Poll: Reasons for Not Contributing
LeFou
That's perfectly fine of course. But I think it might have given the impression that it had more of a factual basis.
Dogs&Coffee
I'm fairly new and fairly active, so I wouldn't say I don't participate, but when I don't it's for the following reasons:
1. Some of the areas of the forum are subscriber only, so yeah...
2. Sometimes I don't know enough to contribute, but enjoy reading the thread
3. Ties into #1 the topic is sometimes a little over my head as far as subject matter
4. Longer threads go off topic and what I have to contribute is no longer relevant or has already been touched on
5. Some of the posts have a tendency to get political (and nasty) and I stay clear of that.
Hope that helps.
1. Some of the areas of the forum are subscriber only, so yeah...
2. Sometimes I don't know enough to contribute, but enjoy reading the thread
3. Ties into #1 the topic is sometimes a little over my head as far as subject matter
4. Longer threads go off topic and what I have to contribute is no longer relevant or has already been touched on
5. Some of the posts have a tendency to get political (and nasty) and I stay clear of that.
Hope that helps.
Barleywine
This is another one I didn't think to add, but it would have been hard to cast in a way that doesn't incite politically-correct intolerance. That nastiness is why I left for a while, and why I took . . . other measures . . . when I came back. That sort of corrosive vitriol should never be a part of civil discourse.
Dogs&Coffee
yeah... some of the politics threads are pretty ugh... I was raised to be a little more subtle and open minded where that stuff is concerned.
Tanga
Yes. Sigh.
Vitriol and Diatribe - ho hum.
But of course - it's impossible to ensure that such things won't become part of a civil discourse.
One can't control other people - only oneself.
As far as my experience of forums go - this is the most well "policed" one I have participated in.
Moderators do a great job imo.
- and I appreciate the challenge they have.gregory
Yes - 5 stars for the mods. But the politics threads ARE hidden away in news and views, where no-one has to go - they are there just because feelings DO run high. I do HATE it when politics take over tarot threads though.
Maru
Politics are entering into everything these days. I have a Twitter feed full of designers, what used to be "pure" sources/follows like space, meteorology, art, etc... now EVERYONE posts about politics. It can't be helped to a degree I think. It's just a sign of the times. Sadly.
I'm guilty of writing word walls so I have no qualms if I don't get a lot of replies. If anything, I write just to get better at writing and also to improve my communications bit. Also writing is a little bit of a de-comp for me...
As to new members, I'd just like to cite I am an "older" member in a sense, I've been lurking here at least five years. I have more time for Tarot talk now, so I'm posting more...
As for the poll, I put when I don't have interest in topics. It's because I've heard of a lot of the topics already, have seen enough myself as a reader in other venues and have discussed a lot of these topics. Especially if they're a topic with a million different valid POV's. Many people have either said what I would've had to say (in a more eloquent manner) or I just am not feeling the need to rehash...
Forum threads get really repetitive. I think too, across the web, most forums have seen a decline in usage thanks to social media and the internet in general changing the way they approach CMS'. That's why many sites use "Disqus" as a commenting platform--because one signup you can post everywhere. Same with Facebook. For most, it's a real hassle to register and essentially "remake" their online persona from scratch. Also with anonymity, you are more likely to be "attacked" by fellow users. Whereas with real names, less of an issue--at least with sustained attacks... unless you're portraying yourself as a celebrity or something. Most people are more for one-on-one personalized discussion now than the anonymous variety on forums. It takes a great effort to "put ones roots down" in one and for some people, it's just easier to click a like button or retweet than to retype the same opinion over and over in each thread...
That said, I still love forums. I have actually written mods and write custom CMS' myself. So forums will always have a special place in my heart That and IRC.
I'm guilty of writing word walls so I have no qualms if I don't get a lot of replies. If anything, I write just to get better at writing and also to improve my communications bit. Also writing is a little bit of a de-comp for me...
As to new members, I'd just like to cite I am an "older" member in a sense, I've been lurking here at least five years. I have more time for Tarot talk now, so I'm posting more...
As for the poll, I put when I don't have interest in topics. It's because I've heard of a lot of the topics already, have seen enough myself as a reader in other venues and have discussed a lot of these topics. Especially if they're a topic with a million different valid POV's. Many people have either said what I would've had to say (in a more eloquent manner) or I just am not feeling the need to rehash...
Forum threads get really repetitive. I think too, across the web, most forums have seen a decline in usage thanks to social media and the internet in general changing the way they approach CMS'. That's why many sites use "Disqus" as a commenting platform--because one signup you can post everywhere. Same with Facebook. For most, it's a real hassle to register and essentially "remake" their online persona from scratch. Also with anonymity, you are more likely to be "attacked" by fellow users. Whereas with real names, less of an issue--at least with sustained attacks... unless you're portraying yourself as a celebrity or something. Most people are more for one-on-one personalized discussion now than the anonymous variety on forums. It takes a great effort to "put ones roots down" in one and for some people, it's just easier to click a like button or retweet than to retype the same opinion over and over in each thread...
That said, I still love forums. I have actually written mods and write custom CMS' myself. So forums will always have a special place in my heart
That and IRC.Nemia
Well well, again I feel I don't really have anything to add! Everything has been said already :-(
Not every topic interests me. I think I never answered a "what does X reversed next to Y means?" thread although only now I notice that I didn't... my eyes just pass on. The same with "does he think I'm sexy?" or "will he come back?" or "will I go to the party?" threads - when I feel a question could be easier solved by asking the person directly or asking myself, then I don't answer. And I don't want to put down the people who ask these questions or judge them; I've been in emotional stress myself and have used the tarot in a way I wouldn't do today. So I really feel my contribution is totally unasked-for and irrelevant.
Then there's the language barrier. English is my 3rd language - the 3rd I learned and the 3rd I use in everyday life. My Teutonic verbosity makes me uncomfortable; I admire people who can just say what they think. And not, like me, first say what they want to say, then say it, and then say why they said what they said I feel I'm a thread killer. People look at what I wrote and say: oh no, SHE again!, and the thread is dead :-( Sorry for that.
And for a long time, I felt very awkward here. I've been reading AT for ages, who hasn't? It took me years before I had the courage to join (I thought I wouldn't say anything so I didn't use my usual tarot nickname! stupid!!!), and I'm still so insecure about my reading skillls that I don't participate often in readings. And I've been reading cards for more than 20 years. But I don't have the self confidence, still feel like a beginner. It's silly because this is a learning forum and what's the worst that could happen? I could be totally wrong. So what? I still don't feel comfortable.
I do have opinions about decks and art and books and websites, I feel more comfortable with those topics, more competetent.
But often, I just read what others wrote and think: yes, exactly! Why add anything? I'd only spoil the thread with redundant verbiage.
Like this one.
Not every topic interests me. I think I never answered a "what does X reversed next to Y means?" thread although only now I notice that I didn't... my eyes just pass on. The same with "does he think I'm sexy?" or "will he come back?" or "will I go to the party?" threads - when I feel a question could be easier solved by asking the person directly or asking myself, then I don't answer. And I don't want to put down the people who ask these questions or judge them; I've been in emotional stress myself and have used the tarot in a way I wouldn't do today. So I really feel my contribution is totally unasked-for and irrelevant.
Then there's the language barrier. English is my 3rd language - the 3rd I learned and the 3rd I use in everyday life. My Teutonic verbosity makes me uncomfortable; I admire people who can just say what they think. And not, like me, first say what they want to say, then say it, and then say why they said what they said
I feel I'm a thread killer. People look at what I wrote and say: oh no, SHE again!, and the thread is dead :-( Sorry for that. And for a long time, I felt very awkward here. I've been reading AT for ages, who hasn't? It took me years before I had the courage to join (I thought I wouldn't say anything so I didn't use my usual tarot nickname! stupid!!!), and I'm still so insecure about my reading skillls that I don't participate often in readings. And I've been reading cards for more than 20 years. But I don't have the self confidence, still feel like a beginner. It's silly because this is a learning forum and what's the worst that could happen? I could be totally wrong. So what? I still don't feel comfortable.
I do have opinions about decks and art and books and websites, I feel more comfortable with those topics, more competetent.
But often, I just read what others wrote and think: yes, exactly! Why add anything? I'd only spoil the thread with redundant verbiage.
Like this one.
euripides
When a post already has quite a lot of answers, I tend to feel that I'm wasting my time by adding more - I'll often echo what's been said, anyway. I'm trying to get out of the habit of just skimming and throwing in my opinion - I notice this happens a lot, and it means it's a collection of individual statements rather than a discussion.
I too think it's important to keep politics corraled. Other than just missing the lovely people here and the thoughtful discussions, part of the reason for coming back was that it's all focused around Tarot and related topics.
I tend to avoid responding to romance readings, and there's an awful lot of them; I also avoid 'what does x think (usually, about me)' because I think you need to ask x, not the cards, and 'will I achieve x' because I have quite specific ideas about how Tarot works.
I think one of the problems is that a worthwhile reply requires time, thought and effort, and often, we're pressed for time and a bit tired - we get in the habit of firing off quick, lightweight things in social media. AT asks a little more of us, and that's a good thing.
I too think it's important to keep politics corraled. Other than just missing the lovely people here and the thoughtful discussions, part of the reason for coming back was that it's all focused around Tarot and related topics.
I tend to avoid responding to romance readings, and there's an awful lot of them; I also avoid 'what does x think (usually, about me)' because I think you need to ask x, not the cards, and 'will I achieve x' because I have quite specific ideas about how Tarot works.
I think one of the problems is that a worthwhile reply requires time, thought and effort, and often, we're pressed for time and a bit tired - we get in the habit of firing off quick, lightweight things in social media. AT asks a little more of us, and that's a good thing.
