Welcome to HaveWeMet, the Subreddit Where every person Pretends to understand Each Other

It may be the final place that is pure the world wide web, therefore try not to break it.

By Kylie Harrington, University of Southern California

Displays x August 31, 2018

Thank you for visiting HaveWeMet, the Subreddit Where everybody Pretends to understand Each Other

It may be the past pure put on the online world, therefore try not to break it.

By Kylie Harrington, University of Southern California

As a person who spends a lot of the time on the web, I’m sure just how monotonous and toxic it may be. Outrage begets outrage, drama begets drama, the whole thing begets increased cortisol levels and a deep aspire to put my phone in to the ocean (although not before one final refresh of this timeline).

But, every occasionally, during my Adobe Flash-enabled wanderings, I run into an oasis, a little Eden of collaboration and silliness where strangers come together to create one thing stunning. A secluded, trampoline-filled host to comfort that I am afraid to talk way too much about, lest it disappear.

One of these places is a subreddit called r/HaveWeMet, one of many weirdest & most wonderful places on the online world. HaveWeMet is essentially a large-scale part playing forum on which users all pretend to reside in identical small town and communicate with one another while they would in a local Facebook group, where many people are either household or friends.

Most users include flair (or “nametags”) to their Reddit username with titles like “Mike, Travel Guide,” “Bethann – County Clerk” and “Jamie (mr. Nolan’s son) – senior school pupil,” producing complex, interwoven relationships because of the other denizens associated with town that is unnamed. Story lines and relationships emerge through these comment sections, and leading to an experimental, tongue-in-cheek type of fiction.

HaveWeMet ended up being started by Reddit individual Devuluh, whom posted on r/FindAReddit (a subreddit for locating subreddits) in mid-2017 about searching for an on-line community “where people operate like they understand you, and react referencing previous occasions you experienced together that didn’t really take place. like they know everyone really… for instance you make a post to talk about one thing, and every person within the commentary pretends”

You start with the idea of conversing with every person in the forum as if these are generally buddies or family members, the sub developed a unique expansive, strange lore and history. Ultimately, a discussion forum, appropriately named r/HaveWeMeta, formed for out-of-character organization and discussion purposes.

The commenters practice a digital type of “yes-and”-ing, the idea taught in improv comedy classes that encourages actors to take the info their scene partner provides them with and add to it. Though not done on phase, HaveWeMet commenters accept the information wanted to them and increase it, doing their finest to not ever contradict or reject each other’s work.

A year’s worth of remarks, callbacks and inside jokes all total up to remarkably detailed environment complete with drama, developed relationships and established local hotspots. For an basic idea of this scale regarding the undertaking, the following is a list of named areas within the town and also the figures which are most linked to them.

Posts often start out with a photograph or an anecdote from a resident for the town that is unnamed. Certainly one of my all-time favorite posts is “Who recalls when terry ate that poisonous leaf straight back in ’06,” https://datingranking.net/cougar-chat-rooms/ where in actuality the remark section cascades into different strains of gossip, activities and well-wishes between townsfolk.

One individual, the “Town Superhero,” reacted by saying “My cousin mike (sic) was at city then. I have actually the fondest memories of terry back ‘06, he had been such a goofball often. Hope their cancer hasn’t keep coming back,” starting a discussion about Terry’s cancer tumors. Another individual (“Kathy Nystrom – Camp Registrar”) then asks if he was addressed by Doctor Stevens, and in case Jeannie is still working reception at Stevens’ office.

Still another townsperson claims that Jeannie had been fired because she gave another person in city genital warts, and also the conversation continues. An additional thread, characters discuss why Terry owes them all money and evaluate their performance in a recent softball game.

–> In just this 1 post, a dozen that is few of narrative are mentioned, referencing past articles or moments when you look at the city’s history. In just a few days, another post might appear and reference Terry’s cancer tumors remission or Jeannie’s diagnosis, and commenters will include greater detail compared to that.

A number of the figures are middle-aged or senior, and their voices are obviously modeled following the stereotypical child boomer on the web — a lot of exclamation points, misused acronyms and zealous avoidance of swear terms. The HaveWeMet discussion design appears to be an amalgamation regarding the Old Friends Senior puppy Sanctuary remark area, the string emails you obtain from your own grand-parents and Welcome to evening Vale.

More often than not, the subreddit pokes fun at small city drama, but sometimes commenters will point out items that are strange and even horrifying as if they are totally normal, as well as the entire city takes it. For instance, they often times relate to “Hot Dog Water” as a nearby delicacy, and articles about community barbecues and guide club meetings are often followed by discussion of who’s bringing the dog water that is hot.

The fact such a great and supportive community exists on Reddit seems surprising; the platform is certainly not exactly recognized for its civility, especially on big discussion boards like r/politics. Nevertheless the site’s design, according to anonymous usernames and message that is interest-based, does enable niche communities to develop faster than they are doing on internet sites like Twitter or Instagram, where every interest is mashed together into pages and newsfeeds.

These characteristics can lead to vitriol and polarization, however they may also enable communities like HaveWeMet, which reward collaboration and obsessive dedication to goofy premises, to grow. It’s a breathing of fresh, hot dog water-scented atmosphere.