people who feel similarly are being put off because they see DW as yet another clubhouse for the cool fandom kids.

But I am going to take a leaf from fandom's book: I'm going to cease sitting around complaining about how DW is too quiet. Instead I'm going to participate in creating content and drawing attention to the cool stuff that already exists. So, I propose a giant non-fandom friending meme (thanks, delight). If you would like find some new, interesting people to read, or make new friends, or just help highlight how much cool stuff there is on DW, please comment to this post.

You're welcome to say whatever you like, but here's a suggested template:
Your identity: doesn't have to be A/S/L, but anything that you think people should know about you to be able to decide whether they're likely to be interested in getting to know you.
What you are passionate about
How you use Dreamwidth
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style.
A link to a journal on Dreamwidth you think people might enjoy reading, even if they don't know the writer personally.

Footnote 1: Some people have moral or technical objections to Dreamwidth, or actively prefer LJ. That's totally cool with me – this post isn't addressed to you. I'm looking to involve people who would like to make the move, but are put off because there isn't enough to read or enough people to meet here. I am not at all proselytizing, in other words, just doing my bit to fix what I see as the biggest glaring problem with DW. Other people may see other problems, and I am not trying to fix those.

Footnote 2: If you are involved in fandom, you're extremely welcome to participate. Perhaps you'd like to meet someone who shares some of your less fannish interests. Or you are welcome to go and join in some of the more explicitly fandom-related activities going on instead.

I am going to post this now, rather than waiting until the official three-week fest, because I think now is while the iron is hot and people are motivated to move to a new site. But I'll link it again when the fest starts up on 26^th April, around the one-year anniversary of Dreamwidth entering Open Beta. I don't have any strong opinions about the DW-only content thing, and you don't have to be participating in that to participate in this meme.

So, go forth and friend!

ETA: And if you like the idea, please link this post all over the place. Or make your own version, or whatever, but mainly spread the word as much as possible

Comments

[rho]

Your identity: I'm rho (which I always spell with a lower case r) or Rachel, depending on who's asking, and respond equally well to either of them, both online and off. I'm British, but am hoping to move to the USA later this year. I'm a geek, a scientist, a feminist, a transwoman, a lesbian, a sceptic, a liberal, and a whole lot of other things.

What you are passionate about: Lots of things! Having suffered for a long time from sever clinical depression, I try to be as passionate as I can about as much I can, because it sure beats anhedonia. If I had to pick one thing that stirs my passion, I'd say science, and especially physics. Beyond that, I'm also passionate about mental health, transgender rights, women's rights, politics, video games, technology, maths, the Internet...

How you use Dreamwidth: I tend to post what I feel like when I feel like it. Sometimes this means I post several times a day, and sometimes it means I go weeks without posting anything at all. Sometimes I tend more towards a journal, talking about my life and what I've been doing with it, and sometimes I tend more towards a blog, talking about whatever issue stirs my interest at the time.

Example posts:A personal journal type post.
A maths geek post.
A feminism and body image post.

[recessional]

because it sure beats anhedonia.

EVERYTHING DOES.

(I have my psychomotor function back. Can gets rid of anhefuckingdonia nao?)

[lady_eclectic]

Your identity: is very private but I'll share that I am a woman in my early 30's, passionate about life and society, music, travel, writing, cooking and deep thoughts.
How you use Dreamwidth: I have a professional account which I use for 'serious' blogging and this account, which is for fun. I've thought long and hard whether I should blog personally again after leaving my various guises at LJ and am now tentatively exploring the idea.
I want this account to be an alternate reality to the one I live, an oasis focused on esthetics, beauty, enjoyment, culture, philosophy and the finer things in life.
A link to a recent post of yours that is characteristic of your journal or writing style: nothing yet!

[liv]

Just a note - you've accidentally posted this as a reply to rho and it would probably be more visible if you posted as a top-level reply to the main post. (Click on the "Contribute something" link.)

I really like the idea of an alternate reality oasis, though :-)

[pj]

Added. :-)

[velvetpage]

Can I add you?

[thegorgon]

I loved the feminism and body image post... added!

[evolvedcucumber]

So, I just stumbled onto this nifty thing, and started reading.

Your surgery is on my birthday (I'll be 23). I think that is a pretty damn good reason for us to be friends. (If you can handle the fact that I'm not exactly PC about anything, despite being proud of my trans-gender identity. And the fact that I don't always post in English, or any recognizable language...)


--Kai

[inkedheart]

I took a look at your journal and I think I'd very much like to be reading your entries. Do you mind if I friend you?

[chagrined]

Howdy, I am adding you to my subscriptions. :) If you wish to subscribe to me as well, I will also add you to my access filter.

[ajnabi]

hi! i like the posts you provided here, and your journal in general ~ well, i really liked the personal journal type post and the feminism/body image post. i'm not so much of a maths/science geek :S but yeah, um.

i also have severe depression, tied up with anxiety/ocd, often reaching suicidal and psychotic levels. yeah, it sure can suck. XD

i'm adding you; it would be nice to get to know you :)

[ekmisao]

Interested. Could I at least subscribe? (I'm not sure if you'd like the stuff I do post though; I tend to be bipolar...just never had enough cash and guts to actually go and have a consult.)