Part Three: To Shout, or Not to Shout

Nubi now had pared down his friends, as the Master suggested, but he still had hundreds of shouts per day to deal with. Yet, he started to notice that for most stories, all of those shouts didn't seem to help get the stories to Ascend to the mythical Front Page. He decided to ask the Master about this phenomenon.

"Master, this confuses me. Shouts make your friends notice your stories, and that should be good right?"

"All good things should be had in moderation, nubi. A stiff drink may be bracing, but too many make a man fall down."

"But what does this have to do with Shouting, Master?"

"Everything. You see, your friends' Diggs are like a stiff drink. A good amount will make the story be noticed in a positive way, yet too much will make the story drunk on Diggs. That way lies the Bury Brigade."

"But my story must have Diggs if it is to Ascend!"

"Quite true, but a Digg from someone you've never met is worth 2 or even 3 from people you know."

"Why is that, Master?"

"The Algorithm that causes stories to Ascend has many mysteries, nubi. I can't claim to know all of them, but I do know that it understands who has Dugg your stories before, and gives less credence to those who always Digg them."

"Does this mean that my previous successes work against me?"

"To a point, yes, they do, nubi."

"So, how do I work around that?"

"By continuing to always become a better Digger."

At this, nubi was enlightened.