This Forum Has Been the Same for 14 Years

[Windwalker]

I'll bet you donuts to dollars that if you removed the moderation rules and its enforcement to the most lax it possibly could go, never pushing back, say a libertarian approach, it would soon be overtaken by trolls, and the reasonable voices would start disappearing. So while it can be said that human nature may not change much, it's the constitutions that keep a community from the warlord syndrome where the power seekers seek to dominate the stage.

RF remaining the same relatively speaking, is not because we moderate ourselves from within. It's because the planners of the site built in external rules greater than the voices of any one individual that creates the atmosphere that works and opens the door for all voices to balance out each other against that backdrop. Take away that backdrop, delete the forum rules and its enforcement, and you'd have nothing but warring fundamentalists from all religious camps, theist and atheist alike, and like Iran, all the more rational voices and intellectuals would flee the country.

 

[Sunstone]

I'll bet you donuts to dollars that if you removed the moderation rules and its enforcement to the most lax it possibly could go, never pushing back, say a libertarian approach, it would soon be overtaken by trolls, and the reasonable voices would start disappearing. So while it can be said that human nature may not change much, it's the constitutions that keep a community from the warlord syndrome where the power seekers seek to dominate the stage.

RF remaining the same relatively speaking, is not because we moderate ourselves from within. It's because the planners of the site built in external rules greater than the voices of any one individual that creates the atmosphere that works and opens the door for all voices to balance out each other against that backdrop. Take away that backdrop, delete the forum rules and its enforcement, and you'd have nothing but warring fundamentalists from all religious camps, and like Iran, all the more rational voices and intellectuals would flee the country.

Point taken.

 

[Vinayaka]

All I can tell you is be here as long as me, see what I've seen, then and only then judge.

Off topic, but what are some factors that have kept you around that long? Many people move on.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

How do you know that it's not that you're fluctuation in tandem with the forum and that's why you can't detect any change?

While I haven't been around for 14 years, I have been a member at other forums and have moderated one other, and the behavior of the posters here is quite typical of any other forum I've participated in.

There have been others at the aforementioned forums that made it their mission to implement change, but were about as successful as those that have set out unilaterally to change the world.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

But just as many or more never learn. It's the same old, same old around here.

I resemble that remark.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

Ha! Wrong. Nowadays you can find posts from more people than yourself, @Jayhawker Soule, and @Mr Spinkles.

For better or worse, that is.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

No wonder. 14 years. It's just a bit past puberty.

 

[Kapalika]

I dunno. I've talked with a lot of former and current members and most felt the overall member base has changed to varying degrees. I think things did change, very slowly. Like a frog in a warming pot it's often hard to tell if you are constantly involved.

However I don't think it was the forum that was really what changed so much as it was public discourse. At some point in the last few years people, offline and online, have kind of stepped up the antagonism. I think this has directly coincided with the increasing polarization of politics. People have created bubbles around themselves to reinforce their ideas and that internet has increasingly made that easy to do. The plethora of misinformation doesn't help that either.

Research: Political Polarization Is Changing How Americans Work and Shop

Of course, I'm willing to accept maybe it's just me that changed. Part of the reason I don't come here as often is I feel it can be a negative experience due to what I see as a lot of non-productive posting where people don't really listen to each other and/or look down on others. It's always arguing it seems. I don't mind real debates but it can get rather silly at times. It's also why when I do come I usually totally ignore the debate sections to minimize that.

I resemble that remark.

Never change man. You might really annoy me at times but I've always kinda liked you and admired your tenacity and knowledge on certain subjects.

 

[Sunstone]

Off topic, but what are some factors that have kept you around that long? Many people move on.

Probably habit -- followed closely by a desire to meet and learn about people. Those two things are so close together, it probably doesn't really matter which one you put first.

Habit needs no explanation, and learning about people, coming to understand them as best I can, could be considered my main hobby. Most days, I'm even more interested in people than I am in writing, drawing, walking, painting portraits, etc -- my other hobbies.

I've met some pretty fascinating people on this Forum over the years. For instance, I've met a bona fide genius who was raised homeless and has become in her late twenties/ early thirties a successful financial consultant -- among many other accomplishments. I've met a person whose parents taught him almost no practical survival skills at all while he was growing up, and who is unable to function on his own nowadays. I've met a woman who overcame bone-crushing child abuse by incorporating the abuse of her into her sexual fantasies -- something that seems counter-intuitive to me, but which has by and large healed her and left her a very functional adult. I've met a man from a culture in which he can find no good outlet for his creativity and who has turned to alcohol to compensate himself. And dozens, dozens of others.

I'll wager that I know as much about as many people who have been, or are now on, this Forum as anyone. I read their posts, exchange PMs and emails, Skype with them, sometimes write or receive snail mail, occasionally exchange gifts, and now and then even meet them in person. To say people are my hobby is a little misleading. It's more like I'm some kind of cross between observer, fan, and reporter of people with a wee bit of the connoisseur thrown in.

 

[Sunstone]

I resemble that remark.

No one on this Forum is more intellectually honest and disciplined than you. There may be other folks as intellectually honest and disciplined as you, Jay, but so far as I can see, no one is more honest and disciplined than you.

You're downright insufferable in other ways too.

Seriously, you're a genuine source of inspiration.

 

[Mock Turtle]

!4 years - how many have been buried or cremated over the years?

 

[Vinayaka]

Probably habit -- followed closely by a desire to meet and learn about people. Those two things are so close together, it probably doesn't really matter which one you put first.

Habit needs no explanation, and learning about people, coming to understand them as best I can, could be considered my main hobby. Most days, I'm even more interested in people than I am in writing, drawing, walking, painting portraits, etc -- my other hobbies.

I've met some pretty fascinating people on this Forum over the years. For instance, I've met a bona fide genius who was raised homeless and has become in her late twenties/ early thirties a successful financial consultant -- among many other accomplishments. I've met a person whose parents taught him almost no practical survival skills at all while he was growing up, and who is unable to function on his own nowadays. I've met a woman who overcame bone-crushing child abuse by incorporating the abuse of her into her sexual fantasies -- something that seems counter-intuitive to me, but which has by and large healed her and left her a very functional adult. I've met a man from a culture in which he can find no good outlet for his creativity and who has turned to alcohol to compensate himself. And dozens, dozens of others.

I'll wager that I know as much about as many people who have been, or are now on, this Forum as anyone. I read their posts, exchange PMs and emails, Skype with them, sometimes write or receive snail mail, occasionally exchange gifts, and now and then even meet them in person. To say people are my hobby is a little misleading. It's more like I'm a connoisseur of people.

Thanks, some fascinating and diverse stuff.. summarised as 'a great opportunity to observe human behaviour'.

 

[icehorse]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

The very premise of this forum is audacious, and it strikes me that "we" do a pretty good job of achieving that audacious premise. This forum "is in the business of" hosting discussions and debates on the most contentious topics you can imagine. There is no way to have such debates without sometimes giving offense. You simply cannot think through and debate complex issues if you're constrained to never giving offense.

Good job everyone!

 

[bobhikes]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

I've been on 9 years and for me it used to be friendlier almost like a bunch of neighbors. This is under the frubal years. It slowly got more serious and less neighborly the biggest jump was after the charge. The content is about the same some categories still use the same exact line for debate but everything seems a lot less friendlier. I have never been a part of the moderating team or a daily contributor. The moderators and daily contributor still seem to joke with each other a lot but it is exclusive now.

 

[Sunstone]

!4 years - how many have been buried or cremated over the years?

Unfortunately, some of our members have died. We only hear about a few of them -- I suspect many more than we hear about have died.

 

[Thief]

I've been on this Forum for about 14 years now, and -- myths aside -- the Forum has been approximately the same during that whole time.

There has never been a time when posters were as group much kinder to each other, or much meaner to each other, than they are today. There has never been a time when posters were as a group much more rational, or much more irrational, than they are today. Whatever fluctuations I've seen have been fairly minor ones, or restricted to the rare individual now and then.

What you see today is pretty much how it's always been.

Good luck if you want to change this place in some big and ambitious way!

WE HAVE UNWANTED ADVERTISEMENTS!

not that I mind.......some time back I was searching for something nice
for my wife

since then.....I get advertisements!
OOOOH LALA!!!!!!!

 

[Sunstone]

The very premise of this forum is audacious, and it strikes me that "we" do a pretty good job of achieving that audacious premise. This forum "is in the business of" hosting discussions and debates on the most contentious topics you can imagine. There is no way to have such debates without sometimes giving offense. You simply cannot think through and debate complex issues if you're constrained to never giving offense.

Good job everyone!

I think the single most audacious thing about us is that we aspire to be anything but a bubble of posters who all agree with each other. That seems to be becoming the norm on the net. Bubbles of theists. Bubbles of atheists. Bubbles of Christians. Bubbles of Muslims. Bubbles of Hindus. etc. etc. etc. If we are in any way audacious, we are audacious in that way too.

 

[Sunstone]

WE HAVE UNWANTED ADVERTISEMENTS!

not that I mind.......some time back I was searching for something nice
for my wife

since then.....I get advertisements!
OOOOH LALA!!!!!!!

Got to pay for the fun and games somehow. But yeah, the ads can get a little thick at times.

 

[Thief]

I think the single most audacious thing about us is that we aspire to be anything but a bubble of posters who all agree with each other. That seems to be becoming the norm on the net. Bubbles of theists. Bubbles of atheists. Bubbles of Christians. Bubbles of Muslims. Bubbles of Hindus. etc. etc. etc. If we are in any way audacious, we are audacious in that way too.

i am not a bubble head

 

[YmirGF]

I think the single most audacious thing about us is that we aspire to be anything but a bubble of posters who all agree with each other. That seems to be becoming the norm on the net. Bubbles of theists. Bubbles of atheists. Bubbles of Christians. Bubbles of Muslims. Bubbles of Hindus. etc. etc. etc. If we are in any way audacious, we are audacious in that way too.

You know, I think that is the real charm of RF. So many other forums are just like a pack of hell hounds lying in wait for fresh meat to enter the game. At least here there is a modicum of self-restraint and quite often genuine curiosity. Granted, I've only been here for a mere 12-1/2 years, but so it seems to me.

Got to pay for the fun and games somehow. But yeah, the ads can get a little thick at times.

There is, of course, a very simple way to get rid of those annoying ads. *wink, wink*