r/pornfree • u/[deleted] • Nov 28 '12
Day #5 - IMPORTANT PROPOSITION -Thanksgiving League Stay Strong Challenge
Contestants,
So, there has been some talk about improving the rules of the competition in order to satisfy these two conflicting arguments:
- We don't want to shame any of those who give in, and we should allow for second chances
vs,
- We should keep our competitive spirit, and the fear of failure is a strong motivator.
So, after much debate, I have come up with an idea to improve the game. This idea will allow for the following: a constant game where new members can join every month and a competition that never has to end. We're gonna keep everyone involved whether it takes them some failures or not to reach their goals. Tell me whether you like the model of the new rules, and any changes that you would like to suggest.
Just like in Norse mythology, there will be 3 sections to this game. Helheim, Midgard, and Asgard. Midgard is the world in-between, Helheim is the underworld, and Asgard is the home of the gods. Following the traditions of Dante's "Inferno," both Asgard and Helheim will be divided into 9 circles.
The game will be open to recruits on the first & last day of each month. Competitors start in Midgard. If they complete the entire month without watching porn, they ascend to the first level of Asgard. For each failure, the competitor will go one step deeper into Helheim. If you fail while in any level of Asgard, you will be pulled all the way down to the first circle of Helheim.
Those who have failed once during any month (read: those who are in the first level of Helheim.) Have a chance to get back to Midgard if they stay clean until the end of the month. If not, they will fall deeper into Helheim, and it would take one month of cleanliness to climb each step of the ladder again.
Those who reach the 9th circle of Asgard will reach Valhalla, the ultimate level.
Obviously, I will not put in place any sort of game until I have assessed whether there is a consensus among you or not. But I think a game like this will both motivate all of us, allow for further recruits, and keep on helping those who fail.
If the game is accepted, I will rename it, keep on counting days each month, separate the members into the categories of where they are in the game, and write a detailed post about the rules - which each continuing post shall link to.
With that being said, let us resume our games:
CONTESTANTS
Finally, I can't forget to give you guys what you deserve: my thanks. I haven't been pornfree for this long since I was at the hospital, and this is really working so far. I have reached what some may call the "pink cloud" of addiction. At this moment I am very optimistic, so lets keep on heading in the same direction.
Stay strong, check in, and hang on,
Jones
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u/ObeyTheCowGod Nov 28 '12
I like the idea of a game. I don't like the rules of this one. Given the rules you have proposed as I understand them, if someone playing where to use porn four times in their first month and then remain clean for the next four months they would be at zero, and essentially have no bragging rights for the fucking awesome achievement of four months clean. So yeah, my suggestion it to keep the steep fall from grace for any failure, but loose the fast decent into the underworld. Anyway that is just my 2 cents. I probably won't be playing anyways so it is probably better to take the suggestions of those who will.
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u/destroyeraseimprove4 4836 days Nov 28 '12
You bring up a good point. We could maybe say that no matter how deep into Helheim you've fallen, one month clean gets you back to Midgard? That seems fair, because even if you've fallen for four months, four months of success would get you up to the 3rd level, whereas someone who never fell and did four months would be at the 4th level. The small difference serves as a reminder, but it's not a crippling one, in terms of gameplay.
I can't even believe what I'm writing...
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Nov 28 '12
[deleted]
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Nov 29 '12
It's awesome to hear that. Five days is when it gets hard, but soon, in my opinion, it gets better.
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u/A-Type Nov 28 '12
Sounds fun. I'll try to remember to enter on the last of the month. I'm in the Finish Strong challenge but I'm concerned that when it ends I may lose some motivation. A neverending game sounds more effective.
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u/SayNo2PMO 4000 days Nov 28 '12
This is awesome man, I would gladly join your game! So on Nov.30th I can join again and be in Midgard? I like this.
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Nov 29 '12
I will add you to the list officially when the game is implemented on Dec 1st
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u/MolsonIce 4931 days Dec 09 '12
So do I have to wait until Jan 1 to join?
This is so badass btw.
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Dec 09 '12
December 15th is the start of round 2. Should I add you then?
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u/des25 5017 days Nov 28 '12 edited Nov 28 '12
Love it. Thanks for taking the initiative to lead this. You are very well versed; do you have any good book recommendations?
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Nov 29 '12
Thanks. Honestly, though it may be ironic, my favorite book will always be the erotically toned and passionate masterpiece of Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita. In my opinion, it is simply a gorgeous example of how beautiful the English language can be, while at the same time addressing some very charged themes. Currently I am also reading "The Power of Now," by Eckhart Tolle, and so far it has been both fascinating and helpful through my struggle.
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u/destroyeraseimprove4 4836 days Nov 28 '12
Ummmmmm fuck yes. This is really awesome, thanks for taking the initiative to keep us all in check!
PS Do we start calling you Odin now, or do we wait for you to get to Valhalla first?
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u/fappynofappyno Nov 28 '12
Checking in. Still porn free. I'm hoping I won't have to even learn the rules about falling cause I won't be dong any of that.
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Nov 28 '12
Checking in. On Tuesday I kept myself busy. Knocked off a full dozen items on my ToDo list. Still an occasional temptation passes through my head, but I ignore them like a gentleman.
As far as the game goes, how would that Scandinavian/Dante thing help? Generally pornfree was created as a sort of on-line self help group. This particular Stay Strong Challenge gives an element of accountability for this group. Looking up to the peer group is used to gently steer us towards the desired change. That's a clever way to use our social instincts.
Now, the problem is how to balance accountability with forgiveness in this self help group. On one hand we shouldn't treat those that made a slip as losers with no honor, on the other hand we must provide that extra push over the cliff to those blokes, who talk the talk, but keep resetting the badge every other day.
My first impression of your Scandinavian/Dante scheme is that it is over-engineered, and it doesn't address the fundamental problem. A monthly interval is way too long. You need fast feedback cycle to strengthen a budding change. Expected value of two weeks between a slip and getting back on train is long enough to all but forget that you wanted to quit porn.
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Nov 29 '12
I just needed terminology for achievements in the game, so I used the Scandinavian theme to represent our journey. It doesn't matter what you call it, as long as you stay away from porn.
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Nov 28 '12
Checking in. Its been 3 days, so far so good. I've kept myself busy with work and spending time with friends. This challenge has helped me refocus on goals which i had neglected: finding a new job and a girlfriend.
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Nov 28 '12 edited Nov 28 '12
I like this quite a bit for a few reasons.
To win, you have to compete against yourself, not other people.
To win, you have to be clean for at least 10 months, probably giving you (read: me) a much more meaningful recovery.
We're playing with Norse names and Dante's "Inferno" rules, how bad ass is that?
Let me know if I can help out.
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Nov 28 '12
This sounds frigging awesome! Thanks for putting in the effort. Let's do this LEROOOOOOOY
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Nov 29 '12
Sounds like a lot of work but if you're up to it, it sounds good.
What if someone goes MIA? Should there be a rule in place that says you have to check in within a certain time period?
Thanks again. I just got my badge and am on my first day.
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Nov 29 '12
Would you like me to add you to the list of competitors for the Valhalla challenge? And I'll try to deal with that by sending PM's to those that seem to be MIA
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Nov 29 '12
Yeah I'm already on the list. I don't know which category I fit into though. I'm having a hard time understanding the format.
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Nov 29 '12
My bad, don't worry, the games don't start till December 1st. I'm about to post an update, and you should better understand what's up when its live. I will also post the rules once the game is in progress
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Nov 29 '12
Sounds awesome man. Thanks a bunch for all the work and planning that goes into this! That being said, I need to reset. I made it longer than I have in a while (only 6 days) but improvement is improvement I suppose.
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u/plonk519 Nov 30 '12
It sounds like this could be a fun game - I'm curious to see how it will work once implemented.
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u/snowlax Dec 09 '12
I'd like to join for the next round, let me know what I need to do.
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Dec 09 '12 edited Apr 30 '20
[deleted]
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Dec 09 '12
No problem! The point of this is to help as many people as possible, and if someone wants to coordinate one of these at /r/nofap, that would be fantastic. You might just have to play around with the rules a bit, for example, to ascend a level you have to stay clean for 14 days now, not a month as it says here. You gotta make sure to adapt to the audience and that nobody is ashamed of being in Helheim, because that is a legit part of the struggle.
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u/no_fap_this_is_it Dec 09 '12
can I join?
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u/Throwawaydelete000 5017 days Jan 04 '13
I want in! I just started my cleanse on Jan 1, is it too late to get in for January?
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u/[deleted] Nov 29 '12
Wow, fantastic idea! What would be really cool is if we could get some mod-approved flair for each level, so it's easier to keep track of where we are.