Let’s be honest: most humans want to be liked. It’s probably hard-wired into our DNA to help insure group cohesion. If you aren’t well-liked, or say you don’t care about it, you probably should assess why, and speak to a therapist. I digress...

I’m often both amused and surprised about how much potent communication gets transmitted when one hits that little button on a forum such as this one.

To that end, I have compiled a non-exhaustive list of the various different “likes” I’ve noticed whilst (there, I got that word in again...) spending way too much time here. Please add some of yours:

1) The “legit” like: you read something that enlightens, educates, helps, or speaks to you or your issues, for what could be a variety of reasons, and you hit the button. All good.

2) The “passive-aggressive” like: you’ve had a tiff with someone before, over some first-world problem or issue, and now that person gets into it with someone else, and you repeatedly “like” your “enemy’s” foe’s posts, just to get under his skin. C’mon,you know exactly what I’m talking about...

3) The “Newb” like: a new poster, who’s been lurking for eight years, finally has the nerve to timidly post something often minimally consequential. But you give them a “like” because they’re being brave, and you were feeling gracious.

4) The “bro” like: one of your besties gets a “like” because he’s your boy, you got each other’s backs, and the content is immaterial.

5) The “attractive girls joins the forum” like: needs no further elucidation.

6) The “minion” like: a high, like-count poster gets a “like” because he’s the BMOC, and you hit the button whether you understand what’s going on or not, because you need to be in the fold.

7) The “Effort” like: someone posts something that you may or may not like, but it obviously took a lot of effort, so you reward that sweat with a “like.”

8) The “Flattery” like: you knowingly or unknowingly boost your own “like” count by effusively complimenting or agreeing with someone else’s post, thereby almost insuring a return “like.”

9) The “Play the odds” like: this person responds to everything that’s posted, knowing there’s a high-likelihood that, just given the odds, you will accumulate many “likes” back.

10) The “Moderator” like: they deserve something for their efforts, don’t they?

11) The “create a thread about ‘likes’” like: now that would be so transparent as to be laughable.

 

12. Someone makes a meta post about likes and you want to be the first person to like it.

 

Excellent!

(Is that a number 1, or a number 8?)

 

I clearly hit "like" because of #7!

...or maybe #11!?!

...Well, I don't know what you look like IRL, so perhaps it was because of #5??

Anyhow... I "liked" your post. Now, carry on!!

 

13) The blow air out of your nose - like

A post induces a sharp exhale through the nose with a smile and genuine feeling of "That was funny". Can be used regardless of content, be it a joke, comeback or a retort of some sort.

But yeah I gave your post a 13 and 1 like.

Well posted sir

 

I wish the OF displayed for each user both the Total Likes Received and the Total Likes Given.

Not sure how people would evaluate the difference between the two numbers though.

.

 

I would like to submit the "accidental" like when trying to scroll through a thread on a phone.

 

I find myself usually the victim of #2, that is pricks post likes to anything that goes against me, and I'm always guilty of #4 as I lavish my buds with likes regardless of content.
Yea I'm also guilty of #3 as I like to encourage newbies to be brave and continue posting so eventually I can watch them get pummeled by some cranky know-it-all.

 

I never understand what’s going on or not.

 

Oh no! I almost forgot The “reverse-psychology” like: you get into a written tussle with someone, and later on, they are disproportionately “liking” your posts. A covert olive-branch gesture...or a mind-fuck?

 

Oh That's a good one and I gotta try it. Lull your adversary into thinking everything is forgotten and things are peaches and cream, then slam them hard when their guard is down! Sorta like prop them up so you can shoot them down.

 

Guilty of #2. Not proud of it, but I feel have to be honest (for once).

 

If a "mind-fuck," then I think this collapses into your already-listed #2 above. For example, @Archer has been smashing the like button on me ever since yesterday.

But the olive-branch gesture is certainly it's own, valid category. For example, I've been smashing the like button on @Archer ever since yesterday.

 

I felt compelled to like every post in this thread

 

Look, I hate to admit it, but the little-known fact that anyone with over 10,000 likes received is paid $0.01 by the forum owners for each like given also promotes activity.

 

Yes and it hurts every time you do it.

<sniff>

 

We need more #5s .

 

Just take a look at the latest gal from Australia that joined up. I mean I always post some pleasantry to a newbie and so do a handful of others, but what an avalanche of attention she got!
Some Gee joins up and he would be lucky to get 3 or 4 greetings and helpful tips but most are perfunctory. "Welcome pal and read the guidelines for posting".

This chick gets pages of gushing helpful litanies on just about every facet of watch collecting

 

Wait to they all find out it's Ulackfocus messing with them......

 

The world just became richer with beauty