Fantastic question.

They’re not “for” anything. You can’t trade them in for a commuter coffee mug or a T-shirt. Think of them sort of like getting stickers on your class assignment. They don’t have any value and they don’t mean anything, but people like them anyway.

They’re awarded for “great questions” (GQ) and “great answers” (GAs) and also for signing in on consecutive days, as this explains.

I look at them as a rough indicator of how long somebody’s been around and how much they’ve contributed. They’re of very limited significance, both because only the first x points from a given jelly count in your lurve score (the rest are blanks) and because we have far fewer members these days. It takes a long while for an old jelly to move up by 100.

But they’re part of the system, and this is the system we have, and it’s no longer in development, so wysiwig—and no use asking for changes. I’d say most of us like things as they are, or we wouldn’t stick around.

I’ve always seen them as a bit of a status symbol. Those who have been here the longest and with the most “lurve” points, may have the best and most sensible answers. (Not that I, humbly, include myself in that distinction. Read my profile.)

@kritiper Or sometimes it’s just the most answers – like throwing gum at a wall and seeing what sticks. JK

I guess it depends on how you look at it. Without points how would you know someone read your answer or wants to know more? It’s like a slow group chat that you can check into from time to time. I stop looking where I was at thousands of points ago.
But I do like to know who the newbies are and often will cut them some slack if they seem to ask a silly question or are unaware of certain rules.
Or maybe someone pretending to ask a question but are actually trolling. If they are in the thousands than more than likely not a troll. In the 2 or 3 digits then there is a good chance they may be a troll.

@Pandora Good points!

@janbb Pun intended? {{giggles}}

It’s tantamount to how many IG followers you have. You either care or you don’t.

Stars represent “Lurve” which is the currency of Fluther — paid by other members for good questions and answers.

Later, you’ll be able to trade them in at the counter for stickers, super balls, temporary tattoos, or pieces of candy. With enough of them, you could get a scooter or a massive stuffed animal.

I’m saving up for the 5-foot, rainbow, stuffed jellyfish.

@Jeruba Oh, you’re so wrong! Lurve works like skee-ball tokens and can be redeemed for valuable prizes. During my early days at Fluther, I kept wasting my points on combs, keychains, and hanging fuzzy dice. Lately, though, I’ve been saving for that circa-1985 boombox on the corner shelf. I’ll get there soon, provided that @janbb doesn’t claim my prize before I do.

@Love_my_doggie you’re so wrong! Anyone who has been around Fluther for many years knows that the lurve points are used for acquiring rare items like frizzen pancakes!

^^^ naked frizzen pancakes!

Yeah, you can turn in lurve, at the counter, for pancakes, but you gotta go in the back room (through the hanging beads) to get them.

@cookieman You mean back near the secret passage to the Fluther Mansion, of course.

That’s the home of Fluther’s 5-digit secret society!

@Cookman redeems his Lurve for, I don’t know, maybe cookies. I do know that he doesn’t care for Necco wafers.

Pancakes baybeeee, oh yeah. Pancakes pancakes pancakes pancakes!!!!

MORE PANCAKES!

One. More. Pancake.