Curious to know, I’d heard “lemming” used in a semi derogatory way, since “a person who unthinkingly joins a mass movement, especially a headlong rush to destruction” is the dictionary definition. It seems to be the first thing to come to mind as to what you’d call a Lemmy user.

This platform certainly is embodying a mass movement to get off of reddit, and I’m definitely all for it! But I can’t help but feel this could be one of those baby names that sounded cute and catchy but could be bullied later into life. What are your thoughts?

  • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I appreciate it as a self-aware jab at the nature of online communities in general, and it amuses me. Every human is a lemming in some way, shape or form, there’s just nothing new under the sun so-to-speak. But by being aware of this tendency we can control our own behavior more consciously and effectively.

    Gotta be able to laugh at yourself though, which is a capability that not everybody possesses.

      • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I like self sorting systems. Let the easily offended become offended and go somewhere else. They do have the right to be offended, after all.

        • netvor@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Which group of easily offended people is going to be the largest?

          • Those who get offended and therefore leave,
          • or those who get offended but stay, because their curiosity won’t let them go,
          • or those who get offended and stay to troll and throw 💩 around and watch the world burn.
    • SwallowsDick
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      1 year ago

      It does kind of lack the same embarrassment that comes from self identifying as a Redditor

    • Hank@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Just thinking about how at some point in the future the lemmyverse will be replaced over some dumb shit and the tremendous amount of absolutely trash memes about lemmings jumping off a cliff that follow fills me with joy.

      The internet is a cycle and it’s fun to witness a new cycle now.