I figured i would post my piece here.
When i joined early in 2003 (has it been that long?) I was hooked by the well thought out posts and welcoming attitude towards any contribution. New members were given acknowledgment and if they deserved it, praise. There was a large emphasis on evolution, and progression in the forums.
As a result I learned a great deal. More than that, with the help of the community I came to a better understanding of myself and the world around me. It seemed that a majority of posts were about challenging one's percieved notions, reaching beyond a certain comfort level, or attempting to see another's viewpoint.
It is my belief that the emphasis on evolution and the progression that it implied lent a hostile view on issues presented by new members that had already been discussed and set aside by older members. It was on the newbies to "catch up" to the level of discussion currently at hand. I think this was the beginning of the decline of TFP. Many of the progressed threads fell apart due to the input by newer members that had missed an earlier discussion. The few threads that did not fall prey to this dumbing down were either too hostile or obscure for new members to find a common frame of reference. (i can think a few of ArTelevision threads...)
But basically, as the board matured, there arose an increased hostility towards immaturity. Rather than a pat on the head and a guiding word or two, it was a slap on the bum and a stern point to the search button. As membership slowed and some older members dropped out, the TFP momentum slowed and eventually stalled. I think the creation of tilted trampoline, a forum for just screwing around, was a major indication of that. A playground for veterans with nothing better to do.
as for advice on what to do next?
1. Increased tolerance for rehashing old issues. Acknowledge a new member's contribution or thread (if there is actually a contribution), and allow discussion of that issue. The issue will either be rapidly resolved (as there will be widespread agreement on the correct solution) or it will cause heated discussion in which case it is an interesting enough topic to get people excited about it.
2. Re-evaluate the evolution philosophy. To me, it seems like pure evolution on this board has created elitism and self-imposed stagnation. Reform the system to constantly welcome fresh faces; even if they may not be as far along the track of older members.
3. Create a venue for older members to discuss finer/deeper points of broader viewpoints brought up in threads. I'm not sure about this because it seems as though this would reinforce the elitist perception, and would have to be controlled strictly.
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"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim
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