Freedomain Radio

I am curious whether anyone has experienced similar feelings to me on this topic.

I tend to donate to FDR anonymously so that it's not associated with my board account. I feel a bit weird about the little labels that go under people's usernames in their posts that loudly proclaim how much money they've forked over.

On one hand, I do respect people for living their values through donation and supporting the conversation.

On the other hand, I dislike the notion of tiered status symbols. It reminds me of silly things like gaining popularity in high school with expensive shoes, the patches on military vests, and other seemingly anti-philosophical paraphernalia. When I think about the idea of loudly proclaiming my Donator Rank to other posters, I find it embarrassing, though this could just be an expression of guilt over narcissism or something along those lines.

There are plenty of reasons one might want the status.. . you listed one of them and it's likely that might happen on occasion. But to be honest, paying $20 a month for a little image of a gold bar under my forum account is not a great way to spend that money . .  To further this discussion, and admittedly to make myself feel better (i do feel good about donating) is the real reason to me.  If i am being honest i have to say i do like people knowing that I've donated... I'm very proud of it, i very rarely give money to charity or donate to anything, so it's a big deal if i actually spend my money on something like this, and i want people to know it (for better or for worse)

Also, the only problem I could see is that if people disregard non-donators posts, or somehow weight more heavily on donators posts. .  which i dont think people do, its not like if a diamond donator gets in a heated discussion with a bronze donator people will side with the one who donates more money. I dont think this is that kind of board.

Also i suppose the donator statuses work as a slight incentive to donate, if it helps steph get more money then im all for it.

You listen to podcasts, you download books - you pay for things you purchase. That's the free market in action.

Why would it embarrass you to display integrity to others?

 

 

If I had a child, I'd do my best to be the best father I could. However, I would be embarrassed to wear a t-shirt that says WORLD'S BEST DAD.

hkw:

If I had a child, I'd do my best to be the best father I could. However, I would be embarrassed to wear a t-shirt that says WORLD'S BEST DAD.

 

I would feel embarrassed too, i really don't like that stuff. As a matter of fact I generally don't like certain types of attention, like i have  a problem when people get me gifts, i feel embarrassed and anxious. S

hkw:

If I had a child, I'd do my best to be the best father I could. However, I would be embarrassed to wear a t-shirt that says WORLD'S BEST DAD.

When you've tried to talk about something you're really excited or passionate about, or when you've wanted to share an important accomplishment with those you cared about, in the past, what was that experience like? How did people receive you? How did you feel in those situations?

GregG:

When you've tried to talk about something you're really excited or passionate about, or when you've wanted to share an important accomplishment with those you cared about, in the past, what was that experience like? How did people receive you? How did you feel in those situations?

Great question, Greg! I'm afraid that, of the childhood memories I have accessed recently, I don't think there any that dealt with rejection of the kind you are alluding to, but I'll mull it over some more. I know that many children are stifled in this fashion.

This is an interesting topic.  I have mixed feelings about the donator button.  On one hand, I like expressing how much I value the conversation with it and I feel it shows that I'm not being a freeloader of all this great information - in other words, it's evidence of reciprocity which I think is good.  Also, rightly or wrongly, I feel more respect for someone on the board who has some kind of button besider their name.  It doesn't matter which one because I understand everyone has different financial situations but having donated seems to me to indicate a lot about the person's character.

However, I do feel anxiety around the title of philosopher king because I feel like it does imply some kind of rank or capibility as a philosopher whereas all it really means is that I greatly value the show and want to contribute back.   In reality, while I have a strong grasp of many of the topics here I'm hardly an expert on philosophy and feel I'm very early on in my philosophical/psychological journey.    So, sometimes when I post, especially to someone who is new and not familiar with the conversation, I get feelings that the title is implying something that I would rather it didn't and feel I might not add up to the title.

Though, intellectually I know it was really was just created more as a cool or amusing way to indicate someone is at the highest subscription level.

hkw:

If I had a child, I'd do my best to be the best father I could. However, I would be embarrassed to wear a t-shirt that says WORLD'S BEST DAD.

Ah, yes. I see what you mean. Thanks for clarifying.

If I got a shirt like that as a present from my child, I would wear it. On the other hand, if I bought one for myself, I'd be a horrible person.

Would that difference alter your perception? The source of the praise?

 

hkw:

If I had a child, I'd do my best to be the best father I could. However, I would be embarrassed to wear a t-shirt that says WORLD'S BEST DAD.

LOL. I think 'world's best dad' is taking the significance of the insignia way too far. The insignia has nothing to do with the quality of your posts from a philosophical perspective - anyone who visits FDR with regularity can see that donator status is only financial.??

In the "do my best to be a father" analogy it would be more accurate to call it an 'I pay for nappies' badge or 'sustenance is on me'. I would take the analogy further though; you are both father and child.

I felt embarrased and confused when reading your original post. Why would you feel comfortable making financial contributions that actively avoid a public status and then betray your own feelings by publicly stating that you do this? If you feel what you are doing is correct because the badges are silly why do you need to make the case publicly that the badges are significant?

If I got a shirt like that as a present from my child, I would wear it.  On the other hand, if I bought one for myself, I'd be a horrible person.
Would that difference alter your perception? The source of the praise?

I would certainly wear the shirt if awarded by the child. Since the FDR donator badges happen automatically, and I set the level of donation myself precisely, it feels a bit like I am "awarding" the badge to myself.

Why would you feel comfortable making financial contributions that actively avoid a public status and then betray your own feelings by publicly stating that you do this? If you feel what you are doing is correct because the badges are silly why do you need to make the case publicly that the badges are significant?

I apologize if I did not make it clear in my original post, but what I was attempting to express were the emotions that I feel surrounding receiving a donator badge, not that I had come to any logical conclusion about the validity or invalidity of donating anonymously. In the pursuit of self-knowledge, I hope to dissect these feelings, and figured that it would be helpful if any other board members had some insight that would contribute to that process. Does that adequately answer your questions?

hkw:

I would certainly wear the shirt if awarded by the child. Since the FDR donator badges happen automatically, and I set the level of donation myself precisely, it feels a bit like I am "awarding" the badge to myself.

I think you're doing amazing work with yourself. From your recent posts, I get this feeling that you are really close to gaining a personal insight of profound proportions. I feel quite enthusiastic for you.

I can relate to logic of your emotions. For me, it helped to try to remember the very earliest memories of someone who didn't give me praise for doing something they had demanded.

hkw:

If I got a shirt like that as a present from my child, I would wear it.  On the other hand, if I bought one for myself, I'd be a horrible person.
Would that difference alter your perception? The source of the praise?

I would certainly wear the shirt if awarded by the child. Since the FDR donator badges happen automatically, and I set the level of donation myself precisely, it feels a bit like I am "awarding" the badge to myself.

Why would you feel comfortable making financial contributions that actively avoid a public status and then betray your own feelings by publicly stating that you do this? If you feel what you are doing is correct because the badges are silly why do you need to make the case publicly that the badges are significant?

I apologize if I did not make it clear in my original post, but what I was attempting to express were the emotions that I feel surrounding receiving a donator badge, not that I had come to any logical conclusion about the validity or invalidity of donating anonymously. In the pursuit of self-knowledge, I hope to dissect these feelings, and figured that it would be helpful if any other board members had some insight that would contribute to that process. Does that adequately answer your questions?

I was trying to put myself in your shoes and think of the questions I would ask myself if I were to experience the same feelings as you have experienced. Rather than pre-empting you, it would have been easier for me to ask;

What questions are you asking in the pursuit of self knowledge?

My instinct that there are contradictions in your post is in part because of the language you used. The title "donator insignia resistance" sounds like the name of some rebel force.

However, I realise that this is petty. What bothered me more was the lack of questions in the post, if self knowledge is the stated goal then why not start with questions?

I also questioned instinctively whether you were telling the truth.... I feel I should better explain my reasons for questioning your integrity; I couldn't help but notice the hedging in this statement;

hkw:

 

I tend to donate to FDR anonymously so that it's not associated with my board account. I feel a bit weird about the little labels that go under people's usernames in their posts that loudly proclaim how much money they've forked over.

Why tend? If a donation to FDR is made other than anonymously then I assume the result would be a donator status? Would intend be more accurate?

It would make more sense to me if the pursuit of self knowledge was framed in answering the question; Why have I not donated to FDR yet?

not (sorry to paraphrase;

"Does anyone else feel a bit weird about little labels that go under people's usernames? It's only a hypothetical because I choose not to have a label, I see no value in them. But I get really worried about it incase everyone else thinks a philosopher king badge makes them a philosopher king."

Your posts thus far have been stingingly incisive. What you are saying here doesn't make any sense and I know that you can figure this out.

I have a question.

Does seeing the donator status button under someones user name make you think any different about what they are posting? Do you really notice anyone's donator status unless you specifically look for it?

I think you're doing amazing work with yourself. From your recent posts, I get this feeling that you are really close to gaining a personal insight of profound proportions. I feel quite enthusiastic for you.

Thanks! I am not sure just how close I am, but I greatly appreciate your enthusiasm.

For me, it helped to try to remember the very earliest memories of someone who didn't give me praise for doing something they had demanded.

Thanks for the tip. I'm not able to access any such scenario yet, but I'll keep this on my list of things to pay particular attention to as I explore my memories.

What bothered me more was the lack of questions in the post, if self knowledge is the stated goal then why not start with questions?

I wasn't quite sure where to begin with exploring the topic, so I figured I would just state my own feelings and see if others could lead me in the right direction if they had already explored the topic or something similar. :-)

Why tend? If a donation to FDR is made other than anonymously then I assume the result would be a donator status? Would intend be more accurate?

Nope, that would not be more accurate. There are a couple levels of anonymity going on here. Most of my donations are anonymous to Stefan. Some of the donations he knows come from the FDR user "hkw", but I haven't bothered to request that they be linked to my board name such that a Donator banner would appear.

"But I get really worried about it incase everyone else thinks a philosopher king badge makes them a philosopher king."

Hmm, I don't think my reservations are limited to the Philosopher King label, although it does invoke the most intense feelings out of the different Donator levels for me.

Your posts thus far have been stingingly incisive.

I'm sorry to hear you feel this way. Do you have any theories about what I may have done, or perhaps others have done, to cause this perception?

Does seeing the donator status button under someones user name make you think any different about what they are posting? Do you really notice anyone's donator status unless you specifically look for it?

Whether a person has a donator banner or not doesn't really affect my opinion of the content of his posts. But, seeing that so many others have donator banners, this makes me think that they may be on the look-out for others' banners, and I feel embarrassed about the idea of getting my own banner (for reasons I am still trying to tease out).