Oppo... We Need To Pull It Together

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213) 01/15/2015 at 10:05 • Filed to: state of the oppo, rant

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This is my opinion on what has been going on lately in our little corner of the internet. You don't have to agree or even read this. But I just wanted to say a few things about Oppo as of late.

You guys (and gals) are honestly starting to scare me a little bit. I am becoming fearful that Oppo is tearing at the seams. I fear that soon these tears will be simply too large to be restitched. I love you all very much and if I lose Oppo, I'll be in trouble.

I joined Oppo back in 2013. I stumbled upon it by accident. I was searching for some car news to do a current event and stumbled upon Jalopnik. I started to read it for a few days and lo and behold like a week later they did one of those club opening posts so I begged to join (and it worked) so here I am. I know many have been here longer than that but I also know some who haven't.

Oppo is a giant family to me. I love talking to most everyone on here. Hell, some of my best friends are people I've met here and have never even seen in real life. The main reason? Our unified passion for cars. We all came here because of this passion. Little did I know when I joined that Oppo would be so much more than just a dumping ground for car porn.

Unlike so many other places on the internet, Oppo is ran by what seems like real humans. We all have real feelings and real issues. Although cars are what brought us together, most everyone here is willing to give a helping hand when they are feeling down or upset.

This is the main reason I love Oppo. I've been going through some tough times here, and whenever I feel down I can come to you and rant. This is something I can't do anywhere else; even Facebook. Its great being able to talk to people of all ages who have essentially been in my shoes before and can help me out. The fact that most everyone here is able and willing to assist some stranger they have never met is just purely incredible.

And this is my fear. We have had our share of issues. And they usually are dealt with pretty quickly; so fast in fact that I've missed quite a few before and only return to see the leftover rubble. I am becoming fearful that we will soon become like other places on the internet. I fear that soon enough, we will have to stick just to cars. That we will become like a Google search, and there will be nothing but boring one word posts with a picture of some fancy car. I don't want to see that happen. I don't want to lose the individuality that we all have here.

I simply ask that we try and be careful here. I don't want to lose Oppo. I need Oppo. I love Oppo. I don't want to lose what we have here because of a few bad posts or bad commenters. I live on this blog. I am here in the middle of class, at lunch, on break at work, and while taking long car rides. I am here more than any other social media platform. I came here to escape most everyone else I know that just post selfies and Starbucks. For every one time I check Facebook, I have checked Oppo 20. I just don't want to have to flip those numbers.

Please guys (and gals). Don't ruin one of the few things that can still bring a smile to my face every day. These kinks are too serious yet and I just hope we can work them out before they kill us.

Thanks for reading.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:11

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This really isn't that bad. Seriously. I think people are making a big deal over making a big deal out of it. The NSFW had slowed down a lot as either the userbase changed or just the tastes of the authors changed. Things are cool. We're cool....you are cool, right? I mean, you'll never be "Steve McQueen on a motorcycle" cool, but who is?

Just be somewhat near "Saab touring car" cool, and we're all good.

CalzoneGolem > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:12

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This happens periodically. Don't sweat it. People leave people join. People bitch about the drama for weeks. So please stop referencing it and post car content and we'll be good to go!

macanamera > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:14

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I for one absolutely guarantee you that the many of my posts will always be ridiculous anecdotes or things that have little to do with cars. I will also post Jalopnik Gold membership threads, pictures of my dog, links to funny things on Imgur., pictures of perfect steaks that I have pan seared, and pictures of beers that I am drinking.

Tohru > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 10:27

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[A Jalopnik Gold® or higher membership is required to view this post. Sign up today! ]

Nibbles > CalzoneGolem 01/15/2015 at 10:27

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Party-vi > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:28

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Banning pornography (posted for no other reason than just to post pornography) did not require a 648 word essay about how you think Oppositelock is falling apart just because you can't see tiddies anymore. I used to post some glorious NSFW content, so don't think I'm coming at you off some soapbox.

Here's what Oppositelock is and has been:

Wake up

Show up

Post shit

Comment on shit

Sleep

Repeat

CalzoneGolem > Nibbles 01/15/2015 at 10:29

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Dusty Ventures > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 10:31

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Steak posts will only be allowed if you send steak to Dusty

macanamera > Tohru 01/15/2015 at 10:33

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That ones outdated, it doesn't even have the tiered membership system...

GhostZ > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:33

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It's not Oppo, it's the nature of the internet itself.

You can transplant this post into AOL in the early 2000s, or Reddit 8 years ago. Or Bitcoin before the November Boom. Or Craigslist when it started out. Or, god forbid, youtube in 2007.

Popularization is a real phenomenon. You have to learn not to take these things too seriously and trust your wellbeing on something so obviously weak and susceptible to change.

Stop needing Oppo.

Tohru > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 10:35

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Your mom's outdated.

Scary__goongala! > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:37

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And to think some of the huplaaa originated with pictures of boobs.

macanamera > Dusty Ventures 01/15/2015 at 10:40

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I won't stand for that tyranny

#freetheinternet

But steak is on the way to you now.

macanamera > Tohru 01/15/2015 at 10:40

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bruh

Tohru > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 10:57

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She is, though. She thinks her VCR is a DVR.

macanamera > Tohru 01/15/2015 at 10:57

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BRUH

Gamecat235 > Party-vi 01/15/2015 at 10:59

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But Mah Freedums!

djmt1 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 10:59

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I still have no idea what is going on. Apparently Oppo is falling apart but I have yet to see evidence of this. I can only assume that the mods have been really active of late and I'm just missing the drama.

Party-vi > Gamecat235 01/15/2015 at 11:10

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I will give you beer for your freedoms.

Good beer.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 11:11

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I fear that the growth of OPPO might be the death of the real OPPO we've come to know and love. With more exposure, the bare essence of the site is all that will remain. And, that might sound great on paper. Yes, this site is everything cars, but we are so much more. I wish I could meet 90-95% of the people I've talked to on this site. It sounds kinda lame, but it's another family. There are countless people here that I can count on whether I have car issues, emotion conundrums, or really just anything. And I've never been shot down.

I don't want OPPO to only be about cars. It isn't. It's about car people.

Also, I'm almost positive that you live in the DC area. So, in the spring/summer we'll have to meet up and hoon around in the 02.

Dusty Ventures > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 11:12

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Tyranny?! How could you accuse me of such a thing, this isn't tyranny. It's good old fashioned all-American extortion.

Gamecat235 > Party-vi 01/15/2015 at 11:13

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If Benjamin Franklin was a crafter of the the guidelines that make this country as amazing as it is, and he claims that beer is proof that god loves us, then... beer = god, whereas freedoms = social construct. Hence, beer > freedom.

Deal!

macanamera > Dusty Ventures 01/15/2015 at 11:18

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Please sir, just accept this grass-fed Wagyu NY Strip seared medium rare as payment.

Gamecat235 > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 01/15/2015 at 11:22

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This community has, historically, been a rotating cast of characters. There is no one person who is oppo (though several people definitely helped shape it), and as such, the community will continue to be what it is and, like any community which does not have an exact charter which outlines their mission, will continue to be shaped by those within the community.

I think that a lot of people are thinking about this way too hard.

Tohru > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 12:13

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She thinks a PDF is when you kiss someone in public.

macanamera > Tohru 01/15/2015 at 12:18

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

pauljones > Gamecat235 01/15/2015 at 12:20

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That is the amongst the greatest pieces of calculus I have ever seen.

pauljones > djmt1 01/15/2015 at 12:20

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Pretty much.

Dusty Ventures > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 13:41

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thank you very much, any and all food posts are now officially sanctioned

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Party-vi 01/15/2015 at 14:05

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Let me make this clear. I didnt care one way or another about the nsfw shit. Im a teenage boy, trust me I can find pictures of boobs online very easily.

im scared because ive seen it happen before where there is just a general morale change amungst the users. It becomes a place where people are sprt of scared to post anything on the off chance it might offend anyone. This is in regards to other incidences weve had before.

im sure it will gloss over again like usual. But im scared one of these times it simply wont.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 01/15/2015 at 14:07

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This incident itself wasnt bad. But I fear more about how people will react to it. Shit like this screws with the community's morale and changes the tone of everything. I didnt care about the nsfw posts... hell I dont think I ever viewed one. But I fear everyone around this incident will become scared to share.

Party-vi > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 14:23

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In the past 5 years oppositelock has gone through multiple format changes and people have come and gone but the essence hasn't changed. The biggest difference from then to now is the Mods moderate the site and keep everyone playing together happily. In the old days if someone didn't like you they'd spam your shit and a bunch of members would make your life hell. There were no personal problems ever posted on the romanticized version of oppositelock you're thinking of, nor were there unpopular opinions or that much debate. It was like a cool kids club and if we didn't like you, you didn't get to stay. I don't think anyone is scared of posting anything, and I think you shouldn't sweat it. Besides, if someone feels the need to post content we don't allow, Transporter has graciously created Cigarlounge for that content. As an opponaut and a Mod I like flipping through Cigarlounge, they've got some neat stuff.

Tohru > macanamera 01/15/2015 at 14:35

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She can't send email because she always types the email address into the address bar like it's a website.

Tohru > Dusty Ventures 01/15/2015 at 14:39

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"You can buy this steak for the same price as Walmart hamburger!"

By: Tavarish

Filed to: Foodlopnik

RallyWrench > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/15/2015 at 16:11

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" Shit like this screws with the community's morale and changes the tone of everything. "

Only if you let it. This too shall pass. It's not hard to post and share without rustling jimmies. It's like having fun without going to jail. Not difficult.

Let us now set the tone back to normal:

Keep calm & Oppo on.