STOP THE MADNESS....where is this board going?

SnakesInTheTower

I've only posted since Feb 07..but I have lurked for several years prior and there was usually something interesting on the board

As I was reading the Active topics list this morning, only a couple things jumped out at me as interesting...its been this way since the DGate and TGate incidents...

I was discussing this with a long time poster via IM yesterday....does it seem to anyone else that so many of the topics are ...I dont know....odd...or different than they used to be...and I dont mean that in a good way.

I miss the newbies coming on and telling us their stories.... I miss the long time posters updating us on their lives post-Borg... I guess with the recent uproar, the lurkers are hesitant to become newbies (cant say as I blame them now...we probably scared them off ), and maybe the vets are just as hesitant...after all, someone went 2 years with their fraud/hoax...who will believe anyone else now? I hope this is just a temporary cycle on this board..I have read many many posts from the archives...I hope one day soon we can get back to a happy medium here.

By the way, I like the fluff threads, but these seem to be more and more SEX related (maybe that word will wake someone)... yet they get all the attention....and then someone goes too far and it gets locked down by a mod and the poster restricted......(I am not a prude...just sometimes enough is enough)

I personally am not dwelling on the doctrine threads anymore...I am more interested in the lives behind the screen names....and after meeting some of you in person, I find you to be infinitely more interesting and certainly quite real!

OK...enough of my rambling...YOUR OPINION PLEASE....ESPECIALLY THE LONG TIME POSTERS...what do YOU think? Am I wrong on this?

Snakes ()

John Doe

I think it's time for some Fibercon, my friend. ;-)

FreedomFrog

Well, for me...I don't feel comfortable posting, even though I do and still try. I even have trouble posting things I've researched and found interesting. The board has a feeling of "clicks". I'll post some things but even on those things I feel attacked and even an "outcast".

Since the TGate and DGate, it seems a bit worse. Maybe those "clicks" are stronger now since the TGate and DGate happened because they are in their click of people they know pretty well? Just a thought.

minimus

This is an evolutionary board. It is not constant in any particular way. You either get an influx of "newbies" or it seems you see the same old names.

In yesteryear, the board was very volitaile. There was an attitude amongst some that unless you debated or wrote essays, you were not board worthy.

There used to be a lot of spammers trying to sow discord here too.

Certain subjects will always generate interest. And what one person loves to read, another person may get bored by.

All in all, I think this board is well rounded.

John Doe

Freedom, you just gotta learn to not take things personally. If getting attacked bothers you, don't read those posts. "Fitting in" is overrated. ;-)

SnakesInTheTower

JD:

I think it's time for some Fibercon, my friend. ;-)

LMAO.... I am only irregular in field service...otherwise fine... and as for being attacked...i have only gotten a whack here or there on this board...much better record than when I was getting whacked by fellow elders on the BOE.. I am not trying to criticize the running of the board...just trying to get a sense of where its going?...does that make sense? My reason for the post was hoping to draw out some of the vets esp who can give me some perspective since I have only actively posted less than a year ...which minimus did.... thats the kind of reply I am hoping for...or really...any reply......

Snakes ()

UnConfused

I think I've been around since 2002 (I ConfusedJW then) and wait until the political threads get going in full force!

summer

I agree with FreedomFrog. I am fairly new here and have a strong "clique" feeling. Sorry, I am only being honest.

As for the thread subjects...well, it is a public forum. Some people come up with very serious threads. Then, some decide to lighten up things a little. But altogether, I believe there is a good balance.

Scully

Well, Snakes, the previous couple of weeks' "blip" in activity seems to be just one of those things that happens around here on occasion.

I've noticed, in my almost-6-years worth of tenure here, that something as "big" as the T-gate and D-gate fiascoes is usually followed by a lot of "fluff" threads, and the most popular topic of "fluff" threads just happens to be sex. They get attention. I'm not exactly sure why, because the questions are not something I would answer in person, but I suppose the anonymity of the internet allows people to be more free with their personal stuff like that. I'd just be too self-conscious around other JWDers, should I go to an Apostofest (and I have met several people from JWD in person) after having disclosed sexual stuff about myself, that's why I abstain from those topics.

I think the two incidents coming practically on top of each other adds to the need for fluff topics. Let's face it, we only have our words here to represent us for the most part, and the D-gate and T-gate incidents kind of cast a pall over the trust that people have attempted to build up with one another via JWD. Who is real? Who isn't real? Is their story verifiable? Do we really know anyone on the internet? I see the fluff topics as a way of getting people to open up about themselves - in fact one of the thread titles I noticed almost immediately in the wake of T-gate had to do with disclosure of unique things about a person that we don't already know about them - perhaps that was an attempt to re-establish trust in other people?

Such is the way of internet discussion boards.

Lady Lee

I thnik your theory has merit.

Something I noticed while I was counselling people was they would come in and have a very deep emotional session and then they would have a couple of weeks to find their footing again. Thios cysle would repeat itself so often that I realized it was a need to go lighter after the heavy sessions.

I suspect the same is true here. We've had a pretty emotional period here and now people need more fluff. And that is OK.

I just wish not every other thread was about sex. It is way too easy for those threads to cross the line of what is acceptable here on JWD

STOP THE MADNESS....where is this board going?

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