Superficial vs. Thorough

[nubhorns]

Hey, GCD. Been a while since I’ve made a thread, but I figured this is a subject that is timeless.

So, I’ve been back for about two days now and… things around here have changed. The place is a lot more mellow. Laid back. It’s different, but I think I like it. You guys don’t lack the energy that the old regs had like I originally thought, you just have your own kind of energy that I’m not quite used to yet.

However, I noticed something that hasn’t changed at all, something that I had hoped would have changed for the better, but, alas, it’s a tough thing to crack.

Everyone, I’m talking about responding to threads.

Not necessarily how many posts certain threads get, I see a lot of that. I mean, responding to each other and interaction. I see a lot of people posting what happens to THEM like the thread asks, but it seems useless because I hardly see people actually responding to each other and pointing out similar points, going deeper into the discussion.

So, GCD. Why is this? Why do we rarely go deeper into the discussion, instead leaving our threads to their superficial covers?

[The Master of Dragons]

It happens from time to time.

I get quoted now and again with people agreeing or disagreeing or having a similar experience to mine own.

I suppose it depends on what's said in the post itself if there's room for discussion.

Or, maybe it's because I'm a dragon, and, come on. Who doesn't want to talk to a dragon?

emotion_awesome

[Ridley Starsmore]

Honest answer?

A lot of the threads that have become the norm in the GCD as of late are the "How does this topic affect you" Threads.

By that, I mean a greneral topic with a slight Gaia twist. Sort of a hit and run kinda thing. some threads are deeper than that, but a lot of these types of threads are commonplace.

Best way to get past that is to think to yourself before posting a thread "Can I answer the main topic with a yes or no question?"

And as an OP, I try to encourage discussion by staying in the thread for the first five pages, and help generate discussion if I can.

[Naladi]

I actually tend to engage in longer, more in-depth discussions with other users in item threads as strange as that may sound. In the "this is what happened to me, has it happened to you" threads, I simply can't think of much to say apart from answering the OP's question with my own personal experience. I guess it boils down to the fact that item threads are largely opinion based, and it's easier to debate/discuss opinions than experiences.

[nubhorns]

The Master of Dragons

It happens from time to time.

I get quoted now and again with people agreeing or disagreeing or having a similar experience to mine own.

I suppose it depends on what's said in the post itself if there's room for discussion.

Or, maybe it's because I'm a dragon, and, come on. Who doesn't want to talk to a dragon?

emotion_awesome

Ridley Starsmore

Honest answer?

A lot of the threads that have become the norm in the GCD as of late are the "How does this topic affect you" Threads.

By that, I mean a greneral topic with a slight Gaia twist. Sort of a hit and run kinda thing. some threads are deeper than that, but a lot of these types of threads are commonplace.

Best way to get past that is to think to yourself before posting a thread "Can I answer the main topic with a yes or no question?"

And as an OP, I try to encourage discussion by staying in the thread for the first five pages, and help generate discussion if I can.

Hm. So then, how do you think the GCD can address the problem of the threads themselves being more superficial?

I mean, I guess we can blame the threads, but two years ago we were having the same problem and a lot LESS of the threads were hit and run. A lot of them actually had flavor and they were incredibly interesting! The main issue were people just not seeming to want to talk to each other. They stated what THEY thought about the topic, what THEY felt about the feature of the sight, but didn't seek to expand on anyone else's points or even counteract someone they disagreed with.

[Voat]

I've been thinking of making a thread where it's a HIGHLY SUGGESTED *COUGH* REQUIREMENT*COUGH* to quote the person above you if you choose to decide to post in the thread....but yeah IDK that might promote spamming/chatter if people have nothing meaningful to say to each other ;D

I just want to see what people do and how they react to each other though xd

People do go into discussion though, it's just not as apparent on the first page because ideas are popping up. but you see a lot more quoting going on in later pages in a thread.

Tipping doesn't help though because if someone agrees with someone and doesn't feel like typing out a response of "yeah i agree", they just give a tip of gold.

[J 4 C K]

I usually just get "tipped". I haaaate it. Instead of saying you agree or like what the person said, you just do a simple click and it's done. Conversation squashed. I think the tip feature takes away from so much...

[nubhorns]

Existential Existence

I've been thinking of making a thread where it's a HIGHLY SUGGESTED *COUGH* REQUIREMENT*COUGH* to quote the person above you if you choose to decide to post in the thread....but yeah IDK that might promote spamming/chatter if people have nothing meaningful to say to each other ;D

I just want to see what people do and how they react to each other though xd

People do go into discussion though, it's just not as apparent on the first page because ideas are popping up. but you see a lot more quoting going on in later pages in a thread.

Tipping doesn't help though because if someone agrees with someone and doesn't feel like typing out a response of "yeah i agree", they just give a tip of gold.

Well I didn't see much deeper discussion from where I've been roaming, but as I said it's only been a couple days.

I actually really like the idea of tipping. When I left it didn't really... exist, or perhaps it was just being implemented. It's fuzzy. Anyway, I like the idea of using it in CONJUNCTION with an accompanying post. Like, you tip someone, they get the alert and acknowledge it, and then they respond and try to incite discussion. Tipping might even make the person who they're quoting want to respond MORE and form almost a kinship, I guess. In that moment you realize you share an opinion with someone and you both go deeper into that opinion, discovering the nuances of it while others have the option to join in.

I don't know, I have a lot of feels about threads.

Perhaps it's just a pipe dream, but seeing people discuss, even if they go far beyond the original post's actual content, is something I'd like to see in every thread here. I'm not saying paragraph after paragraph, we aren't the ED here, but I feel like quoting each other and DISCUSSING is what makes us the GCD. It's what creates friendships and keeps people coming back.

To be honest, the forum seems too slow these days to really ENCOURAGE hit in run, so I don't know why it's happening. How can you be a regular in a forum where there are only five active threads (give or take a few) at any one time and you're not even posting in them?

[Ridley Starsmore]

nubhorns

The Master of Dragons

It happens from time to time.

I get quoted now and again with people agreeing or disagreeing or having a similar experience to mine own.

I suppose it depends on what's said in the post itself if there's room for discussion.

Or, maybe it's because I'm a dragon, and, come on. Who doesn't want to talk to a dragon?

emotion_awesome

Ridley Starsmore

Honest answer?

A lot of the threads that have become the norm in the GCD as of late are the "How does this topic affect you" Threads.

By that, I mean a greneral topic with a slight Gaia twist. Sort of a hit and run kinda thing. some threads are deeper than that, but a lot of these types of threads are commonplace.

Best way to get past that is to think to yourself before posting a thread "Can I answer the main topic with a yes or no question?"

And as an OP, I try to encourage discussion by staying in the thread for the first five pages, and help generate discussion if I can.

Hm. So then, how do you think the GCD can address the problem of the threads themselves being more superficial?

I mean, I guess we can blame the threads, but two years ago we were having the same problem and a lot LESS of the threads were hit and run. A lot of them actually had flavor and they were incredibly interesting! The main issue were people just not seeming to want to talk to each other. They stated what THEY thought about the topic, what THEY felt about the feature of the sight, but didn't seek to expand on anyone else's points or even counteract someone they disagreed with.

Well, honestly, the solution is the OPs for individual threads making the choice to encourage discussion, and getting the users in them involved.

[J 4 C K]

nubhorns

Existential Existence

I've been thinking of making a thread where it's a HIGHLY SUGGESTED *COUGH* REQUIREMENT*COUGH* to quote the person above you if you choose to decide to post in the thread....but yeah IDK that might promote spamming/chatter if people have nothing meaningful to say to each other ;D

I just want to see what people do and how they react to each other though xd

People do go into discussion though, it's just not as apparent on the first page because ideas are popping up. but you see a lot more quoting going on in later pages in a thread.

Tipping doesn't help though because if someone agrees with someone and doesn't feel like typing out a response of "yeah i agree", they just give a tip of gold.

Well I didn't see much deeper discussion from where I've been roaming, but as I said it's only been a couple days.

I actually really like the idea of tipping. When I left it didn't really... exist, or perhaps it was just being implemented. It's fuzzy. Anyway, I like the idea of using it in CONJUNCTION with an accompanying post. Like, you tip someone, they get the alert and acknowledge it, and then they respond and try to incite discussion. Tipping might even make the person who they're quoting want to respond MORE and form almost a kinship, I guess. In that moment you realize you share an opinion with someone and you both go deeper into that opinion, discovering the nuances of it while others have the option to join in.

I don't know, I have a lot of feels about threads.

Perhaps it's just a pipe dream, but seeing people discuss, even if they go far beyond the original post's actual content, is something I'd like to see in every thread here. I'm not saying paragraph after paragraph, we aren't the ED here, but I feel like quoting each other and DISCUSSING is what makes us the GCD. It's what creates friendships and keeps people coming back.

To be honest, the forum seems too slow these days to really ENCOURAGE hit in run, so I don't know why it's happening. How can you be a regular in a forum where there are only five active threads (give or take a few) at any one time and you're not even posting in them?

That's just it though. Tipping accompanied with a post doesn't happen 94% of the time.

[nubhorns]

Ridley Starsmore

Well, honestly, the solution is the OPs for individual threads making the choice to encourage discussion, and getting the users in them involved.

Well yeah, I agree with that, but I mean, what can we focus on as a forum? You said that this kind of thread is a sort of trend that's popped up. What kind of opposing thread type could become a "trend" that could actually start inciting discussion?

sorry if i'm getting all philosophical or whatever, i blame philosophy since i'm sitting in the damn class right now, hahah.

[In Paradisum]

I still consider myself fairly new as a GCD-er, even though I have regularly checking the GCD for about a year and a half now. I guess it depends on the personality of the person? Someone who's more of an extrovert might be more willing to start discussions. While introverts wait for someone to start a discussion with them.

But while having a discussion is look well upon, I have seen quoting someone and just saying "I agree" is kinda frowned upon here. I guess that could be a reason why people are scared to start discussions.
Then again, I might be looking at this from the completely wrong angle.

[nubhorns]

J 4 C K

nubhorns

Existential Existence

I've been thinking of making a thread where it's a HIGHLY SUGGESTED *COUGH* REQUIREMENT*COUGH* to quote the person above you if you choose to decide to post in the thread....but yeah IDK that might promote spamming/chatter if people have nothing meaningful to say to each other ;D

I just want to see what people do and how they react to each other though xd

People do go into discussion though, it's just not as apparent on the first page because ideas are popping up. but you see a lot more quoting going on in later pages in a thread.

Tipping doesn't help though because if someone agrees with someone and doesn't feel like typing out a response of "yeah i agree", they just give a tip of gold.

Well I didn't see much deeper discussion from where I've been roaming, but as I said it's only been a couple days.

I actually really like the idea of tipping. When I left it didn't really... exist, or perhaps it was just being implemented. It's fuzzy. Anyway, I like the idea of using it in CONJUNCTION with an accompanying post. Like, you tip someone, they get the alert and acknowledge it, and then they respond and try to incite discussion. Tipping might even make the person who they're quoting want to respond MORE and form almost a kinship, I guess. In that moment you realize you share an opinion with someone and you both go deeper into that opinion, discovering the nuances of it while others have the option to join in.

I don't know, I have a lot of feels about threads.

Perhaps it's just a pipe dream, but seeing people discuss, even if they go far beyond the original post's actual content, is something I'd like to see in every thread here. I'm not saying paragraph after paragraph, we aren't the ED here, but I feel like quoting each other and DISCUSSING is what makes us the GCD. It's what creates friendships and keeps people coming back.

To be honest, the forum seems too slow these days to really ENCOURAGE hit in run, so I don't know why it's happening. How can you be a regular in a forum where there are only five active threads (give or take a few) at any one time and you're not even posting in them?

That's just it though. Tipping accompanied with a post doesn't happen 94% of the time.

Oh well yeah, I think I meant more I wish that's how it WAS rather than how it IS. I mean, sure, if you have nothing to say to someone else other than "I AGREE" then tipping works, but if you're in the GCD then c'mon, you gotta have something more to say than just I agree. The crowd this place tends to draw in is pretty verbose and we like to show it off more often than not.

So I guess this is just me saying... GCD, please do this. Everyone reading this, work for your forum. If you discuss, harmony will come.

#quotebutchering2k12

[J 4 C K]

nubhorns

Ridley Starsmore

Well, honestly, the solution is the OPs for individual threads making the choice to encourage discussion, and getting the users in them involved.

Well yeah, I agree with that, but I mean, what can we focus on as a forum? You said that this kind of thread is a sort of trend that's popped up. What kind of opposing thread type could become a "trend" that could actually start inciting discussion?

sorry if i'm getting all philosophical or whatever, i blame philosophy since i'm sitting in the damn class right now, hahah.

Easy. Threads without spoons made by a known GCDer. That's all you need.

[Labtech Soosh]

Unless I have a deep connection with the topic, I choose not to make a post going too indepth. If for some reason I do, I risk winding up talking about stuff I don't really don't know about, which leads to me look like a complete uneducated moron... which is very VERY often.

Also it takes me about half an hour to make a paragraph of organized comprehensive thoughts, so there's the whole "do I really wanna waste ALL this time making this post?" deal I put myself through.