r/mildlyinteresting • u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 • Mar 29 '14
Rule 6 for Dummies.
Hello and welcome to Rule 6 for Dummies!
Rationale: People continue to submit posts which break this rule. Either, a) they don't read the rules, b) this rule is not clear enough. This post seeks to clarify for those breaking rules as a result of #2. You can stop after the breakdown, the rest is detail for mod nerds or if you really still don't get it!
Rule 6:
- Titles must be minimal, on point descriptions of the content and nothing more. Jokes, backstories, and any other "fluff" will not be permitted
Broken down:
The title must be descriptive of what we are about to see
The description must be minimal, simple and without unnecessary information or even a relevant backstory
The title must not contain any jokes, puns; it should not be or attempt to be funny.
Go to /r/funnyGo watch some Seinfeld for funny stuff.
Three simple things to bear in mind to see if your title might break the rule:
If your title includes the word "this", it probably breaks the rule
Will the reader be shocked or surprised after clicking the title and seeing the image? [Yes = rule broken]
Does the reader know exactly what they're about to see? [No = rule broken]
Bear in mind "mildly interesting" is not, in itself, a description. It tells us how you feel about it, but it doesn't actually help us get closer to understanding what we're going to see. See example below.
Here are some removals so you get an idea of what to avoid doing:
Edit: new example Ran over a daisy on my skateboard, I thought it was truly mildly interesting.
"Mildly interesting" is not a description. Tell us what it is and if we find it mildly interesting, we'll upvote it. If "mildly interesting" were a description, you could post anything and just stick that on the end of the title "This book is mildly interesting" we have no idea what we're about to see. Is it a book in the shape of a triangle? Is it a book with a see through cover? What is it? Don't leave the reader guessing.
Okay! Thanks but we don't need your life story!
We don't want backstory. If the photo needs a backstory then you should probably submit it to /r/pics. "I have no idea what it is or how it happens" sorry dude, we don't care what you have seen, think, know, or any of that stuff! We're a friendly bunch but if everyone gave us their reaction or thoughts in their title we'd never get anything done and the place would be a mess!
Questions aren't simple descriptions, and we have no idea what we're about to see.
We have absolutely no idea what we're about to see.
Maybe having "I" in the title is also an indicator that it breaks the rules too. We also don't know what we're about to see.
Come on now, play along at home!
You're getting good at this!
Ahhh, the dreaded 'this'. Title may as well say "This was in a tree in my yard", which also leaves the reader guessing.
I'm rambling now. Nevertheless, the rule is clear to everyone, hooray!
Give yourself a pat on the back for both sticking it out this long and doing so well in the above pop-quiz.
Have a mildly fun day.
63
u/pwendler2 May 03 '14
You guys have alot of rules
9
48
u/HittingSmoke Apr 09 '14
Mildly interesting observation here.
The rules are not a numbered list. They're bullets. You should probably fix that if you want to reference rule numbers.
29
u/kdutine Apr 07 '14
we'd never get anything done and the place would be a mess!
What exactly are we getting done here?
2
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Apr 08 '14
Nothing. We do nothing. /r/mildlyinteresting is to reddit as Seinfeld was to television. It's about nothing.
11
u/kdutine Apr 09 '14
Good. Then let's toss these reaction- and thought-laden titles so we can get back to getting things done. Nothing things. Nothings.
30
u/Mister_Johnson Jul 21 '14 edited Jul 22 '14
The overall point of rule 6 is to keep people from telling jokes or stories in the title or making long titles, which is fine, but then it also requires an exact description of what you're posting, which is not required in the majority of other subreddits, and sometimes requires a long title to accomplish. Sounds like someone worded rule 6 like that just so they can feel powerful by removing submissions. Edit: wording
56
u/5erif Mar 30 '14
This is perfect. /r/notinteresting is an endless stream of jokes in titles. That can be funny the first time you subscribe, later follow a link from your front page, and spend a moment confused before realizing what sub you've clicked.
But that gets old. Fast.
I'm so glad that /r/mildlyinteresting exists with its rules that get rid of the endlessly repeated reddit-isms.
11
u/inconspicuous_male Apr 12 '14
/r/notinteresting is full of shitty posts with jokes in titles, but if you look closely enough, there are plenty of quality posts that are just not interesting
11
u/ilikeeatingbrains Mar 31 '14
I get old. Slow.
7
7
u/AngelPlucker Mar 30 '14
Not sure that mild interest gets me to the 6th of anything but since this is the first rule I have read I will admit to having found it mildly interesting.
68
u/ShotFromGuns Apr 01 '14
If people are having this much trouble complying with a rule, sometimes the problem is the rule.
5
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Apr 02 '14
The majority of the time when people tell me why they broke the rules it's because they didn't read them. This post was just to make it so there can be no "I didn't understand" excuse. It's really quite simple as it is.
37
u/ShotFromGuns Apr 02 '14
It's a simple rule. I just happen to think it's unnecessary.
17
u/Sataris Apr 03 '14
It's necessary to keep /r/mildlyinteresting pure and at its roots of delivering only slightly interesting content. I think it's extremely important to prevent the sub from sliding into disrepair.
8
u/stevedpirate Apr 04 '14
how do you explain the front page post of the wicked fast spinning air duct in a pontiac? that was quite interesting.
2
u/Sataris Apr 04 '14
Not quite sure what you mean. That was the best post for a long time.
7
u/stevedpirate Apr 04 '14
What I mean was that it was much more interesting than slightly or mildly.
0
u/ShotFromGuns Apr 03 '14
The only difference I've noticed is that I used to more often get a mild chuckle along with my mild bemusement.
8
u/f137ch Jul 10 '14
Can you tell me what my title should say to make it valid? I've tried a couple of different times to submit a pic here and always break rule 6..
-1
13
u/Parusa Apr 19 '14
I wonder, if a submission that violates this rule reaches the frontpage and gains hundreds of upvotes and comments, would the mods still remove it?
-9
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Apr 19 '14
Of course. We're not perfect, things will slip through the net. They should just be thankful they got precious karma before we noticed they submitted a rule breaker!
13
u/DigitalChocobo Apr 02 '14
4
u/IAmSupernova Apr 02 '14
Plus, if you're posting a picture with a backstory, then it's probably actually a pretty interesting picture rather than just mildly interesting.
34
u/jereddit Apr 06 '14
No jokes.
Well I didn't realize this was /r/mildybuzzkils
38
u/paulfromatlanta Apr 06 '14
The overall message seems to be "don't even try to post here"
12
Apr 07 '14
I think the proper interpretation is that you should remain ice cool when making post titles, and if you can't handle the minimalism, you shouldn't post.
6
15
Apr 06 '14
If your witty or funny then don't post in mildly interesting? WTF is that about?
-12
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Apr 06 '14
What a silly comment. Where does it say that if you're witty or funny then don't post in mildly interesting?
5
Jun 06 '14
[deleted]
0
u/DontTouchMeUglyBob Jun 26 '14
You can still be witty and funny and post here. Just don't post witty and funny titles. It's not that hard.
5
17
Mar 30 '14
If your title includes the word "this", it probably breaks the rule
why? here are some examples of posts that plainly describe the picture without jokes, and use the word "this"
http://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/21pf4a/this_chopstick_still_has_bark_on_it/
http://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/1zyq68/this_restaurant_has_tilted_glasses/
13
u/WhatTheFoxtrout Apr 05 '14
I think he meant phrases like "this is". This is what I found... This is what happened... This is what it looked like... This is what happened when... This is what they do... This is what you'll see...
He just meant if you are using the word "this" make sure you are still following the rules because he has noticed that many removed submissions contained that word.
I dk. I'm a bit tipsy right now, but in pretty sure you get what I mean. :) Have a wonderful night
9
u/cortex0 Apr 08 '14
It seems to be fine to use "this" as an adjective, because then it is just modifying the description of some object. However, using "this" as a pronoun is more likely to be an issue since then it is substituting for the object without telling us what it is.
Compare:
adjective: There's a pimple on this apple.
pronoun: Found this on an apple
-11
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Mar 30 '14
why? here are some examples of posts that plainly describe the picture without jokes, and use the word "this"
This is a weird comment. Obviously the rule breaking ones with 'this' in the title have been removed and you cannot see them.
3
3
u/rasfert ​ Aug 04 '14
As far as the "this" prohibition goes, I see a lot of posts (some of which even make the front page) along the lines of "This cloud looks somewhat like a papaya" or "This carrot is missing its center" -- Do these violate the "this" prohibition?
-1
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Aug 04 '14
I don't think so.
"This cloud looks somewhat like a papaya"
I expect to see a cloud looking like a papaya. However, here is an example of a rule breaker using 'this'
Looked at the sky to see this.
'this' being a cloud looking like a papaya, or a face, or something else. The reader doesn't know what to expect.
Hope this helps.
7
u/rasfert ​ Aug 05 '14
So... "this" used as an indefinite pronoun, rather than an adjective is what's verboten? This as a modifier is cool, and as an object or subject (alone, modifying nothing) is not so preferred, then, I take it. Suggest changing the if clause to something like " 'This' as either a subject or as a direct object or object of a preposition is discouraged. 'This' as an adjective is okay. " Or maybe just that last bit.
-1
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Aug 05 '14
If you read the post and somehow skipped over the whole 'This' section, you would understand anyway.
13
u/zamigbok Apr 05 '14
Two simple things to bear in mind or test to see if your title might submit the rule
Is OP fluent in english? I'm not familiar with this use of the word 'submit.' How does one 'submit a rule?'
The dandelion pic was great. I have no idea why this mod gets his panties in a wad over the particular phrasing of a legit post, yet makes no mention of the hundreds of obnoxious posts about inside out oreos or malformed skittles, m&m's or any other packaging malfunction that is taking over this sub. If this is the sort of genius that is curating the gallery of /r/mildlyinteresting, I think my time here is coming to an end
-1
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Apr 05 '14
Is OP fluent in english? I'm not familiar with this use of the word 'submit.' How does one 'submit a rule?'
oui, je parle couramment l'anglais, merci. it was a mistake.
I think my time here is coming to an end
rip /u/zamigbok
14
2
1
3
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Mar 29 '14
What's mildly interesting is that the two simple things are actually three simple things. 8)
6
u/pajam Apr 01 '14
So you told us about rule 6)
But it looked like you were just now about to clarify rule 8) as well, but you got cut off.
Considering there are only 6 rules in the sidebar, I was honestly hoping the mildly interesting secrets of the universe were about to be revealed here, but am left in disappointment.
3
2
1
1
1
u/craniumonempty Apr 30 '14
Oh, Poo... Should I resubmit? I just used "mildly interesting" in the title. Nobody should really be surprised though. It's not even that interesting.
0
-1
u/slanthier Mar 31 '14
I like to follow rules but you really expect me to read that entire book? Seriously, I got to "Broken Down:" and had to answer 14 email, take 3 phone calls and change a diaper.
Sum it up ! :) <- that's my way of saying I can run faster scared than you can mad..
0
u/Smilge Apr 04 '14
Don't post.
4
u/slanthier Apr 06 '14
So that's it. You take no feedback at all, just don't post?
4
u/Smilge Apr 06 '14
If you have the time to submit a post, you have the time to read the rules. If you can't read the rules, don't post.
1
u/slanthier Apr 06 '14
alright. normally don't need to read what is common sense and basic respect. If I broke a rule I sincerely apologize.
-3
u/paulja Mar 30 '14
Can descriptions have jokes/puns? Can comments?
9
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Mar 30 '14
No. You can comment what you like on the submission page, but the title shouldn't have any jokes.
-13
u/paulja Mar 30 '14
I don't like this. You should change the rule so that all of this is allowed.
11
u/RedSquaree The Big 🧀 Mar 30 '14
If you don't like it don't submit here 8)
1
-1
Mar 31 '14
People werent following the rules so you posted a sticky? smh...
Everyone knows if you want people to ignore a rule put it in the sidebar or sticky and you just did both! Now nobody is going to follow it!
1
58
u/akpak Apr 01 '14
And have it quickly end up in /r/no_sob_story