Forget about the levels. Just enjoy the menaingful dialogue you have on the site and the sense of lcomraderie you find with some of us. That is all that really matters.

No. So far, I am not posting just to post. I post to thing that interest me and only ask a question when I really want opinions.

And yet, I'm at 6.9!!! Come on, baby!

I can understand the use of levels from the administration’s perspective. It triggers our natural competitive nature and desire for status in the community, so we contribute content to the site... for free. This helps build the site and keep it flourishing. If the site succeeds, we continue to have this wonderful venue for exchanging ideas and making friends... for free. I think the level system also helps weed out troublemakers, who generally aren’t going to invest that much effort just for the opportunity to troll their fellow humans; there are easier marks to pursue elsewhere.

That said, it can have a downside. After the first 5 or 6 levels, the troll filter effect has probably done its job. The individual has established herself as a reliable member of the community, and the actual benefits to the members start to approach a point of diminishing returns. Meanwhile, the Pavlovian pursuit of more, more, more points has the effect of flooding the feed with fluff and repetition. So maybe it’s a question of balance between a robust site and site of substance; quantity vs quality.

When I hit level seven I lost interest in repeatedly hitting that button for a jolt of ego stimulation. I couldn’t find any other reason I should be doing it. What other reason is there? I hope this doesn’t make me a slacker in regard to supporting the community, but at this point I’d rather contribute to an atmosphere of thoughtful discussion than to become a Pied Piper leading a horde of button-tapping rats to their demise in the Fluff River.

(No offense intended to our lovely and talented pipers, or to my fellow swim-rats. A healthy mix is good. I’m just blathering about balance and mindfulness) Have a nice day, and congrats on your 8!

I just joined today and as an introvert and observer, I'm fairly confident I'll die before reaching any respectable level

For me I realized the point system on day one. It's an achievement thing for me. I just hit 7 and 8 seems forever away but as much as I've been pulled into this site I know it'll come and I still check points multiple times per day.Lol As for what to do...keep playing. Hell it's fun

I am not, by my nature, a very competitive person, so the level thing is not really on my radar. In fact, I didn't pay much attention to it until I hit 7, then I thought, "Hmm, I better slow down, I must be spending too much time here."

No, I don't care. I think they should get rid of the levels. Levels are for games.

I haven't really registered what the point of the levels is, yet. I agree, though. For people who are naturally competitive, it makes you want to get more and more points, even though there may be no benefit. Maybe we are like lab-rats, pressing the button even when there is no reward!

You might until you hit level 7....LOL It took as long to get from 7 to 7.1 as it took to get from level 1 to level 7.

It is mildly gratifying to see my points increase and my levels rise, but I really don't care about it very much. I just want to know why I still haven't received cake.

The points system was fun to attain at first, but now I'm digging the camaraderie in the community more.

FU GED A BOW DIT... string it together n say it fast. I'm just enjoying the ride and the quality of thought and knowledge in all areas.
May be misspelled... been out of the Bronx too long.

I think the level-up system is genius. It works. We're "rewarded" for participation with points which increase our levels, which are visible to everyone. So we all wear our level as a badge of experience. This all encourages participation. It's kind of fun too.

I just made 8! Doing the winner arm pump! ?

I also joined for the conversation first and matching second. When I discovered points I thought it would be nice but it wasn't a priority. I felt quality was more important than quantity but then, all of a sudden I hit 7! However, the weather is changing and, where I live, there are other, more physical, things that are calling. Also, with the growing membership more and more questions are being re-asked and I find myself repeating my comments. I had hoped to offer some memberships to FFRF but obstacles came along. The site has helped my mental state a lot but I am slowing down. Too many distractions. I will try and stay active albeit at a slower pace. I am starting to see it takes too much butt work to get to 8 or 9 and I need less of that and more leg and arm work.

Nope

No you aren't alone.

I'm still mourning the three days I lost to a power outage. lol

I'm not going to even think about Level 9 - I think it might be a unicorn because I've yet to see one?

Levels are not important to me.

I care more than I should.

No I have not looked

I wanted to go up a few levels for the sake of being able to join a few groups with level requirements, but it doesn't incite anything else in me as it would have when I was younger. These days I'm too sleep deprived to care about much beyond my survival and the well-being of my family.

Just need to grind more instances.

Congrats on 8!

Only so I can message people.