What do you like about The Listserve?

I like seeing people experiment with the Listserve. Perhaps more than that, I like the community that makes-up the Listserve, but I don't know much about it unfortunately. I only get to see a snapshot of a fraction of the community once a day. Maybe if there were a way for the listserve as a community to better communicate amongst itself. This is not to suggest we should make a sub-reddit or something like that, because that would disrupt the elegant design of the 1 email/day for the listserve, which I quite like. I like ideas, the ones that make you think... like 'hello prompt' I guess.

I like the potential Listserve has to spread ideas and connect people.

I love the potential. One day I might open my email and find the perfect opportunity. Or an idea I've never thought of. A book or movie suggestion. A project I should be involved with. Someone I should connect to. The potential is exciting.

People giving a part of their lives a shape that can be shared with others.

I like that I get a glimpse into people lives, like a snapshot of who they are/how they are feeling at that exact moment. What they think is the most important to tell the world about themselves.

I like unique offerings, such as when someone uses the Listserve in an unconventional format. There was a submission early this year where the writer penned a note from Satan. It was funny, and unique. I like simple stories from people's lives. I like when they're thought out and well formatted. I like emails with white space.

Reading snippets of peoples lives and perspectives, and getting recommendations for things I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

The people

The stories, of course.

That winners have the potential to engage with a huge number of people emotionally. This could initiate change. In particular, social change. I feel that our world is in need of revolution.

Hearing people's unique perspectives, and the simple, open ended canvas that the daily message folks. It's also a fun thought experiment personally to wonder what message I might wish to share, and to reflect on how that answer changes for me over the years I've asked it.

a new story every day

I love hearing stories about people in different corners of the world. It's interesting to learn not only about their experiences, but about how they interpret these experiences and how these experiences make them feel.

One out of ten or so is very interesting and sometimes funny, I like hearing from people in different places.

It's unstructured - each person writes whatever they want, simply because they have an audience.

It's a nice break in the day

I like reading people's thoughts on random subjects.

Intro to new ideas or sites like ted talks or music. There was once an email about russia's occupation of disputed areas by a russian who lived in the disputed area. I found that very interesting. Another about getting tested for cancer by the friend of a survivor

breaking out of the echo chamber (a bit), earnestness, whimsy

It's a moment to breathe during the day, and dream away about the lives of others on this planet we share. Apart from the music & book recommendations (which I personally really love) I get a small moment of escape during my day, grounding me and appreciating the life I live and share with others.

serendipity

I like to look for the patterns of communication and themes that connect diverse people. While many messages can become TL/DR, I do enoy the gestalt of all of them.

I like how you can have that feeling of wonder reading someone articulating the way they think, the things that make people happy, sad. How human it makes me feel, how I can find pieces of myself in the middle of someone's story, how different some people are from me and from what I know. And I love to learn...a new song, a new book or just a new way of seeing something.

I like how it gives you a chance to meet people from all over the world. You never know who you might connect with and what that might lead to. Being early in my career, I like to read other people's perspectives and journeys.

Listserve for me is a window into the human soul; i love the surprise element of receiving something unexpected in my mailbox.

I've always been someone who loved talking to strangers and hearing diverse points of view. I used to hold up a sign that says, "Talk to Us" and stand for hours in various cities to try and gather the points of views of people I wouldn't otherwise meet in life. I'll pretty much give anyone the time of day, if I'm in a decent mood (most of the time). I like that Listserve allows people to read and share in a similar way, and that it allows opportunities for continued interaction if people so choose it.

The rare email that doesn't fit the mold

I like how non-commital it is. If i get an email that's too long or doesn't catch me with the subject or first sentence, I can skip it. I love hearing other peoples' stories.

serendipity

Dynamic opinions

I enjoy reading all the unique stories and seeing what people share to such a large forum. I have never been chosen, but I read it almost everyday. On a very rare occasion I have responded to a writer.

Hearing from people I would normally never hear from and getting music recommendations.

I like that the Listserve gives you the ability to connect with someone and not expect anything in return. It makes you think about something that might think not normally come across; its human empathy its in purest form.

Nice stories and insightful events, new perspectives about something and listserves that gives you something to think about.

Because I love to read, I love it when the list serve is a well-written story, snippet, anecdote. I also like it when an email is able to teach me about something I didn't know/ know much about.

I love hearing peoples stories and how colorful they are.

I've been a member of the Listserve for a few years now. What I like about it is that every now and then I read something that I get extremely inspired with. Some stuff I can relate with. Other stuff I learn new things.

The fact that it reminds me of the "inexhaustible variety of life"

A sampling of a stranger, unsponsored.

The randomness

variety of backgrounds & life experiences

The diverse thoughts and opinions.

That it exposes me to a pretty wide range of people. Fb's feed, Twitter's stream, even my preferred news site all give me a biased view of things.

The surprise personality of who's writing the next email.

knowing there are interesting, passionate people in the world with interesting ideas

I really like when people write their own stories, that are interesting. Regardless of their truths it's entertaining when people have a story to tell.

I love that people are so willing to share intimate details with the world.

Getting new ideas, new viewpoints from people I would never have met.

I like hearing about what people do, since I'm so accustomed to my own world.

Sharing life experiences, advice and passions is the best way to demonstrate we are never alone. Someone else has lived through worse times, can trigger what may help get others through their difficulties and inspire you to realize your own potential. It is 99.44% positive in a world full of divisive, cruel crap.

The variety of life stories. The creative uses of a one-time soapbox. The rare email which is so engaging I'm disappointed when it ends. I have read every single one since I signed up on April 18, 2012, and I'm proud of that.

It exposes and connects me to such a diverse, different, unexpected group of people. When the email shows up I think, "oooh..I wonder who it will be today!". I love connecting and hearing people's stories, thinking about what THEY thought was special enough to include in their ListServe lottery moment.

everything, randomness, globality,etc

I love the "push" nature of the Listserve, the fact that it just shows up in my inbox, hence inviting me to interact with it differently than all the other things I deal with on my phone. I like that it is lo-fi. I like the sense of serendipity with it, the real sense of finding the occasional four-leaf clover. I like the democratic aspect of it, the notion that everyone gets a moment on stage.

The randomness, the chaos

It's great to hear voices from around the world. And since I'm part of the older demographic in the Listserve, I get solid insight into what younger people are saying...and thinking. And I hear about new music that hasn't been on my radar.

getting different recommendations for music, video, books, ... each email can be like a short story i like to see what motivates people

the opportunity to hear a stranger's most pressing thoughts

The freedom. The freedom for those chosen to say/do/start anything they want with few limitations. The freedom as a reader to pick and choose what you take from the emails (or whether you even read them or not). The collection of thoughts and ideas from people that are otherwise strangers living in the same world I am. The listserve is amazing because there are so many voices

Getting a glimpse of the variety of people in this world of ours. Kinda like a "people of Walmart" without staying up late, and delivered to your inbox.

odd bits and pieces from around the world

It gives us a little taste of someone's life

Some gems in terms of life stories and passions.

The occasional raw, honest, vulnerable truth from someone.

It's one e-mail a day that makes me feel. Whether it's today's e-mail about someone who lost their brother and mother within one week, or an e-mail about an embarrassing childhood story, I can read an e-mail from a complete stranger and feel elated, depressed, confused, or all of the above at once. I love the connections people can make through the listserve - friendships are formed, people meet up with one another in person, or people work collectively in some useful way (like this). I also like being able to tell people the stories and things I've learned from the listserve.

I am, I observe from the emails I get, older than the average Listserver. Many emails elicit a strong mothering response from me, many make me hopeful that the world is populated with so many thoughtful, smart, decent human beings, all doing their best to make a good life for themselves and others by being the best person they can be, in spite of life's many challenges.

I like when people share statistics about the people who are signed up. I like stories.

The occasional gem.

I love the idea behind it - random people getting a chance to share wisdom, a thought or a question with a global audience. People working and talking behind cultural or societal barriers.

I like to read mostly short posts written by people who I wouldn't read otherwise. People who I don't follow elsewhere and that most likely don't post things on a regular basis. So yeah, stuff by random amateurs.

That it gives voice to random people all over the word

I love reading and learning about other people's lives. It is a pretty interesting platform for people to tell you anything even the most intimate things, and you are just a stranger willing to read.

I like to read about people's stories and passions, especially when they're more varied (not your typical American college student who doesn't know what he or she is doing with his/her life).

I like the ability to receive e-mails from people all over the world. My current business startup revolves around cross-cultural training and how to understand an international audience. The core of this is based on teaching people that different cultures have different ways of thinking.

I like having the opportunity to learn the perspective of people that are really different from me (seeing the similarities, differences). I like responses that include art and literature.

I love how vulnerable people make themselves on the Listserve. It is far more engaging to me when someone tells a personal story in their email. I love getting a snapshot into someone's life, even if the total context from that story is missing.

Variety, but also learning about new things

I truly love the input from our diverse and interesting group.

The opportunity to briefly view the world trough someone else's eyes.

It's potential to connect people from all walks of life across the globe, eventually resulting in a wide variety of stories that allow for a far deepening of your own opinions on things

The fact that I get to read an insight from a random person everyday at my convenience. Also, the stories, experiences, etc, are wonderful to read. It gives us a platform and opportunity to connect with people who we would have never connected with.

The surprise element. The peek into a strangers perspective.

The idea.

nan

I am a fan of email, think it is an interesting medium and like that the listserve is a nice non-commercial experiment in that space. I like the exposure to a bunch of different person's thoughts each day.

Although some are sad and others are jokes it is a glimpse into a completely different life which any one can use to help mold and shape their own views to be a more global person.

Variety of emails and contact from different cultures

Variety. I like reading what people think counts as wisdom. I like reading poetry and short stories and dreams and things done long ago. I also think it's interesting when members seek advice.

the randomness, never know what you are going to get each day the ability to communicate with the author sense of connection - especially if story is similar to mine in some respect

I like getting exposed to a variety of writing styles and perspectives. Too often I (and others) get caught in a feedback loop of what we already know. I like getting a taste of something foreign and different to take me outside of my usual circles.

Reading and understanding viewpoints

Exposure to different walks of life and the feeling that they have presented themselves in your life (a bit more intimate than HONY)

It has a chance for greatness, every day. It comes as a surprise even still; a small hit of Christmas morning. Also on a meta level it speaks to what is on the mind of a self-selected group of people.

The connectedness of all things

The diversity of expression it amplifies.

I love hearing unique perspectives and opinions from such a wide range of people. There's a lot of very strong writers who share interesting and engaging thoughts.

Each day bumping into someone random, and seeing what's on in his or her head, vis a vis his the email in your inbox.

The anonymity, the diversity of narratives and writing styles, understanding how people think and what they care about, the chance to learn something new or esoteric and be able to apply it to your life, feeling transported occasionally and in some sense, connected to the larger world and with a finger on the collective pulse of humanity.

Varied stories the anticipation that I might find someone or something interesting

The randomness of it; getting points of view outside of my typical social and professional circle

Hearing stories from PEOPLE of different backgrounds, with different stories. Understanding a person that little bit more. Are most people like me? Do they go through the same struggles I do? Reading something really creative grabs me too. I love learning things through the listserve.

It's interesting to see what pops up each day, it's so varied and sometimes quite personal. I like that it's random and there are no rules about what you are 'supposed' to share.

Hearing about what makes people tick and what they decide to share. Makes you realize the diversity in the group how much more there is learn.

read stories and thoughts so different from the world and imagine the illustrations for these stories

I love hearing from people from around the globe. People are such amazing creatures.

It's like Omegle for the severely introverted: I get to meet someone without having to do the work or expose myself (not like that). And it's a meet that isn't governed or influenced by my own daily schedule and proclivities: I can meet someone who has literally no connection to my daily life. I have a theory that everyone is interesting when they tell you what they are passionate about. Sometimes [The Listserve] proves that. And currently, I'm horribly trapped in my everyday life without good community. [The Listserve] helps me to not feel so isolated.

The sheer randomness of it. I don't know what I will get in my inbox the next morning, what will it be related to and who will it be by

I like the variety and amount of people's backgrounds and ideas that are shared through Listserve. really opens you mind to the world. But I am even more amazed of the talent potential hidden in that community - and I believe this project can reveal it.

I love the opportunity to hear stories from other people, particularly people that I seem to share some commonalities with in other parts of the world.

nan

Connecting with different people across the world. I host couchsurfers at home and it's a very fun experience, so I see the Listserve as a virtual replication of that.

At first, I liked the variety of posts. One of the first ones was a recipe, then a list of words that represent ideas that don't translate. I like the ones best that are different, not lecturing about how to live a good life.

Each entry is a chance to learn more about the human condition.

Insights from people. Random people! Deepness of words one rarely sees.

I like seeing lots of people doing something they'd only ever imagined. Its like watching improv over email every day.

It connects people from many different countries, cultures and backgrounds.

The randomness of it, and how unexpected it is. You never know what you'll get

I like learning other people's perspectives, things that they think about or worry about, and reading strange stories that have happened to people.

The randomness. Been subscribed since before day 0. I've read every single email, and even responded to a few. My favorites are when there is community engagement- such as the picnic, the postcard project, and the web scavenger hunt.

To read a inspiring email

I never know what I'm going to get. Sometimes I'm offered insight on something brand new, sometimes introduced to someone new. It makes me feel like a member of the human race.

Hearing diverse perspectives, useful advice, personal stories I wouldn't otherwise encounter in my little Internet confirmation-bias bubble.

Diversity of people Variety and randomness of topic/ideas/information

I like the idea of communicating with a large group of people.

Easier than reading a new book every day. Still getting some fresh perspective. Pushed not pulled

Love the excitement of getting a cool tidbit from someone in the world. The randomness definitely adds to this. I love when I hear from someone that's very different from me or someone tells me something actually interesting that I might not run into otherwise

I like good posts that share an interesting story or view or are just well written. I also like the interactive projects.

Communicating through writing is a very natural tendency for me, so I appreciate having the opportunity to connect with members of the world that are communicating through my favourite medium. I like how it gives each person the opportunity for self-reflection and to consider their value in the context of a 25,000 member audience. It is really neat and profound to be given a voice and be assured you will be heard.

Never know what you're going to get.

The little stories some people share is what comes to mind. Looking back at some of the emails that I've archived, the 2 common themes I find are: emails from people with whom I can relate and emails from people whose lifes/choices/attitudes I wish I had. Oh, and there're lots of life advice in there :)

Thoughts expressed in paragraphs, honesty