Anyone who had signed up for ActiveRain has been introduced to the world of points. Points for what you might ask? Well, just about everything having to do with the site and your involvement in it. If you get into ActiveRain, they give you points. Of course you get posting, blogging and commenting privileges and more...too
BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
One of the unfortunate side affects of the point reward system is its addicting qualities. THINK: Same dynamic at the all you can eat places. You eat until you cannot and driving it is ancient DNA which I will refer as the FREE gene. Its in everyone but some have it worse than others.
"POINT" ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Like any addiction, it doesn't announce ahead of time: THIS IS AN ADDICTING SITUATION. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO! You just get exposed to it little by little and the carrot is never caught but pursued. Meanwhile, you see your point totals climbing with your efforts.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some people get it real bad (point jitters) at three distinct places or points (pun) of origin
1. At start-up. Here, you get introduced to the ease of it. Chunks of points are laying around for the doing of a few, short meaningful steps. Not a bad way to get started. No harm done..(yet)!
2. During the mid-parts or milestone rounded numbers like 50k, 100k etc. You start to want to put your point-pedal to the metal and even pass up fellow Rainers. Zoom....honk honk and whoosh. It's a high!
3. When approaching the 500k mark. The countdown to reach this so that you don't have to pay the monthly fees AND get boasting rights gives one the shakes as they lick their point chops!
DIE HARD POINTS
Some people get so caught up into the whirlwind of the "point capture" that they approach borderline reality. By that I mean that they count points, not sheep before bed, know all the exact daily, weekly and monthly quotas and tally's and some even have the intelligence to game the system. Yes, cross lines!
NAUGHTY-NAUGHTY
Of course, they cannot help themselves if it is to be looked at as an addiction. Some point devourers have come up with ways to even gather points allotted in record times too. Copy & pasting the same comments helps them bring in the point "sheaves" quicker. Some even copy & paste article for posts too.
I WONT LIE
I never let the points get the best of me and cause me not to be me, but there were times when I did live exclusively for the click and the point reward. I happy to say that with time and mastering the point disciplines, one can have their points and eat them too and still keep their head about them
ALL POINTS BULLETIN
With the sale of ACTIVERAIN pending (again), one wonders what the value of their hard earned points will be or be at all? A world without points? Point recession? Dare I say it...POINTLESS? Now here's a thought... Maybe it will go in the other direction...
POINTS MAY COME ALIVE
They may end up being redeemable! Yes, bring back the good ole days where if you frequent a place, support its products and services, they give away incentives using different programs. We all remember the Blue chip stamps, free drinking glasses at the gas station (collect all six), how about the famous buy one and get one free system?
For now, all those addicted.... will have to wait see.
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