massreality wrote :

Vaporman87 wrote :

... people just don't care enough to contribute or invest themselves in websites anymore. 

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I agree with this statement, but one of the reasons I was hesitant to contribute is due to how hostile the internet is. On here a lot of time we're sharing very personal memories, and putting something like that out for the public to judge and tear apart is a very scary idea. At least on my own personal blog, I can control the comments, but when you submit something elsewhere, you are fair game to be crappped on. Ten to fifteen years ago, I was super active online in various message boards/newsgroups, but now this is the only board I actually contribute to. There are just too many jerks out there. I have no interest in fighting and arguing about the stupidest of things.

Of course, this community is fantastic and extremely supportive. Everyone here understands the preciousness of our childhood memories/interests, and takes time to make positive contributions. That's what makes this place so special. It rewarding enough being around like-minded individuals that respect one another. The Goodie Packs are just icing on the cake.

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Agreed all around.  Everything is about ease and speed now.  I've noticed even when posting on my Facebook page, if there's a picture attached, people will completely ignore the written portion.  Strange indeed.  
One of the reasons this site is a beacon in the dark waters of "retro nostalgia" is so often other sites/companies/people are simply feeding off of our cherished childhood memories.  They say, "Oh, you remember Nintendo and would like to experience it again?  Let's buy up as much of it as we can and sell it at a premium!"

It's the mass-marketed appropriation of our childhoods.  

But here, there's none of that. As Vaporman said, "...you get to share your favorite memories AND get rewarded for it."  That's incredibly rare these days.  

Vaporman87 wrote :


Watching onipar unbox the pack, one might think we would be so flooded with people that I couldn't handle it. Yet, as he observed, there sat 2 FREE Christmas Goodie Packs... with no owners... for almost a year.

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I considered ordering it since it was free, but I decided it would be better to leave it for someone who really wanted the contents. Given this result (onipar video=new members), I'm pretty happy with that choice.

I thought the box looked nice, but I didn't feel like setting up a p.o. box to have it delivered.

The only reason I contribute is because of a deal I made with the Noid in 96. I wanted to win a game of Duck, Duck, Goose! in my 3rd grade class. He granted me that wish with the only stipulation that I can keep my soul so long as I retell all of the strange and wonderful things I experienced in my youth. Little did he know I already promised my soul to Kid Vid for making a seagull poop on Joey Kowsloski and Stick Stickly for saving me from playing Yellow Submarine in band class.

Vkimo's been drinking again.

So weird...I made a similar deal with the Noid.  Pretty nice side gig for a glorified pizza pitch man.  :-p

massreality wrote :

I agree with this statement, but one of the reasons I was hesitant to contribute is due to how hostile the internet is. On here a lot of time we're sharing very personal memories, and putting something like that out for the public to judge and tear apart is a very scary idea. At least on my own personal blog, I can control the comments, but when you submit something elsewhere, you are fair game to be crappped on. 

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Yeah. There is that. I felt that way at RetroJunk sometimes. There were a lot of folks there who were not so much looking to share memories and stories, but looking to pick apart everything from your writing style to your subject matter. It wasn't about a community coming together to reminisce or celebrate the past. It was a "club" mentality where if you didn't perform up to the standards set by others, you were criticized for it. That was something I wanted to get away from here. I wanted it to be less about being "perfect", and more about just having fun.