Well, here we are at top 10 list number 1,000! I never dreamed Toptenz.net would have the success to reach 4-digits in the number of lists published. I am very thankful and blessed that Toptenz.net is still around to publish this milestone list. But what to write about? I thought long about what the subject matter of this important list should be? Many ideas were given serious consideration, but nothing stuck, so to speak – except one glorious, fantastic, delicious idea. This site is so much fun to manage on a daily basis and I really look forward to reading the top 10 lists submitted as much as anyone. But the one thing I have found very unpleasant about the whole experience was the complaints and insults from the commenters on Toptenz.net. Only very recently did I discover the real truth and strength behind the textual onslaught of negativity.
I finally realized I should embrace the bad with the good. Negative comments, complaints and criticisms sharpen this site, much like iron sharpens steel and perhaps, just perhaps, makes the site better. So I dedicate this list to those who consistently find fault with the lists, for those who love to complain about choices made, for those who love to whine and tell me how terribly, badly and totally Toptenz.net sucks!
This list is for you, and you know who you are. The top 10 complaints about TopTenz are now presented, in NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
Editor’s note: We include 3 lists to support each complaint. We also pull a commenter’s quote from the respective list and then provide the commenter’s name with a link to their comment on the top 10 list. We aim to please.
10. You Forgot to Include (Person, Place or Thing)!
This is probably the number one complaint on Toptenz. The comments left are frequently reminding us of our selective amnesia, “the list is lacking a certain person, event, place or whatever the list is focused on.” While it isn’t accurate to say we forgot to include said person, place or thing, we do admit to choosing another person, place or thing that you may not agree with.
Lists that we “forgot” to include something:
- Top 10 Guitar Players
“You forgot DIMEBAG,” admonished landon self - Top 10 Musicians Who Ripped Off Other Musicians
“You forgot Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, they too ripped off other musicians,” wrote ScytheNoire - Top 10 Board Games for Ruining Frienships
“You forgot the game of Life,” lamented Edster1789
9. This list is too USA-Centric or “Americans Don’t Know the Rest of the World Exists”
Wow, I had no idea we had so many foreign readers. Ok, yes I did. Our stats say about 40% of our readers are outside the United States. Whenever we publish a list that smacks of being sympathetic of the USA or praising good ol’ America, we can count on a slew of anti-America comments. Strangely, we rarely get praised for our International lists.
- Top 10 Terrorist Attacks
“This list is so typical of this site. It is so U.S. centric it shows no respect for the rest of the world…” accused Darious - Top 10 Memorable Days of the 20th Century
“7 out of 10 points mentioned by the author are about US. Of the rest 3 others are directly or indirectly associated with the US. Has the author of this list never heard of other continents and countries in the world and their significance?” questioned Amrendra - Even lists that state the content will be focused on USA in the title get picked on Top 10 Military Schools
“There is world outside US too. The Globe contains 196 countries, but for some people the world means USA. Show military schools of other countries too. Sooo pretty dumb article,” criticized the self-proclaimed truth
8. You Didn’t Do Your Research
While it is true that some of our lists are more for fun, or have a lot of opinion mixed in, we do provide many lists where research is integral. Apparently these lists were not those.
- Top 10 Useless College Classes and Degrees
“I’d learn how to spell, write properly and do your research before you consider giving out advice on education,” chastised Will. - Top 10 Countries Celebrating Female Obesity
“You didn’t do your research thoroughly, because I am from Jamaica and men their don’t like fat/obese women,” argued Tee - Top 10 Greatest Inventions of the 19th Century
“where the hell did you do your research on that one?” questioned Mark
7. This List is Dumb/Stupid/Boring
Not every top 10 list will be interesting to every person. Even I have found a few lists I had a hard time getting into, but I post them because I know someone will enjoy it. Of course some lists have a very, very small minority in mind and those are the lists that get the DSB label (Dumb, Stupid, Boring), more than others or the list is too obvious to the “experts.”
- Top 10 Scariest Star Wars Creatures
“This list is boring, even my Mom recognized 8 out of the 10 listed from the movies,” interjected saberkid - Top 10 Spots for Whale Watching
“this list is dull!!! who gives a crap about the best places to watch whales??!!!!” tactfully stated the great sharnique - Top 10 Palindromes
“You would think that lists of “The Top Ten” this and that would (could) go on forever. Obviously I’m mistaken. Toptenz.net seems to have hit rock bottom. This list wins the “boob” award,” declared Dennis
6. This List is Racist
This hasn’t been a big complaint but a few readers have played the race card. Suffice to say, this is a ridiculous accusation, but here are the lists that were accused of such absurdity.
- Top 10 Board Games We Secretly Hate
“How come once something involves the colours black and white, it immediately becomes racist?” questioned Darren - Top 10 Most Beautiful Eyes
“Ten girls, and brown eyes (the most common color) only appear once. EYE RACIST!!!” observed john - Top 10 Issues Facing Our Youth Today
“Well this is all just dreck. There may be a grain of truth to some of your entries–such as materialism and “shifting economy”–but other than that your article is virtually uninformed, dishonest, and racist,” spouted JEI
5. There Aren’t Any or Enough Women On This List
We are an equal opportunity site and, in fact, we have more lists dedicated only to women than list focused only on men on the site. But sometimes a list will be dominated by males and a few readers catch that and are sure to let us know that the fairer sex was not fairly represented.
- Top 10 Up and Coming Directors
“AND YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO WOMEN ON THIS LIST!!! I’m pretty sure Sarah Polley or Christine Jeffs could qualify for this topic,” shouted Keith Watabayashi - Top 10 Actors Never to Win and Oscar
“Yeah this article is all wrong. First of all there are no women on it…” remarked again by Keith Watabayashi - Hopefully this list appeased our female readers: Top 10 Reasons American’s Future is Female
4. This List is Biased/Opinionated
Most lists on this site have some bias or are dictated by opinion, mostly the author’s. That is because very few lists at Toptenz.net are based on quantifiable information or statistics, which is what makes our lists so much fun to debate. These were some of the worst offenders.
- Top 10 Reasons Baseball is Better Than Football
“This is such a biased list. For #6, are you saying that baseball has a higher percentage of action?(if u can call it that) because that’s ridiculous,” declared JDLarson - Top 10 Presidential Candidates That Should Have Won
“his was the most bias top 10 list I have ever read,” analyzed Grahm - https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-craziest-mental-disorders.php
“Biased article full of misinformation- what’s to be expected of a blog,” bravely written by Anonymous
3. The Title is Wrong (Change the Title)!
Okay, okay, I admit we (me) have made a few poor title choices, usually based on my desire to make the title a little more friendly and attractive to the average reader. And I am usually called out by the first comment on the list. I have changed many titles after being chastised by the readers. You have been heard!
- Top 10 Ugliest Sports Uniforms
“The title is wrong. It should be “Top 10 ugliest uniforms in AMERICAN sports”. Another example of an American thinking “we are the world”,” aptly noted by Steve - 10 Foreign Words You Thought Were English
“Interesting list, but maybe we can do better on the truth continuum with headlines?” helpfully provided by Dave in Northridge - Top 10 Least Intelligent Dogs
“If this article is about the “trainability” of a dog, then it should be titled as such, because the “intelligence” and the “trainability” of a dog are two different things,” pointed out Pumpkin
2. You Shouldn’t Have Included So and So (Why is * on this list?)
We mentioned our sins of omission earlier and now we show our sin of commission, as in we put something in the list that certainly did not belong.
- Top 10 Worst Military Leaders in History
“By the admission of the lists author Field Marshal Montgomery should not be on this list,” noted Martyn - Top 10 Freak Show Acts
“Chelsea Charms!? Why is she even on this list? Sure her cans are ridiculously huge but that’s not anything “freak show” worthy,” exclaimed Lex - Top 10 College Football Players That Were an NFL Bust
“Bo Jackson and Archie Griffin have no business on this list,” corrected Steve
1. This List Supports Christianity or Claims God/Jesus is Real
This has vexed me more than any other complaint. And of the 1,095 comments I have made on the site (Toptenz Master), I would guess a good many of those are in defense of my site’s Christian support and my Christian beliefs.
- Top 10 Bizarre Christian Bale Movies (just kidding)
- Top 10 Traitors
“Judas Iscariot probably wasn’t even a real person,” mistakenly claimed Tom Mitchell - Top 10 Arguments That Can’t Be Won
“What we know is that we don’t know: that doesn’t give every wackjob free reign to claim their imaginary friend did it,” argued 4realsies - Top 10 Greatest Comebacks of All Time
“It is offensive to some because of the way you portrayed Christ as the most important person to have ever lived,” disputed Shawna
Bonus Complaint: This List Sucks
Okay, this is the catch-all, the complaint by those who just can’t think of anything more intelligent or witty to say, other than, this list sucks!
- Top 10 Patriotic Movies
“This list sucks. There are only a couple of films on here that really qualify as being patriotic and it basically ignores anything before the 90?s,” quarreled Txbigdaddy - Top 10 Comic Book Villains
“alright this list sucks. first off you dont have apocalypse, darkseid, loki, mephisto or dark phoenix,” declared Kyle Butts - Top 10 Reasons for Reincarnation
“…this list sucks…number 2 is especially insulting…” wrote oak
The good news is only one list truly does suck: Top 10 Hats – I ought to know, I wrote it. And finally, if you do think this site sucks, you may be interested in reading Top 10 Reasons People Hate Top 10 Lists.
58 Comments
I really don’t understand why so many people are always so offended that someone is a certain religion.
I think the title should be changed… to Top 10 Complaints About TopTenz (Why Toptenz is Awesome!)
If all the lists were such that no complaints, ire or controversy were raised, it would be a very boring site indeed.
Well done and thanks!
Thanks for making my day, Peter!
It’s funny that people complain about how they think a certain someone should be on the list and criticize you for being biased, but by doing this they’re being biased themselves for pouting about how their opinions aren’t shared by everyone.
Agreed, Tyler. I love talking with rational people, especially when they have different views. I learn something. That’s why I read comment sections, because I love learning other people’s opinions. That’s why I find it frustrating when I respect other people’s right to their views, religious or otherwise, but I don’t get the same in return. I don’t expect it, but it still is annoying because I’d like it. It’s like telling someone, “Only I can talk. Don’t ever open your mouth unless it’s to agree with me!” No bueno!
I dont believe in God but nothing annoys me more than when somebody tries to preach that God never existed… I say fair play to people who have their beliefs, as they are usually good people.
Great article and love the site.
I think people get the “American bias” a bit wrong: I wouldn’t care about reading more lists based on the US, but then there are lists like that Top 10 Terrorist Attacks: They include international and US-based stuff, but while the international things are just the best known and most important ones, the US-centered facts include things that are of much less importance. Therefore it looks as if someone researched US-centered facts and filled them up with international ones when he couldn’t find enough.
For example: You are writing a list “Top Ten biggest Cabbages”. In reality, the US has grown eight record ones from 1 to 5 tons. Russia has grown eighty from 4 to 5,5 tons. With your writing method, the list will include all eight US cabbages and the 5,5 tons Russian one. And the one missing? That will probably be an US lucette or even pumpkin.
So the complaint isn’t that there are US-centered lists. Those are fine, even if sometimes boring for people from other countries. The problem is that lists, that are not US-centered are written with an US-bias.
The “Top Ten Terrorist Attacks” is a perfect example. Hardly anyone outside the US has heard of the bombing of the USS Cole or even worse a completely non-lethal release of Salmonella (!) in Oregon – but the list was oblivious to the Islamist attacks on hotels in Mumbai 2011 or any of the big train bombings in Madrid, Spain (2004) or London (2005). And those really where things shown in the media everywhere.
A very well written comment that backs up your point and does so with courtesy and respect. Great job, FMH. And I agree with you. We have admitted that we can focus too much on the USA at times, but when you live here and write here that can happen. We (Toptenz and the writers) mean no disrespect to our world neighbors.
I come from Ireland and I have read quite a few top ten lists associated with my little country… I like reading about America as long as its not about your sports, I’d like to see more European sports (soccer, rugby etc) written about.
Top 10 Actors Never to Win and Oscar
“Yeah this article is all wrong. First of all there are no women on it…” remarked again by Keith Watabayashi
Actors… ACTORS!!
Congratz!! Love the site, love the comments good and bad, who cares if we don’t all agree? It’s fun for goodness sake!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz2jbCJXkpA
Whoever made this video feels your pain!
I remember the first week I discovered this site. I took hours of of that week to scale through the lists on the site. Though I may have disagreed with quite a couple lists, I thought they were all fun reads. Thank you TopTenzMaster and congrats.
whats wrong if this is list supports christianity!? probably you guys who complaint about this are probably satanic!
You were doing fine till you hit #1. That one made this list biased/opinionated, for your chiding of commenters who didn’t happen to share your beliefs.
Why isn’t it reversed? Aren’t they chiding me for my beliefs. It seems I am never afforded the courtesy that is expected of me.
Your use of “mistakenly” is pretty arrogant. How are you so sure?
Nice catch. And nothing I can say will convince you. We both know that. Only God can do that if you allow Him into your life.
Nice article. Great idea!
I don’t see a point in complaining on this site. Everyone has an opinion and this is your site and your lists. Some people just want to look for verification that they are right. I think that it is good that you have different opinions than me, or else this would be a boring site.
This list sucks! It’s racist and there is not enough women. You left off so many other things. I don’t think you know what a top 10 list should look like.
ha, ha!
haters gonna hate
you should change the title to “Top 11 Lists about why TopTenz sucks” 😉
But this isn’t a list of lists and the eleventh entry is a bonus, and not part of the top ten.
You forgot “Ryan Thomas wrote this”.
Ryan doesn’t have a lot of fans, but you have to respect his tenacity for following the beat of his own drum – https://www.toptenz.net/author/ryan
Well I may have to submit a list myself soon. Hopefully one that will get people talking
Your winning caption certainly did. 😉
Hopefully by highlighting people’s complaints about lists they read will inspire them to write their own lists and as the lists get better, the complaints disappear and we get some good rational debates in the comment sections
I applaud your optimism, especially about the “rational debates.”
Those who do not like your lists can just : unsubscribe”
This list is incredibly biased – I counted 4 list that i wrote that you singled out for examples! what are you trying to say TopTenzMaster? And what kind of name is TopTenzMaster anyway? Now THAT sounds racist! Lmao –
I’m surprised that this idea actually stuck with you to manifest into a list, but it was well done and certainly on point (and fitting) to cap off your 1000th list milestone. Congrats!
Lee, I noticed that too. But I honestly wasn’t picking on you. I found the lists by doing searches for the phrases I was targeting. Your lists came up, as did others, and I thought they were all well written and interesting, even with the complaints. Think of this as your showcase! 😉
I have been a frequent visitor to this site for a while now and i just read that you are a Christian. I am pleased to see that a person who is witty, clever, intellegent and funny also shares my belief system. Keep up the good work!!
I think you would get a lot of arguments about my intelligence and cleverness from more than a few readers of this site. But I humbly accept your praise. I’ll probably need it later. 😉
What a great list. Maybe I should have called it dumb/stupid/boring just to make you feel more at home. I hope you had fun writing this one.
I read this list almost every day. I often disagree with what’s in here, but that’s half the fun. If I agreed with all of it, I might as well write it myself.
I look forward to reading list #2000 in a couple of years.
Thanks, Bob. It was somewhat cathartic, I must admit. It is easier to look back and laugh at the debates now that time has cooled the fire. Hopefully we’ll be around for list 2,000; and we will get there faster since we publish more often than we did the first year or so.
Wow. You have reached a new low. The title of this list should be, “This list is stupid!” You should not have included, “This list sucks,” because adding a ‘bonus’ makes it *eleven.* Why are “There aren’t enough women” and “This is racist” even on this list? Didn’t you review your own blog well enough to know that is not true? Shockingly, you also seem to think its okay to show your christian bias on your own site. Don’t you realize the rest of the world exists? We are not all christian, you know! Lastly, a review typical comments shows that you should have included, “Not enough of MY opinion, which is better than yours.” In the future, let’s put a little more thought into our lists, shall we? 😛
Could this somehow be the best and the worst comment ever? 😉
What can I say. You inspired me! Honestly, I only discoverd your site about 2 weeks ago, and I love it! Great job!
How did you find us? Google search? Link from another site?
Honestly, I forgot already. It may have been thru a post on Reddit, tho.
Awesome
Good thing is you have a sense of humor, i don’t share all your opinions but it’s always fun reading those lists. Frankly people shouldn’t take those too seriously :-).
one complain you didn’t mention (well it’s not really one but who’s counting :-)) is the typo errors that sometimes appear on your lists, i’m pretty sure you made them on purpose to be sure you have our attention 🙂 and to have more complaints of course.
cheers from moose heads land
Unfortunately any typoes or errrors you sea are knot are intnetion. Honestly. Editers are beaten dayly, I promis.
yeah that’s what i fought
I found the complaints list quite interesting. There have been a number of times when I also fell into the “Why is this on the list and that isn’t” column. So what? Are we, as a species, so desirous of becoming totally homogenized that we must think in lock step? May we have no peaceful divergent opinions? Must everything be conflict? I suppose the answer to that last question is easily answered by the preferences of American TV audiences and the “reality” shows they embrace.
At any rate, I enjoy the site and frequently make reference to it on my radio program.
Keep on keepin’ on. Let people disagree. It’s good for you!
Best regards,
Jay Moore
WATQ Radio
Eau Claire, WI
PS: I like the fact that you embrace your Christian faith in public. Too bad that more of us don’t.
J
Hi, Jay. Thanks for plugging the site. I appreciate the publicity. I believe one of the hardest things for any Christian to do is to share their faith, publicly or privately. On a side note, I watched Gabby Douglas win the gold (Aug. 2, 2012) and after during her interview she praised God for her blessings. I thought that was wonderful.
From the Christian Post:
Following her emotional win the 16-year-old gave an interview with NBC and celebrated the moment by praising God and offering her thanks for an amazing blessing.
“It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling.
And I give all the glory to God. It’s kind of a win-win situation. The glory goes up to him and the blessings fall down on me,” Douglas testified in the interview.
Later she also took to social networking site Twitter to continue her praise. She tweeted: “Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me.”
Toptenz never ceases to amuse me good or bad!!!
This is a Christian site?
*Unbookmark*
Really? How sad for you. Your enjoyment is diminished because I’m a Christian? Oh well, to each their own.
Um, I bet that was a joke.
Hopefully so.
He’ll be back… We all come back eventually. This site always pulls me back in.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
I now enjoy this sight more knowing you are a Christian.
And as a fellow Christian with a VERY broad sense of humor and respect for people’s right to practice any or NO religion, thumbs up to you. Some people get pressed pre-judging (how ironic) all Christians. I say respect goes both ways. I respect my Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, Catholic, etc. friends and they return the same to me. If people aren’t down with that then they are less than immature. People don’t have to agree, but its only fair to respect each other’s right to have their own beliefs. But what am I talking about – people can’t even agree on what the best or worst video game is! You know, the important things like that. 🙂
And umm…what exactly is an “eye racist”? (???)
Love it! Congrats top tenz!