MGoPoints: An Economic Allegory

Submitted by Topher on
I was thinking over the week about the dynamics of the points system, and I thought to myself, "where do the points actually come from?"

This led me into a thought experiment comparing MGoPoints to a national economy. I am not an economist so I won't use the official terms for a lot of this, but I think everyone can get the basic idea. If someone wants to go all Chicago School on me, well, knock yourself out.

Consider:
  • The points themselves begin as "original production" from which all economic activity must spring.
  • Points come from "intrinsic value" - people making new posts. Points also come from "market value" - users up- or -neg-banging posts produces a "price" reflecting the value of the idea in the community's mind. Like in a real economy, the coalescence of talent around a quality original production produces extra value and drives economic growth.
  • Points can be "taxed" by the blog community if it decides to uniformly punish a user or group. As in national politics, certain disfavorable interest groups have a disproportionate tax burden. (I'm talking about you, Mr "its all about DENARD")
  • Political infighting and prejudice (vindictive neg-banging for long-forgotten reasons) exists as a distasteful but incorrigible
  • Population pressures from outside have a mixed and controversial effect (Irish, MLivers).
  • As it is in Congress, Ohio is a burdensome element but nonetheless tolerated by the community because it provides a substrate against which one's political success can be achieved.
  • There are occasional calls for a change in the system (advocating for the NFL's brand of football, for example, or suggesting we tactically root for Moo U), but the very nature of our body politic is usually considered sacrosanct.
  • Brian doesn't own the means of production, but he does own the marketplace where the values are established - the public exchange, if you will, or perhaps the money supply.
  • Although we haven't seen it, I am sure Brian could "bail out" certain individuals or interest groups if he saw fit...for example, normally-productive posters who were "too big to fail," or alternatively a welfare system for posters who just can't make it by themselves.
  • Like contractors or Congressional coalitions, Brian has, quite wisely in my view, seen fit to form a limited consortium of trusted members (Tim, Steve Sharik and others) that gives blog posting access to connected individuals.
The more I think about MGoBlog as a economic and political assembly, the more I feel the need to take good care of my privileges and keep the place from turning into a hack board. But maybe I'm wrong - some people might take it too seriously and go Howard Dean on the community.
points
econometrics
Brian (YTB)
socialism

Comments

formerlyanonymous

October 8th, 2009 at 10:19 PM ^

Although we haven't seen it, I am sure Brian could "bail out" certain individuals or interest groups if he saw fit...for example, normally-productive posters who were "too big to fail," or alternatively a welfare system for posters who just can't make it by themselves.
That ship sailed. Bouje had 110000000 or so points at one time due to a bail out. The joke went over poorly with the masses. He was returned to 0 (about 350 more points than he had previous to the bail out).

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 38964

Topher

October 8th, 2009 at 11:40 PM ^

One of the phrases that irritated George Carlin was, "You know where you can stick it." "Suppose you DON'T know? Suppose you're a new guy?"

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 742

Seth

October 8th, 2009 at 11:19 PM ^

I just deleted a long, point-by-point rebuttal because it was getting my blood pressure up and I was told not to do that. Suffice to say, this is a really really really bad metaphor for how a money economy functions.

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149036

Ernis

October 8th, 2009 at 11:32 PM ^

Thing is, as far as we know there is no reserve of Mgopoints. The potential for growth is literally infinite, as opposed to the real world where inflation ultimately comes back to bite us in the ass.... you know, when you're dealing with "real commodities" at some point in the process Beyond 20 points, there is literally no utility to Mgopoints. Even so, we find that Karl Marx would have something to gripe about. There are still "haves" (20+ pointers) and "have-nots" (20 pointers... who cannot create threads) And yet... there is a loophole in the system. A have-not can create a diary that gets moved to a thread, thereby creating a thread. All one has to do is create a sufficiently un-diary-like diary entry. So Mgopoints are truly, 100% worthless (OT: they are playing a remix of "Temptation" on adult swim right now... cool)

Joined: 09/23/2008

MGoPoints: 11442

TESOE

October 9th, 2009 at 2:15 AM ^

they mean nothing relative to the subject at hand. We need to respect the rule or suffer the nepotistic fate that got us to 3-9 to begin with. I like MGoBlog...but we need to respect the mgopoints #1 rule IMHO.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 8439

Ernis

October 9th, 2009 at 11:22 AM ^

the investment banker is to finance. You have injected yourself into the process to leech off those who create real value, and have managed to convince the shmool's in Washington that you're indispensable. I wonder how you might have pulled that off...

Joined: 09/23/2008

MGoPoints: 11442

Topher

October 9th, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^

Those who got into MGoPoints early made big killings in the points arbitrage. They now enjoy privileged positions of legacy power and influence without the need to produce any contemporary value, and in many cases hoarding their points away from the community. They use their accumulated wealth to kick the proletariat with negbangs when they try to post their way into the wealthy class. You can also live "off the grid" - don't post and don't comment on posts and your points won't move and no one will bother you.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 742

Ernis

October 9th, 2009 at 2:35 PM ^

The MGoPoint elite maintain their hegemony by up-banging each others' posts no matter what -- even when their posts are a meaningless and generic "OMG LOL" sort of post.... for these worthless contributions, members of a certain once-revolutionary-but-now-it-has-become-the-sort-of-quasi-oppressive-clique-that-it-once-ostensibly-railed-against will receive multiple up-bangs. Just an example.

Joined: 09/23/2008

MGoPoints: 11442

Seth

October 9th, 2009 at 10:46 AM ^

You can always tell when Brian wakes up in the morning, because suddenly these vapid overnight diaries disappear into the nethervoid of the banal and stupefying. It's like rubbing the sleep out of the board's eyes. Ahhhhh, good morning: the utterly inane and insipid are gone like a bad dream; it's time for another glorious day of statistics analysis, play-by-play breakdowns, and MS Paint drawings (and if we're lucky, a recruiting of the said day variety, a veracity unverified, a pod that has been cast, or -- my personal favorite -- a review that upon which has been furthered).

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149036

Elno Lewis

October 9th, 2009 at 3:12 PM ^

if it will make you feel better. geez. they are imaginary points people! get the fuck over yourselves! are you freakin retarded or something? this is pure freakin insanity. I have to admit, tho, i find it entertaining. but, stupidity always amuses me. MORANS!

Joined: 12/05/2008

MGoPoints: 2320

Chunks the Hobo

October 9th, 2009 at 4:57 PM ^

Aren't they like Federal Reserve Notes? They can be conjured out of nothing and there is nothing of real value backing them. On the other hand, FRNs do buy fortified wine so feel free to pass some to this hobo.

Joined: 07/22/2008

MGoPoints: 4073