What's the meaning of life?

September 17, 2012 2:01 PM

What's your favorite web place for open-ended questions about almost anything? I'm basically looking for a great, engaged, smart community - like Metafilter - but with the ability to ask and answer more open-ended questions and to engage posters in conversations.
posted by st starseed to Technology (5 answers total)

Quora has to make the list. I imagine there are better specialty topic Q&A places but Quora is pretty well known as an "ask anything and informed people (sometimes famous people) will respond" sort of site.
posted by Wretch729 at 2:04 PM on September 17, 2012

Reddit.com is hit or miss but can be very good when it's good.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 2:12 PM on September 17, 2012

Something Awful. The forums, not the website. Guarded by merciless mods who maintain the community by banning and probating shitty posters. The combination of a ten dollar cover charge and bouncers who can and will toss you out on your ear for refusing to use your shift key, posting "witty" image macros or arguing in bad faith keep SA's forums a vibrant and useful community. Except Pet Island, which is a worthless echo chamber of cat fanatics.
posted by Sternmeyer at 2:25 PM on September 17, 2012

Branch may be becoming the site you're looking for.
posted by kelegraph at 2:53 PM on September 17, 2012

I've never been a member, but I used to read the Straight Dope forums a lot, and intermittent visits over the last few years have indicated it's still an intelligent, friendly, engaged community where it is OK to have open-ended questions and chatty discussions along with The Big Debates over more serious things. Like Metafilter, it seems well moderated, which probably accounts for the longevity and good quality.

Sample boards:

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO): "'What's your favorite ...?' For frank exchanges of views on less-than-cosmic topics. This is also the place for polling."
Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS): "For general discussion: from frivolous chatter to deep thoughts; from harmless diversions to life-changing announcements."
Great Debates: "For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing."
Elections: "For discussion of elections and electoral politics, including strategy and tactics, political parties, individual races, political news, and politicians and public figures."
Cafe Society: "Our salon for art, drama, literature, movies, music, comics, cuisine -- all the artistic disciplines -- if it's about creativity, entertainment, or leisure, it goes here."

posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:08 PM on September 17, 2012