Your legitimate review surrounded by a sea of fakes

[viewing ownly]

Something I pay close attention to when I'm deciding who I would like to see is that the reviews are not concentrated heavily in a specific short time frame. This for me raises red flags. 

I was asked if I would provide a review from the masseur I saw, so I did. Not even three days later, there's two reviews already after mine. Possible? Sure. Credibility level every one of these hold due to the three consecutive dates of the reviews? For my eyes, out the window. 

I learned recently that masseurs can have any reviews that do not sit well with them removed and rent masseur will reject a negative review and not even post it to avoid risking the paying subscriber from stopping advertising with them. 

Most of us can spot a phony review a mile away. I just don't like feeling that submitting mine looks like it was a waste of time.

[Nightowl]

I figure that, when RMass goes back to the provider to confirm the validity of the review, the provider just says “nope, wasn’t me” if it’s negative and RMass kills it…To me the reviews have little value beyond providing pricing and duration information anyway since no one is going to be able to share intimate details, at least not on sites I hire from.

[+ JamesB]

4 hours ago, Nightowl said:

I figure that, when RMass goes back to the provider to confirm the validity of the review, the provider just says “nope, wasn’t me” if it’s negative and RMass kills it…

 

As far as I know, that’s not how the system works. First off, RMass and RMen have different procedures. RMass will accept a review if the client either had IM communication with the provider OR at least clicked the “Call” link. Once the review is published, the provider can contest it, and in most cases, RMass will remove it.

RMen, on the other hand, requires the client to be a Premium member and to have communicated with the provider through the site. If both conditions are met and the review goes live, the provider can still contest it, and RMen will almost certainly take it down

[NYXboy]

8 hours ago, viewing ownly said:

I was asked if I would provide a review from the masseur I saw, so I did. Not even three days later, there's two reviews already after mine. Possible? Sure. Credibility level every one of these hold due to the three consecutive dates of the reviews? For my eyes, out the window. 

 

so you had a good experience, the provider ASKED you to leave a review - and you so much of yourself, that you were SO special, that the provider didn't ask the same of the next two people he saw and so they MUST be fake. 

 

Ok. 

[Nightowl]

9 hours ago, JamesB said:

 

As far as I know, that’s not how the system works. First off, RMass and RMen have different procedures. RMass will accept a review if the client either had IM communication with the provider OR at least clicked the “Call” link. Once the review is published, the provider can contest it, and in most cases, RMass will remove it.

RMen, on the other hand, requires the client to be a Premium member and to have communicated with the provider through the site. If both conditions are met and the review goes live, the provider can still contest it, and RMen will almost certainly take it down

Thanks for the explanation!

[Ali Gator]

I disregard every review which describes the provider or the appointment itself as "AMAZING". It takes an awful lot to amaze me, and a massage by a good looking guy doesn't do it for me. So if it 'amazes' someone, it will 'disappoint' me. 

[Nightowl]

22 minutes ago, Ali Gator said:

I disregard every review which describes the provider or the appointment itself as "AMAZING". It takes an awful lot to amaze me, and a massage by a good looking guy doesn't do it for me. So if it 'amazes' someone, it will 'disappoint' me. 

Superlatives like that make me wonder if the review is legit. 

[whatahoot8]

https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/159733-rentmasseurcom-removes-accurate-review/#comment-2445712

These sites don't publish accurate reviews that are not favorable. Period.

 

Edited April 18 by whatahoot8

[Ali Gator]

10 hours ago, Nightowl said:

Superlatives like that make me wonder if the review is legit. 

Exactly. When I see 'amazing' sprinkled throughout the review (the 'pressure was amazing', the studio was 'amazing', the scented candles were 'amazing', the guy himself had an 'amazing body' and his face was 'amazing')...this tells me that the reviewer is easily amazed or the review is as fake as can be. I pass. 

Another one I pass on: 

"I never write reviews, but this experiences was so good I had to write..."  Sure. 

[mike carey]

12 hours ago, Nightowl said:

Superlatives like that make me wonder if the review is legit. 

Language inflation is a thing in the US (and elsewhere, of course) that is pervasive when people are offering assessments of many things, not just escorts and masseurs. Four out of five in a restaurant review? Heaven forfend! I can remember over 30 years ago as a foreigner working with the US armed forces, anything other than a maximum 9 score in any of the many questions on an annual report was seen as a kiss of death. There was even a perception that different superlative words had a ranking of which were the best superlatives to use or what each of them actually meant!

Yes, everything being amazing means that nothing really is, but consider the alternative of saying that something was 'good' or 'very good'. It might well prompt the question of what was wrong with them that you only say they were 'good'. You can't win

[Nightowl]

44 minutes ago, mike carey said:

Language inflation is a thing in the US (and elsewhere, of course) that is pervasive when people are offering assessments of many things, not just escorts and masseurs. Four out of five in a restaurant review? Heaven forfend! I can remember over 30 years ago as a foreigner working with the US armed forces, anything other than a maximum 9 score in any of the many questions on an annual report was seen as a kiss of death. There was even a perception that different superlative words had a ranking of which were the best superlatives to use or what each of them actually meant!

Yes, everything being amazing means that nothing really is, but consider the alternative of saying that something was 'good' or 'very good'. It might well prompt the question of what was wrong with them that you only say they were 'good'. You can't win

You’re right. I have similar experience with U.S. forces and civilians supporting them, and was put in the position where I had to rate them both. Before I learned the unwritten rules, I followed the written ones and was told “oh no, you can’t give him 90 on a 100 point scale. You’ll destroy his career.” Ever since then I’ve rebounded in the other direction, never giving a top score to anyone on any survey.  Likewise, I avoid the superlatives.  I prefer to say “Harry Masseur thoroughly worked all of my tight spots and left me feeling refreshed and relaxed” over saying “Harry Masseur was AMAZING and gave me the best massage I’ve ever had from any other provider at any time anywhere in the world.”

[Ali Gator]

6 hours ago, mike carey said:

Language inflation is a thing in the US (and elsewhere, of course) that is pervasive when people are offering assessments of many things, not just escorts and masseurs.

Which is why I pass on a review of any place or service (restaurant, hotel, mechanic, car dealer, etc.) which has 'amazing' repeated throughout. Why bother reading the review ? I know how it's going to turn out, and I'm not interested. 

[BuzzLiteQueer]

23 minutes ago, Ali Gator said:

Why bother reading the review ? I know how it's going to turn out, and I'm not interested. 

I agree.  Spoiler Alert:  Review is a fake!

[+ DrownedBoy]

Guys - even EDIT valid reviews don't matter.

There was a discussion in The Deli about a RentMen provider who was really G4P and refused to do what he agreed to upon arriving.

He had 10 5-star reviews on RentMen.

Out of curiosity (as I don't hire heteros), I asked one of those reviewers how well the session was. He replied it was horrible.

And yet they gave him 5 stars......

Verdict - Totally Useless

Edited April 18 by DrownedBoy

[Ali Gator]

I just went to read a RMen review of a guy in my area I've been interested in. He joined in early March, and within a week he racked up three five-star reviews, three days in a row. One of those reviews started with "If you want an amazing experience with an amazing guy..."

Yeah, thanks...I'll pass. 

[jackcali]

22 hours ago, mike carey said:

Language inflation is a thing in the US (and elsewhere, of course) that is pervasive when people are offering assessments of many things, not just escorts and masseurs. . . .   Yes, everything being amazing means that nothing really is, but consider the alternative of saying that something was 'good' or 'very good'. It might well prompt the question of what was wrong with them that you only say they were 'good'. You can't win

THIS!  Basically, every five-star rating system has been compressed to "five stars" or "shit".  When I was still working and managing a large team of young professionals, any review less than "everything you did last year was spectacular" had the employee thinking they were going to be fired.  If I intended to give some constructive criticism in a review, I brought a box of tissues with me into the conference room.  

[Ali Gator]

3 hours ago, jackcali said:

THIS!  Basically, every five-star rating system has been compressed to "five stars" or "shit".  When I was still working and managing a large team of young professionals, any review less than "everything you did last year was spectacular" had the employee thinking they were going to be fired.  If I intended to give some constructive criticism in a review, I brought a box of tissues with me into the conference room.  

WOW - when I worked at my previous job in a university library, managing the student workers, I was required to review their performance each semester. No matter how bad they were - and there were some who were just awful and lazy - I could NEVER give less than an 'excellent' review (instructions from the library director) as we couldn't 'make them feel bad' or 'single them out from the other workers'. I thought this was horrible for many reasons - especially because I was there to 'teach them' (for some this was the only job they ever had in their life) and they would learn nothing from a fake review. They wouldn't understand to 'learn and improve'.  However, she was getting her instructions by the higher ups and we all had to play along. (Which is why no one ever failed in that university, either). 

[Whippoorwill]

 

ah yes, the "standing ovation inflation" at every opera, concert, play, and dance performance...and provider reviews! Just another reason Company of Men is so valuable. From Google:

"Standing ovation inflation" refers to the phenomenon where standing ovations, once reserved for truly outstanding performances, are now given more frequently, even for performances that are not particularly remarkable. This has led to the feeling that standing ovations are no longer meaningful and have become a ritualistic response rather than a genuine expression of appreciation. 

 

Reasons for the phenomenon:

Peer pressure:

Once a few people stand, others are pressured to follow, even if they don't feel strongly about the performance. 

Cultural shift:

Some argue it's part of a wider trend of overpraising and a decline in critical discernment. 

Media attention:

The length of standing ovations, particularly in film festivals, is often highlighted by media, which may incentivize longer ovations. 

Social norms:

In some communities, like Broadway, it's become almost the expected norm to receive a standing ovation, regardless of the quality of the performance. 

Egotism:

Some suggest that standing ovations can be a way for audience members to express their own appreciation and elevate themselves in the eyes of others. 

 

Consequences:

Diminished meaning:

When standing ovations are ubiquitous, they lose their power to signify exceptional appreciation. 

Reduced critical engagement:

The expectation of a standing ovation may discourage audiences from engaging with performances on a deeper level. 

Negative impact on artists:

Artists may feel pressured to perform to a higher standard to avoid the risk of not receiving a standing ovation, which can stifle creativity. 

 

Examples:

Broadway:

Many Broadway shows consistently receive standing ovations, even if the performance is not considered exceptional. 

Film festivals:

The length of standing ovations at film festivals, particularly at Venice and Cannes, has been a topic of discussion, with some suggesting that the lengths have become excessive. 

Classical music:

Some critics have also noted that standing ovations are increasingly common in classical music concerts, even for performances that are not particularly memorable. 

 

In essence, the "ovation inflation" phenomenon raises questions about the meaning and purpose of standing ovations, and whether they are still a meaningful expression of appreciation in a culture where they are so readily given.