Where is everyone? December 27, 2018 @ 09:31:01 am
When I was on this site years ago, I remember that it was positively buzzing with activity. Today, it seems like I'm the only one online.
How times have changed.
@Boxcat70 Said When I was on this site years ago, I remember that it was positively buzzing with activity. Today, it seems like I'm the only one online.
How times have changed.
Having conversations with perfect strangers is great.
Until it's not.
Until you talk about your most cherished political or religious beliefs and suddenly realize you couldn't agree less with the person who now you aren't sure is even a person because who thinks like that anyway
It was great on MySpace in a MadMax Thunderdome kinda way . . .
But all doods had to migrate or go to facebook or reddit.
To reference the NT -- Mathew 10:14 happened. There's only so many times you can butt heads with another person before you know it's futile.
We're all the king of the internet and no one can tell us otherwise.
True. I'll still have my say on here anyway. I don't care if people disagree with me or not, as everyone has an opinion. I won't fight because opinions do differ. So if anyone has a problem with what I say, it's their problem. I am using this site just to air my thoughts.
It seems to me that the year leading up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election took an emotional toll on people here.
Many of the most vocal on the topic ended up overwhelmed...maybe shell shocked... and decided to check out; some left permanently... some very few have started to return.
Others seemed to have taken the whole thing so personally that they opted out of TFS rules of engagement and got themselves banned.
In addition, many people in social media world seem to prefer Facebook (from what I can tell "older people" have gravitated there), or Instagram (from what I can tell a mix that leans to the younger crowd), and Twitter (from what I can tell emotionally & intellectually challenged people). Of course there are the YouTube people also...
There are many forum sites out there but (from my observation) they have tended to be somewhat subject specific (one-sided politics, tech, photography, hunting... etc...)
I find TFS to be somewhat unique... I also like the format, which I find more appealing than most forum sites.
I somewhat agree with Chaski's assessment of how discussion forums have gone, particularly since 2016. In the US, the major trauma of that year was the election of Trump, in Britain it was the decision to leave the European Union. Both events have been highly divisive in our respective countries and have had a traumatic effect on people's ability.... and their desire... to communicate through this medium in a satisfying and intellectually fulfilling way.
Too much division. Too much bitterness. Too much anger. Objectivity is lost and the willingness to compromise.... to see the other guy's point of view.... is destroyed in a bitter conflict to be seen to be right..... on both sides.
There is nothing to gain from discussing the issues when positions are so entrenched so what's the point..?
I've recently returned to the discussion forum arena. Not just here, but on other British and LGBT specific sites that I also used to attend. In the fifteen months or so that I was away much has changed and it's not just TFS that has suffered a reduction in activity, this is evident in all those places I've returned to.
Why did I come back...? Well actually, I like the people here. I don't always agree with them and sometimes the friction between us can be abrasive. But I see that as a good thing. Making your point, or your voice heard has always been fraught with the risk of conflict. Accept that or don't engage.
But for what it's worth, I think I've still got something to say and a point to make. Take it or leave it. Argue with me if you will. That's fine. Just don't expect me to automatically roll over and agree with you.
You guys are alright really. Even Shadeowen who doesn't talk to me because I know more about sport than he does. He's an OK guy really. For an Aussie male.
So..... here we are. It's the last day of 2018 and no doubt we'll be doing the same s*** in 2019. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose
I somewhat agree with Chaski's assessment of how discussion forums have gone, particularly since 2016. In the US, the major trauma of that year was the election of Trump, in Britain it was the decision to leave the European Union. Both events have been highly divisive in our respective countries and have had a traumatic effect on people's ability.... and their desire... to communicate through this medium in a satisfying and intellectually fulfilling way.
Too much division. Too much bitterness. Too much anger. Objectivity is lost and the willingness to compromise.... to see the other guy's point of view.... is destroyed in a bitter conflict to be seen to be right..... on both sides.
There is nothing to gain from discussing the issues when positions are so entrenched so what's the point..?
I've recently returned to the discussion forum arena. Not just here, but on other British and LGBT specific sites that I also used to attend. In the fifteen months or so that I was away much has changed and it's not just TFS that has suffered a reduction in activity, this is evident in all those places I've returned to.
Why did I come back...? Well actually, I like the people here. I don't always agree with them and sometimes the friction between us can be abrasive. But I see that as a good thing. Making your point, or your voice heard has always been fraught with the risk of conflict. Accept that or don't engage.
But for what it's worth, I think I've still got something to say and a point to make. Take it or leave it. Argue with me if you will. That's fine. Just don't expect me to automatically roll over and agree with you.
You guys are alright really. Even Shadeowen who doesn't talk to me because I know more about sport than he does. He's an OK guy really. For an Aussie male.
So..... here we are. It's the last day of 2018 and no doubt we'll be doing the same s*** in 2019. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose