Friday Q&A

Questionable Limitation

Greetings,crickets and trolls. Welcome back to your favorite Fark-related image mangling community interest blog. Each week, I take a look at the issues, and digest them down to their relevant facts. Then those facts work their way through my intestinal tract before being excreted into your mouth. Please remember to brush your teeth afterward.

Q: Why is it so hard to get a theme approved?

A: Theme contests have been some of my favorites on Fark. They're more open-ended, and give entrants a great deal of creative freedom. The problem is that at this point, pretty much every good idea for a theme has been done. Admins frown upon repeat contests, so theme submitters must bring only their most original ideas to the queue. Or just rip off SomethingAwful. No one goes there any more, so who would notice?

Q: Why can't we just have repeated threads?

A: Because that path leads to shame and mediocrity. Look at Worth1k, which frequently hosts repeat contests. Users there will sit on a creation and tweak it for months, because they know if Celebrity Poop Sculptures IV has been approved, CPS V is right around the corner. As a result, the Worth threads are far less organic, and reek of cold logic. Quality abounds, but they lack a certain element that flows freely from the font that is Fark. Call it soul, if you like.

Q: How can I think of a good theme?

A: I doubt you could. No offense, of course. Luckily, I'm here to lend a helping hand. Themes often delve into absurd re-imaginings of our society. We see what the world would be like if various oddball groups ruled it, or if advertisers were forced to do one thing or another. The ideal theme will have multiple levels of interpretation. That way, the contest will feel more open-ended.

That's all for this time, gentle reader. Thanks again for stopping by. I hope this column inspires you to submit a flurry of new themes to the queue. With enough theme submissions, admins will have a harder time ignoring them. I personally would like to see an equal mix of theme and "O" contests.

Stay tuned for more wasted optimism from the Doctor!