:think: I wonder why.
Forum Life Lessons: Questioning the TOL Experience
- Thread starter Town Heretic
- Start date
:think: I wonder why.
I think some of it is the decline of forums and the rise of FB and Twitter, but beyond that the rep wars, the semi-secret society, and the inequity of treatment for a lot of people whose contributions were integral to creating an entertaining atmosphere of conversation had a hand in the decline. A one sided argument is just a blog or a lecture backed by power...and after a solid infusion of new voices years ago, revelations about that inequity, petty perks handed out sub rosa, protections for some of the worst voices coupled with frequently confusing slaps at those who simply failed to toe the popular line began to create a steady murmur among those outside of the power structure, a growing dissatisfaction that was largely ignored. And I say that as someone who only had one infraction since 2007 and who counted many in that structure among my friends, so I'm not bearing a grudge on the point, but I noticed people treated with a heavy hand for not much more than irritating the old guard while a few among them, coddled trolls who flew essential flags in exercising their bilious natures, had to essentially flame out or abuse the rules beyond the point of any rational defense before anything happened to them.
I suspect that if a concentrated effort had been made to level the playing field in those early years we'd have a thriving community yet. But it wasn't and we don't and I'm sorry to see it because I still like the joint and many who remain... I think it might be that the robust influx of voices from outside the comfort zone of that power structure sent them the wrong message in those years before the falling away began to be noticable. It's easy when you're in that position to think the product drew and will draw again, sustained and will find something like its feet again, when the fact is something else.
The fact is that TOL thrived and grew despite its flaws because it had a myriad of graces attending. There were funny, intelligent, compelling people to be met and enjoined in serious and goofy conversation, subcultures of a sort, or simple alliances of likened temperaments and expectations, if not ideologies. And there were the community flourishes by the admin that covered a multitude of sins, like the much anticipated and enjoyed end of the year awards and Hall of Fame inductions. If at no other time, disparate voices would find themselves recognized and appreciated in a way that made the other nonsense bearable and by the prime mover and founder no less. When that was abandoned the irritations began to win the field and peel off more than a few who, losing any sense of belonging in the community to offset it, looked for other pursuits.
So the individualized and entertaining profile pages went with iterations and that was lost. Then the week of being decent or silenced was abandoned. Then the thread awards were passed off to the old guard and anything like the more even hand and humor Knight had built the thing to be was lost, along with interest. And then the HOF went by the boards...and all along the numbers fell until TOL was just a whisper of what it had been. A place I come to now largely out of habit and because I'm sentimental, a few friendly faces remaining to tip hat at. Fewer and fewer people to talk to though and even fewer voices you can hold a public difference with in a way that's surprising or enjoyable.
Maybe there comes a point where you simply lose too much of what matters. I suspect or hope that a sustained effort to recapture those things might, coupled with a real equality in application of rules and approach, bring the old girl back to a semblance of herself, though I'm unsure if the heyday is possible for the same reason network tv doesn't draw like it once did or could...and because the generations needed to fuel it are neither particularly accomplished readers or writers, sadly, it might not work regardless.
But she was yar once upon a time and I counted myself fortunate to find her and take part.
I don't.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
It's a pretty sure bet SOOTs/MADs would be the first in line to blame the forum decline on "the left" (whether or not the label was accurate ) not having been banned en masse, leaving them their safe space with no challenge to their sources or their motivations. Despite having seen the handwriting on the wall for a long time, I think the era of Trump was the straw that broke the camel's back.
ok doser
lifeguard at the cement pond
Eventually the leftists will run out of puppies to hug and they'll be back
Heck, just the past couple days have seen rex and horn back
They have been mostly silent and absent lately, and you STILL complain about the place and belittle them.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
I've always been alright no matter how much you complain.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
Of course you have. You're in the protected class. That's why you love this place!
Well yay for me!
Poor little you.
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
Atta girl!No worries. I'm doing alright too.
I think the Twitterization of America has been a drain on what's left around here, if mostly on the right.
That was for Stripe.
That was for Stripe.
ok doser
lifeguard at the cement pond
I remember what the site was like before town joined and i remember how the site changed after town joined
and i remember what the determining factor was
Last edited:
Too bad Observations isn't around any more, people could get a sense of how many people poured into this place, how lively, funny, and interesting so many of them were and how that all blended together in spite of the best efforts of a few who longed for the days when they were big fish in a much smaller pond.
ok doser
lifeguard at the cement pond
Oh yes, Observations - another example of town celebrating the brilliance that is town
What's the over/under that my stalker is back at it?
Last edited:
annabenedetti
like marbles on glass
I can't remember what the forum was like before