4chan is unique in that it's a flat discussion/image board that keeps all users anonymous and their posts only alive as long as they need to be. This removes th

4chan is unique in that it's a flat discussion/image board that keeps all users anonymous and their posts only alive as long as they need to be. This removes the incentive structures of similar discussion sites like reddit, which, through archiving threads and karma, mean that success and visibility itself relies on the opinions of others. 4chan is a place where brilliant threads can be on the exact same level as banality and obscenity, but in doing so encourages people to speak their minds as freely as they please.