# An observation...



## billc (Feb 27, 2014)

Hmmm...I was wondering where all the new posts are on the study.

The reason I ask is that for quite a while there was a lot of...complaining... about how much I posted on the study, and how that kept other wonderful posts from, well, being posted.  Well, I have been primarily in another area of martialtalk, for about 6 months and haven't really noticed all those new posts from the people who not only complained about my posts but declared that my posts kept them from posting...

Hmmm...

I think more of those people should be posting here in the study...don't you?


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## Steve (Feb 27, 2014)

Being perfectly frank, the study and the basement have both achieved curdled milk status with me.  Where I would once have joined the fray, as it were, I now read the headlines and just choose not to engage.

I enjoy discussing politics and I really like to hear other peoples' opinions and perspectives, but it will take a while at least before the sourness of the Study goes away.

But if you're really worried about it, I suspect that when the election seasons heat up, this place will follow suit.


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## granfire (Feb 27, 2014)

I dare say that the high volume of copy pasta has driven about 95% of the posters away.

The others are now playing in the basement, out of sight out of mind.


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## geezer (Mar 4, 2014)

As far as the Study goes, I feel pretty much the way Steve does. So I'll check in from time to time, but I hesitate to post here. 

But I think there's a bigger issue. I'm seeing fewer posts in the last year or so all across MT. And our old "sister site" _FMA Talk_ has been virtually dead for  a few years now. I think forums in general are losing traffic to newer forms of social media.


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 4, 2014)

Forums aren't dying. Evolving.  Social media sites like Facebook have drained some of the well, social chatter away.  Try finding a serious discussion on there 6 weeks later though.  It's lost in the noise.  Here, quick search and boom, there it is.  We could be better integrated though, a limitation of the current software we use.    Personally, the last year for me has been full of personal matters, struggling to stay afloat while dealing with said matters, and evolving interests.  My sometimes 'boot to the head' style of debate's probably not been a great help at times, I've tired of the 'heat of battle' as it were on the political issues, and been focused on things that don't transition well here.  So, I've posted less than I used to.  

A forum follows it's leader, and when the leader's not participating, they tend to slow.  I've been recently trying to be more active in the art areas.  I ask everyone to take another look at all the sections, kick some things up, dust off a few golden oldies, and take that moment to chime in.  Each new post can lead to 10+ more.  Imagine how busy we'd be if everyone who reads this post, makes 1 more post per day for a month?


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 6, 2014)

There are just too many "political" threads that you know no matter what you may say, you will always get into argument. I'm not interesting in arguing with anybody. Life is too short trying to change other's opinions that you don't even know who that person is.


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## aedrasteia (Mar 6, 2014)

billc said:


> Hmmm...I was wondering where all the new posts are on the study.
> 
> The reason I ask is that for quite a while there was a lot of...complaining... about how much I posted on the study, and how that kept other wonderful posts from, well, being posted.  Well, I have been primarily in another area of martialtalk, for about 6 months and haven't really noticed all those new posts from the people who not only complained about my posts but declared that my posts kept them from posting...
> Hmmm...
> I think more of those people should be posting here in the study...don't you?


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## Tgace (Mar 6, 2014)

To some extent, don't you have to think that we have become somewhat of a closed group? Without a consistent influx of new people what "new opinions" are there in this forum? 

Lets start a thread about abortion...what do you think Tgace  is goona say? What about Granfire?  Lets start a gun control thread...wonder what Arni is gonna say this time? Maybe Ballen will say something different?


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## Takai (Mar 6, 2014)

Tgace said:


> To some extent, don't you have to think that we have become somewhat of a closed group? Without a consistent influx of new people what "new opinions" are there in this forum?



Then how do we solve this?


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## aedrasteia (Mar 6, 2014)

Takai said:


> Then how do we solve this?



Do you really want to know??
I mean, it's sometimes hard to tell via posts when folks are being ironic/sarcastic
or whatever. No disrespect intended toward you at all, Takai.
i wonder if people here want something else or like the situation 
as it is, even if it's nasty.
what's your POV ?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 6, 2014)

How do we return to "Friendly Martial Arts Community"?


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## ballen0351 (Mar 7, 2014)

Bob Hubbard said:


> How do we return to "Friendly Martial Arts Community"?



I never considered it not one.  Just because people don't agree doesn't mean we are not friendly.  I think Steve and I or Ari and I are about as opposite as can be yet if I was ever heading to Washington State I'd attempt to let Steve know and invite him for a meal.  And Arni has been taking a break when I noticed he had not been here in a while I sent him a message making sure he was OK.  Just because they are wrong all the time doesnt mean I don't like them


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## wingchun100 (Mar 7, 2014)

I think without  being able to hear someone's tone of voice, it is difficult to tell when people are respectfully disagreeing or being sarcastic and calling the other person stupid, or insulting their opinions or whatever. Sometimes I assume people are insulting me, but more often than not I shrug it off. For example flying Crane didn't agree with an opinion I expressed on a thread called, "How much does not sparring hurt your training?" (That wasn't the exact title.) I said something about how sparring should be full-blast like a street scenario, and he disagreed with me in a way that some might have taken as a personal attack...but I knew why he didn't agree with me: I didn't express myself properly.

Sometimes this place may be mistake as being NOT friendly, but I have a suspicion that sometimes it comes off that way only when you misinterpret. Yes, sometimes maybe someone IS being a jerk, but not all the time.


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## billc (Mar 7, 2014)

> and he disagreed with me in a way that some might have taken as a personal attack...



Having dealt with the particular poster, I would go with your first instinct...


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## wingchun100 (Mar 7, 2014)

billc said:


> Having dealt with the particular poster, I would go with your first instinct...



Maybe so, but I just shrugged it off. Besides, he "thanked" me and agreed on a different post I made elsewhere.


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## elder999 (Mar 7, 2014)

While the post count in the Basement is higher, there are more threads started with  only that single post in them, or threads with multiple posts from the thread starter and _no one else_ than any other forum.









Just some friendly kidding-and a reminder that rather than put them in hospitals, people used to keep their crazy relatives..................in the basement!!! :lfao:


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## granfire (Mar 7, 2014)

or the attic....


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 7, 2014)

Takai said:


> Then how do we solve this?



Try not to start any thread that can cause argument. For example, if you start "Which style is better for me?" You will get people into style argument. If I start a thread, I try to put myself in "listen" mode. If I don't agree with someone's post, I won't argue with that person because I "invite" him to express his opinion in the 1st place. You just don't start a party, invite all your guess, so you can argue with everybody.

To others, argument may seem nature. To me, trying to change someone's mind when you don't even know who that person is make no sense at all.


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## billc (Mar 7, 2014)

> While the post count in the Basement is higher, there are more threads started with only that single post in them, or threads with multiple posts from the thread starter and no one else than any other forum.




However, the point to this thread is why aren't more of the people who complained before about my posts on the study not gracing the study with their thoughts and insights about life the universe and everything, now that I post in the basement.  considering all the whining they did about the stifling effect of my posts...they have failed to take advantage of all the free space in the study...and this thread is generating more posts than I have seen from those people in a long time....

I have my chips and my diet fudge soda now, so I'll be heading back downstairs...


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## Takai (Mar 7, 2014)

aedrasteia said:


> Do you really want to know??
> I mean, it's sometimes hard to tell via posts when folks are being ironic/sarcastic
> or whatever. No disrespect intended toward you at all, Takai.
> i wonder if people here want something else or like the situation
> ...



Actually, I do want to know. I tend to enjoy (most) conversations that I have on MT. I may be flippant at times but, I tend to take threads like this one quite seriously. 

As some of the previous posters have mentioned, "The which style is better?" threads tend to devolve and while they may generate traffic. Is it the type of traffic we are trying to foster?

My POV is more of a question at this point. What are we trying to offer that people will come here for? How do we reach the demographic that we are shooting for? Bob has done an excellent job of keeping MT going but, we (the community) produce the content that drives people to the site.

How can we improve on our side?


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 7, 2014)

Takai said:


> How can we improve on our side?


How about have more serious MA technique/skill discussion? In one Hon Kong MA magazine, there is a session that's called "3 moves combo". That was the only reason that I had subscribed that magazine. It forces me to think my MA technique 3 steps ahead when I was very young. A kick (or punch) is more than just a kick (or punch). It can be used to "set up" something else. The moment that we get into "combo" discussion, the moment that the MA discussion can be lifted into next level.

If each and every member puts up one of his personal technique clip, we can all learn from each other. If one person puts up his personal clip, it could be just "showing off". When everybody all put up their personal clips, it's "sharing".


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## Tgace (Mar 8, 2014)

Be honest....people love drama. This discussion is nothing new. Technique threads die....soap opera thrives.

Embrace the dark side 

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2


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## Transk53 (Mar 8, 2014)

I had a brief stint as a mod on a specialist forum for a PC game called Football Manager. Because I was generally regarded as the one with different interests (basically not a game fanatic), the forum I took control off primarily was the OFT. Generating traffic though was not too difficult, just getting members to sign up. The OFT was open to guests and content did flow, but the majority that did sign up, disappeared pretty quickly. Not sure if that could ever be solved, but if it could, the traffic around here would be large.


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 8, 2014)

opening up the site to guest posting would mean a lot of spam to deal with.  Let me think on that though.....it might be a good lead in...


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## Tames D (Mar 8, 2014)

billc said:


> However, the point to this thread is why aren't more of the people who complained before about my posts on the study not gracing the study with their thoughts and insights about life the universe and everything, now that I post in the basement.  considering all the whining they did about the stifling effect of my posts...they have failed to take advantage of all the free space in the study...and this thread is generating more posts than I have seen from those people in a long time....
> 
> I have my chips and my diet fudge soda now, so I'll be heading back downstairs...


Are the same people that complained about you posting in the study now posting in your basement? If that's the case, it seems a little strange that they would follow you over there.


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## wingchun100 (Mar 10, 2014)

Bob Hubbard said:


> opening up the site to guest posting would mean a lot of spam to deal with.  Let me think on that though.....it might be a good lead in...



Isn't there a way you could make it so guest posts had to be approved? That way you could filter out the spam before it touches the board.


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## wingchun100 (Mar 14, 2014)

Bob Hubbard said:


> How do we return to "Friendly Martial Arts Community"?



I wish there was an easy answer to this. My experience here has been mostly friendly, but when it gets bad, it gets really bad. Sorry if I am overly sensitive, but I don't think it's cool to basically insult someone because they spoke up on a subject and you feel they misunderstood it. How about, instead of insulting, you explain so they understand better? Why do some people have to jump right to insults?

Unfortunately my view on the situation is bleak: I don't think you CAN truly make it "friendly martial arts" discussion when you have unfriendly people on the board, and there is no way of KNOWING they are unfriendly until they start interacting. And even then, what are you supposed to do? Monitor the boards to the point of basically being a forum fascist and delete any comment that comes off as "insulting" to another user?

The choice is pretty simple for me: either find another martial arts discussion board to go to and hope history doesn't repeat itself, or stick to fewer forums on here and hope this solves the issue. For now I have chosen the latter. Aside from this post here, I will be sticking to the wing chun and meet/greet forums...MAYBE the Library every now and then. 

A few weeks back I started posting here because I liked coming to a place where I could talk to martial artists from all over. Now I feel like it just isn't worth it. Why make the extra effort to go to a place where there's a 50-50 chance I could be insulted?


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## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 14, 2014)

Tgace said:


> Technique threads die....soap opera thrives.


I just don't understand why people don't want to discuss "MA technique" in MA forum but want to discuss something that have nothing to do with MA. When I saw a thread such as:

- GWB sucks...
- Obama sucks...

It just turns me off big time.


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 14, 2014)

wingchun100 said:


> Isn't there a way you could make it so guest posts had to be approved? That way you could filter out the spam before it touches the board.



Yup.  The question is would our mods want to wade through the insane amount of viagra posts though?


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## tshadowchaser (Mar 15, 2014)

any forum will have a number of people who do not agree with each other. There are also people who just want to cause problems on any forum. Then you have people who misunderstand a point of view and think they have been slighted and will either stop posting a start a war contradicting the one  they feel has wronged them.
Now all of the above may help post counts and may lead in many instances to other threads that are very productive. 
While opening up to guests may lead to post count it dose let the spammers in.
Over the years we have had so many threads on so many subjects but that is no reason these subjects can not be revisited.
Heck if everyone who has posted in this thread started one would we get even more threads as off shoots of some of them


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