The more mainstream a forum becomes, the lower its discourse goes. Wrong?

[alp227]

Having seen this gender war drama for the past month or so I think of this. I think as an online community grows, its discourse is more likely to fall down. I don't know what that theory is called, so I present my title as a Jeopardy problem, sort of. I wonder how many sub-forums DU had when it was established as the liberal answer to Free Republic when the dark days of George W. Bush began.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the "general discussion" area was mostly about politics and current events when DU was an "underground" site unknown to most Americans. Then as the site grew I guess more pop culture non-news-related topics made its way in the General forum, to the point where the SI Swimsuit issue gets lots of threads on the General forum and then begins the drama. Think about Reddit. As that site grew so did its set of "subreddits" accommodating some of the most twisted and sick minds (like r/MensRights, r/WhiteRights, and even the r/Jailbait forum). So I think crazy things like "gender wars" are the cost of having a mainstream, active message board. Just my thoughts on that issue.

[1000words]

1. I'm curious ...

What about the following statement do you feel might be offensive?

"... accommodating some of the most twisted and sick minds (like r/MensRights, r/WhiteRights, and even the r/Jailbait forum)."

[upaloopa]

3. Here's the thing Some twisted self tormented

mind comes here and posts a load calling others twisted and tormented. Freud called it the reaction formation,
The rest of us have to put those folks on ignore so we can have a political forum again.

[alp227]

4. A larger online community will attract slimy discourse.

The reddit comparison may sound crazy, but it is truthful. I've learned over the years even a progressive web community is fallible with spots of misogyny, which is considered the less taboo bigotry in modern times.

[NYC_SKP]

2. You may be right. For "Old DU", just use the trash function for GD.

Right now there's a battle for space and bandwidth, many topics that formerly would have been confined to guns/entertainment/Lounge or other vie for space in GD as members play tag with the hosting system.

Honestly, the best of DU is in the fringe forum and groups. Cooking & Baking is crazy! and Public Transportation and Smart Growth RAWKS!

I think there are more than 100 different DU groups and forums: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forums

[Agschmid]

7. Another vote for public transportation!

Great group!

[geek tragedy]

5. It's the absence of moderation or even basic standards. nt

[PoliticAverse]

6. "Regression to the mean". n/t

[NYC_SKP]

8. Then we need a smaller tent.

I'm only half kidding...

[LittleBlue]

9. I hate ideological purity tests. You can't get as big as DU by excluding mainstream people

If you want a small forum, then you can start kicking members off who fail the ideological purity test.

Active forums need users. I can point you in the direction of a forum that applies standards like that. It's hardly active though. Partly because so many are excluded, and also because disagreement fuels debate.

Don't take the internet too seriously.

[Jesus Malverde]

10. My take is it is the function of the longevity of DU.

If you look at those involved in the debate, they are mostly long time users, I think it's more a function of being bored, combined with long histories between these personalities. It has less to do with DU being "mainstream" and less underground.

The second aspect is the general/average age of DU. DU, Having been around for some ten years and having started with a mature crowd, skews towards middle age and retired. Issues concerning teens, millenials and X'ers are not really of interest.

It's not like dating or courtship are a current reality for many. Most DUers are married or otherwise settled down. Interaction between the sexes, like meeting new people and asking people out are "theoretical" exercises devoid of reality or based on life experiences from long ago.

My sense is, on sexual topics, DU is fairly conservative. Leaning towards marriage and not hooking up. Monogamy over plural or open relationships. Shared household chores over passion, etc...

I don't think this is good or bad, I just think it's the way it is, and is reflected in the topics and tone de jour.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Alas some of us long timers miss the old DU

trash most of those threads, and do not post much of significance here either, due to exactly those members.

Good observation.

[KoKo]

13. Seriously, Nadin...did you read that post?

I don't believe you believe what that poster said about the rest of us DU'ers...At least I hope not..

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. It is the small group that has made DU really *not* a nice place

I hope you realize that.

But it is mostly that same group why I no longer post a lot of crap here, that I used to.

Alas that is what the lovely personal blog is for.

[1000words]

16. Junior High Underground

Such trials and tribulations ...

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Yup, something like that

we have the cool kids, the bullies, the jocks, the nerds... I swear I could use the antics of this place for fiction. As in Junior High setting fiction.

And at times I have.

[KoKo]

12. Oh My ..."DU is Old People in Passionless Relationships Remembering Old Times and

devoid of new relationships, meeting new people and devoid of reality because our lives are based on life experiences from long ago."

AND..we "share household chores over passion, etc..."

Paraphrase of your rather bizarre post. There are many other sites you can go to for a "hook up and passion" if that's what you seek. But, DU is much more than "General Discussion." Check around. It's quite diversified.

[Jesus Malverde]

14. You've been here since 2001, So have some of your friends...

What was central to you in 2001 would be different today. As we age what is import to us changes.

When the bulk of any group skews towards a certain age, the topics naturally reflect that. I've been here long enough to learn that DU is dominated by boomers and the topics they love.

I'm not sure there is anything bizarre about that.