@gadgetboy @aronow Oh! Is that the reason I’m often the first to fave a post that otherwise already has a ton of boosts?

I’ve decided I won’t be a big booster on this app, for now, so I always just gave for my own sake.

@gadgetboy

That and also the little flow of gratitude: "hey, I liked this post, please post more of this!"

@gadgetboy it's interesting to see this take on it. I usually deny these if the person has sent a follow and they've only fave'd me and don't have an intro.

I like being more open your way. I would like a middle where a friend request auto sent your intro (jabber clents had something like this)

@gadgetboy
That's one of these things where it *is* good to make sure people know that favoriting something doesn't have an inherent boosting effect behind it... but that shouldn't be the only reason to favorite it.

Sometimes you do just want to say you like something without necessarily feeling like you need to rebroadcast it to everyone else.

(Or, indeed, I'll favorite posts with pictures I like, but not actually boost them if they don't have alt text...)

@gadgetboy
@jrconlin

stars are *at least* as important as boosts

a star's a direct, nonverbal interpersonal acknowledgment someone read or saw your thing and thought it smart or funny or cool and just wanted you to know

that's awesome ⭐

@gadgetboy Same here.

> Hey, someone liked this, let's see who. Owww. Seems interesting. Here, have a follow.

In fact I am sure you can derive some kind of fave to follow ratio thingy. No idea about what that might represent, but I'm sure it would be a thing.

@gadgetboy @jdp23 It's interesting because "only boosts have value" assumes that everyone who posts, and every post, has the goal of getting boosted. Sometimes people are posting something they clearly wouldn't want boosted, and maybe they seem like they just want to be heard, so I fave so they know I heard them and care.

It's weird when I post something of personal interest to me and maybe my followers, without global appeal, like how I'm feeling or whatever, and someone boosts it. I'm like.... why do you think your followers would give a crap about that?

@gadgetboy The way I understand it is that boosts enable more people to see the post, because they're following me, or are on the same server instance.

Favourites are strictly person to person. There is value in the sense of saying hi or offering a pat on the back. Sometimes I do both.

@gadgetboy
I remember a post last year comparing like+boost to "Yes, and..." from improv.

Yes, I like the post, and I'm going to share it.

I tend to share fewer replies to a thread on the assumption that most people who view the OP will probably read at least some of the replies, but I still like quite a few.

@gadgetboy I also find this advice interesting because it implies that the only thing of value on a social media platform is increasing your reach or the reach of someone else.

What's wrong with saying "hey, I liked that thing you posted"?

Algorithmic thinking is poison injected into the heart of joy.

@gadgetboy I'm absolutely livid that I'm the first like on this. What the actual eff, folks?! Do y'all read?! *sigh*

*tromps off back to old people corner*