Before you read what I have to say, please take note that I'm not referring to any specific members or their posts, as I, too, am guilty of almost everything I'm going to mention. Besides, these are just my observations, and if you're offended by them, you should probably leave the forum.
The deterioration of the quality of the posts and behavior of the members of this forum. This is what seems to be a touchy subject, as is any subject when the blame can be easily placed on particular persons. Yet, this is truly what we need to be careful of; washing our hands of the blame. This very topic, the topic concerning the situation of our forums, could quickly turn into a flame war itself – exactly what it’s trying to prevent. I’m sure we’re all aware of this already, and can simply dismiss this part of the text.
It is said that the forum, in its current state, is driving away members, and this is true. But, at the same time, it is attracting new members, albeit a bit more slowly. Could the problem lie within the new members we receive? I’m sure some would quickly agree to that, but I don’t find that very likely. New members, or as some use the term newbies, have been pretty mild mannered, as of late. Not sticking around very long, nor causing trouble. Yet, if the new members do not offer the source of our problem, then what else could it be?
In this case, I believe the obvious answer to be the correct one: our current members. Yes, if the new members are not causing problems, than the source must be those who’re already here. Our problems are unavoidable. Each member has their own personality, ideals, and morals. It would be impossible for certain member’s personalities to not clash. We’re only human, after all. Yet it is here where our problem’s root is to be found; not so much in the fact that we’re having these clashes, but how we, as members, deal with these confrontations. Opposed to normal, I will not offer any advice for this situation, as I have no right to. I’m as guilty as the worst of us. Controlling one’s temper is all one can do.
And yet, our problem would still not be solved, at least not in my eyes, even if we were to abolish such petty squabbles. The problem lies in a different area. Much like a caste system, we’ve become divided, the members that is. There are a slew of reasons for this, common ones being the difference in our ages, our environments, and our ideologies. This wasn’t so much of a problem in past times, mainly for one reason, I believe. Fairly recent, our community has been introduced to the new fast-paced medium of our high-tech age: chatrooms.
In the chatroom, everyone has had the opportunity to converse with each other in real time–something that hasn’t been done here very often. I spent some time in the chatroom, and I had enjoyed it as much as the other members. However, amid this enjoyment, I had noticed some situations which seem to have carried over to the forums. Many of the members found no desire to exchange with other members. This is to be expected, as we all face different barriers that don’t allow us to get along well with others. However, it became apparent to me that it was a bit deeper than that In some instances it became more of a superiority problem. And this is where it becomes “Us versus Them.â€
In this very topic, not to pick out anyone specifically, I have seen the term “mature†members used a various amount of times. A division such as this can be founded on any basis, but who is to say who is mature, and who is not? In some instances it can be quite obvious, I know, but to lump many members into one category has no ground at all. We all view maturity differently, and even in the members whom I enjoy the company of I have seen immaturity, as in me I’m sure they’ve witnessed. This is just one example, but I believe this is chiefly where our problems stem from.
To get a handle on this problem, I feel we need first to take care of our splinters and save those of our fellow members for later.