I mean, one is a generics link aggregator, the other is a niche website for leftist content. I probably won’t change any of your minds about the cringe ness either; but that is a consistent datapoint throughout all of this discussion; and over the past few weeks
It is niche now. Let’s be real. And that’s ok. And we want it to grow. And I hope it will I don’t like/dislike the proposed name. I just think it is very limiting
A bit drunk, but will try to answer coherently. It’s a good question and I’m not trying to be hostile either. I love you all mods and admins alike.
I think if we want to build a broader left website, the title of the site should at least have something to do with leftism. If we were comfortable with where we are user wise, then hexbear is a fine name. It has resonance with the user base. For outsiders, it just would be irrelevant or bizarre to see that branding (fuck me I hate that word lol).
Unlike a subreddit, where we may show up in someone’s feed, and if they like the content they can subscribe, people have to proactively choose to come to this website. I think if we want to improve content here we need to have some sort of hybrid of forum and link aggregator type posts - longer conversations that can go on for a few days, and twitter screenshots, memes, and humorous content. So we need to have a mix of serious content and funny shit. I think we have that now, but it’s a bit scattershot. Having a more serious branding than hexbear or chapo would help with that. Interfacing with orgs and movements is easier with a more serious name that maybe has the word “left” in it.
The cringe elements are subjective obviously. Like yeah a few people might think we are furries if they see a watermark, or may be like wtf is this and why is it watermarked on this meme. But that’s not “limiting” per se. the issue comes down to whether if someone sees “hexbear” labeled on content from here will they become curious and proactively type in the url and come here. It’s limiting when I talk to someone IRL or on a forum or Reddit even and have to explain what a chapo or hexbear is. So I think it’s solving one problem by creating another.
Lemmygrad.ml was a community chosen name on lemmy.ml and its association with Leningrad ties it to a lot of evocative leftist history "the left will rise again" vibes while also not taking itself to seriously and points to its educational role (grad -> gradual -> graduate) and ml, Marxist-Leninist. Though a lot of that is probably coincidental, it works really well and sounds cool imo. Though I did vote for Stalingrad.ml
There are >10,000 users, I'm sure the community can come up with a better name and URL than Hexbear.
Because revolutionary politics is a niche of all possible discussion? Reddit is for generic discussion of whatever. Chapo isn't ever going to include a forum about waifu pillows because it is a niche community for vaguely left things.
I agree we shouldn't seek to limit ourselves, but niche doesn't just mean "small or obscure community".
Great points. I guess I never considered that the chapo podcast was that well known on the left. I def don't like being attached to succdem ideology, but I didn't think enough people even really knew about the pod vs. the subreddit.
I just like the name chapo because it's vaguely related to El chapo guzmán and kinda edgy. If it's an actual barrier to growing and influence, I'd be more supportive of the change. But I'm very skeptical of that being true and not just a truism.
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I mean, one is a generics link aggregator, the other is a niche website for leftist content. I probably won’t change any of your minds about the cringe ness either; but that is a consistent datapoint throughout all of this discussion; and over the past few weeks
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It is niche now. Let’s be real. And that’s ok. And we want it to grow. And I hope it will I don’t like/dislike the proposed name. I just think it is very limiting
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A bit drunk, but will try to answer coherently. It’s a good question and I’m not trying to be hostile either. I love you all mods and admins alike.
I think if we want to build a broader left website, the title of the site should at least have something to do with leftism. If we were comfortable with where we are user wise, then hexbear is a fine name. It has resonance with the user base. For outsiders, it just would be irrelevant or bizarre to see that branding (fuck me I hate that word lol).
Unlike a subreddit, where we may show up in someone’s feed, and if they like the content they can subscribe, people have to proactively choose to come to this website. I think if we want to improve content here we need to have some sort of hybrid of forum and link aggregator type posts - longer conversations that can go on for a few days, and twitter screenshots, memes, and humorous content. So we need to have a mix of serious content and funny shit. I think we have that now, but it’s a bit scattershot. Having a more serious branding than hexbear or chapo would help with that. Interfacing with orgs and movements is easier with a more serious name that maybe has the word “left” in it.
The cringe elements are subjective obviously. Like yeah a few people might think we are furries if they see a watermark, or may be like wtf is this and why is it watermarked on this meme. But that’s not “limiting” per se. the issue comes down to whether if someone sees “hexbear” labeled on content from here will they become curious and proactively type in the url and come here. It’s limiting when I talk to someone IRL or on a forum or Reddit even and have to explain what a chapo or hexbear is. So I think it’s solving one problem by creating another.
Thanks for coming to my Ted-X Hexbear talk
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I get it. Tough spot to be in. I still like the idea of changing the name every theee months
Lemmygrad.ml was a community chosen name on lemmy.ml and its association with Leningrad ties it to a lot of evocative leftist history "the left will rise again" vibes while also not taking itself to seriously and points to its educational role (grad -> gradual -> graduate) and ml, Marxist-Leninist. Though a lot of that is probably coincidental, it works really well and sounds cool imo. Though I did vote for Stalingrad.ml
There are >10,000 users, I'm sure the community can come up with a better name and URL than Hexbear.
Because revolutionary politics is a niche of all possible discussion? Reddit is for generic discussion of whatever. Chapo isn't ever going to include a forum about waifu pillows because it is a niche community for vaguely left things.
I agree we shouldn't seek to limit ourselves, but niche doesn't just mean "small or obscure community".
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Great points. I guess I never considered that the chapo podcast was that well known on the left. I def don't like being attached to succdem ideology, but I didn't think enough people even really knew about the pod vs. the subreddit.
I just like the name chapo because it's vaguely related to El chapo guzmán and kinda edgy. If it's an actual barrier to growing and influence, I'd be more supportive of the change. But I'm very skeptical of that being true and not just a truism.
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