What's Wrong With Senior Forums?

RadishRose said:
Phil I want that cookbook.
Click to expand...

RR, I think you can get it on Amazon. I actually have a copy and there are some very good recipes in it. I especially like Mona Lisa Sapp's Macaroni Salad. Every recipe has some little White Trash comment that goes with it. Example: Ida's Indian Onion Curry Omelet says "You got to be kinda wild to try this one. It weeds 'em out." It's worth having the book just for the entertainment value but some of the recipes are delicious too.
 

Glinda said:
RR, I think you can get it on Amazon. I actually have a copy and there are some very good recipes in it. I especially like Mona Lisa Sapp's Macaroni Salad. Every recipe has some little White Trash comment that goes with it. Example: Ida's Indian Onion Curry Omelet says "You got to be kinda wild to try this one. It weeds 'em out." It's worth having the book just for the entertainment value but some of the recipes are delicious too.
Click to expand...

Thanks Glinda, now I will definitely be getting that cookbook!
 
Lon said:
Is it just me? I am not enjoying SF as I have in the past and I am not sure why. I can't put my finger on it but something has changed.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lon for posting this thread, from what I can gather there are other members expressing your feelings. I have received several PMs and direct emails from members stating that the forum has variously become boring, full of crap, not much fun any more, and so on, there is also some alarm expressed about the increased number of toxic postings and personal attacks on other members.


My take on it is that having been here for only a short time myself, and not that familiar with forums in general, is that during the first couple of months I loved what seemed to be good family of friends here, it was both informative and fun.
Shortly after this period, the dynamics changed into a seeming split between the serious and the humorous styles of posting, an imbalance maybe? Unfortunately this led to several members leaving or ceasing to post, a banning, and afterwards a subsequent malaise.


I posted somewhere else a while back, that this forum was a microcosm of the real world, and just like real civilisations all eventually come to an end, so will this forum. We humans have simply not mastered the art of living together harmoniously.


However in the meantime I hope we can turn this forum around for another season, by becoming more tolerant of others opinions and views on life, and desisting from personally attacking other members for expressing them.
 
merlin said:
Thanks Lon for posting this thread, from what I can gather there are other members expressing your feelings. I have received several PMs and direct emails from members stating that the forum has variously become boring, full of crap, not much fun any more, and so on, there is also some alarm expressed about the increased number of toxic postings and personal attacks on other members.


My take on it is that having been here for only a short time myself, and not that familiar with forums in general, is that during the first couple of months I loved what seemed to be good family of friends here, it was both informative and fun.
Shortly after this period, the dynamics changed into a seeming split between the serious and the humorous styles of posting, an imbalance maybe? Unfortunately this led to several members leaving or ceasing to post, a banning, and afterwards a subsequent malaise.


I posted somewhere else a while back, that this forum was a microcosm of the real world, and just like real civilisations all eventually come to an end, so will this forum. We humans have simply not mastered the art of living together harmoniously.


However in the meantime I hope we can turn this forum around for another season, by becoming more tolerant of others opinions and views on life, and desisting from personally attacking other members for expressing them.
Click to expand...

I absolutely disagree. This forum, like the world is made up of people, some with an interest in one thing or another and it could easily be boring to others. This forum has a contingency of posters from all over the globe so naturally what's of interest to an American might well be boring to a European. Our politics here can and do become passionate at times, often heated but to suggest we have brutal brawls and call each other horrible names is total bs. I get the same "I get PM's" routine from a couple of members here but my feeling is if there is an underground of complainants they can notify administration and tell them of their problem.

People, I have been on forums since 1996, even been the head mod of one and I assure you this is a tame and generally kind membership. If some of out members are so thin skinned as to be offended by what they see here, they should spend a little time on the "rough" boards. I appreciate this forum and it's many sections so that there's a place for us all. Merlin, I believe you should maybe wait until you have been here awhile longer before making any pronouncements about our overall character. I know you feel justified in your feelings but I am equally convinced it is being formed based upon others ideas (your pm's) rather than your own.
 
Merlin, first of all, nice beard, brother. Secondly, it's all too easy to be lured into attacking someone who's made it all personal FIRST, as I've just discovered myself. Happens here quite a lot, too, I see. Thirdly, I DEEPLY resent having had so many of my posts, which were openly critical of the situation here, deleted by administration, so you'd better read this fast!

If, in fact, this forum is, as you contend, a microcosm of the world of man--and I think this a very astute observation, by definition--then one must really wonder why we are all putting so much time and effort into the proverbial 'sinking ship'?
 
Jim, in the short time I've invested here (a matter of days, actually) I've come to recognize you as one of the reigning 'voices of reason'. I, too, have had a long experience of internet forums, also moderating several as well, and this one is FAR from the cesspool they many of them CAN be. I DO, however, see a rather disturbing double-standard here, though, wherein one consistently obnoxious senior poster might be grudgingly tolerated, while another, newer member gets his (admittedly over the line) posts deleted. So room for improvement here, wouldn't you think?
 
I’ve been a member of many different forums over the course of 15 +/- years, and I have never, ever seen so much discussion about dissatisfaction with a forum. Various threads, hundreds of posts over the past few weeks. I haven't seen a resolution (not saying there isn't one, just that I haven't seen it.)

(One forum I participated in for 10 yrs had a strict rule about not complaining about the forum or any of its members on the boards at all - although I think that was a bit much. The policy was if you have a complaint or suggestion, contact a moderator.) Sure, people can discuss whatever they want and let the chips call where they may, but I’m just saying I’ve never seen anything like this. :shrug: Kind of ironic.

Also, I don't see SF as a "microcosm of the real world" at all (as in all different ages, ethnicities, religions, etc.). This is simply an online community for people over age 50.

Lastly, truespock, I agree with you that there is a double standard, but I see it applied in a different way than you describe. However, I'll just have to live with it or move on if/when it gets to be more than I care to tolerate.
 
I support the decisions of Matrix and SB. They work hard to guide this from along and they are very fair in their decisions. You may say I am a kiss up if you want but that is my opinion. If I didn't like it here I would leave.
 
Whether or not one agrees with Merln's position, it is very condescending to infer that a registered psychotherapist is unable to Form their own opinions without ingesting the pablum of public opinion, such a soft-minded individual would soon wither under the considerable stresses of his/her practice, not to mention rapidly losing their clientele. Perhaps it would be beneficial in this case to reflect on the fact that our resident psychologist delivered a far less critical response. He, at least, has some professional expertise in surfing the minds of others.
 
Shalimar said:
Whether or not one agrees with Merln's position, it is very condescending to infer that a registered psychotherapist is unable to Form their own opinions without ingesting the pablum of public opinion, such a soft-minded individual would soon wither under the considerable stresses of his/her practice, not to mention rapidly losing their clientele. Perhaps it would be beneficial in this case to reflect on the fact that our resident psychologist delivered a far less critical response. He, at least, has some professional expertise in surfing the minds of others.
Click to expand...

I am underwhelmed by titles. I am only a high school graduate but all opinions on this board must be weighted as good as the next guys. It's up to the majority to decide what they believe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pam
AZ Jim said:
I support the decisions of Matrix and SB. They work hard to guide this from along and they are very fair in their decisions. You may say I am a kiss up if you want but that is my opinion. If I didn't like it here I would leave.
Click to expand...
Once again, Jim, tempting but too easy. From what I can see here, it's long passed time somebody peed in the punchbowl. You're welcome.
 
The contingency of posters 'from all over the globe' includes a vast majority of US posters, then several from the UK, a few from down under and a couple of Canadians.
Is it any wonder that the majority of posts (especially political) would only be of interest to the US members?

I have also noticed there has been a change in mood here, but I would like to attribute it to summer slump, as people go on holidays and get busy with their own lives. And as a fairly new member and new to forums in general, I too have been surprised at how things have been evolving here and about how my own general interest waxes and wanes over time, as I get to know members personalities and posting styles as well as priorities.
 
AZ Jim said:
I am underwhelmed by titles. I am only a high school graduate but my all opinions on this board must be weighted as good as the next guys. It's up to the majority to decide what they believe.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Jim, most people WITHOUT titles DO tend to be underwhelmed by them, but I, in no way, every intended to place myself 'above' the rest of you. I was merely indicating that the subject matter at hand was something with which I am EXTREMELY familiar.

By the way, here's a quote from the late, great Isaac Asimov that you might enjoy:


  • There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top