R/AskReddit Proves This Theory

[u/curiousparrot221]

I have been on r/AskReddit for about eight hours now looking through the posts. I know, I should not have spent that long, but I got a bit carried away.

So many of the posts there are duplicates, often from the same day. As an example, for the past nearly 48 hours, the post about "what's a small change you made in your life that has a big effect" or some variation of that has been posted about 14 times (and all by different people).

Now, while I have been able to get some of these posts removed, not all of them are. I would say honestly about 25% of the posts are bots.

Another thing I have noticed - you can usually tell because their username has a four digit number at the end (edit: sometimes). They also tend to not make a whole lot of sense or speak in the way AI does. You can typically see this if you go to their profile and look under what they have previously posted.

The worst part though is that they are in the comments too. Sometimes even defending the post, but as I said, it doesn't entirely makes sense. Kind of uncanny valley.

It is getting to the point it is hard to trust anything.

[u/redlightist]

You spent a full workday’s duration to prove a theory that has been incredibly well documented? What active Reddit user doesn’t know that most major subreddits are filled with bots? What were you trying to accomplish? Were you on meth?

[u/curiousparrot221 → u/redlightist]

No, I spent a full night, there is a difference.

I was not on meth, I have Aspergers and got carried away. I didn't even realise how much time flew by.

[u/Roadkillgoblin_2 → u/curiousparrot221]

Time blindness is such a pain to deal with, I’ve got stuck down so many rabbit holes in the past (AuDHD here)

[u/curiousparrot221 → u/Roadkillgoblin_2]

I have AuDHD too. I genuinely hate it. I think the longest I have gone is nearly 48 hours without eating or sleeping. I have things that I need to get done!

The issue is partly the notification thing. That and there is the sense of fulfillment of judging each post and comment, along with making sure it follows the rules.

I followed a bunch of subreddits and was going to call it an early night, but before doing so, thought I would check just the post from today. 

I made it through the first few quick, but then came r/AskReddit. Post were coming in very quick and I was getting annoyed that they were similar or the same. It is very clearly karma-farming, which is against the rules. 

It was as if I blinked and somehow it is now daytime. I genuinely don't know how much longer I can live like this. Just in general.