Originally posted by Mountain Man
That's OK, Nick. I have just discovered the answer to the question abut why no one wants to post, having received a warning that I may be punished for this thread.
So - what would you like to talk about?
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If so and it was from a Mod or the Owner-Admin..it would have posted openly and not normally a Pm. Assuming it was as there has been none in the thread. The rule of thumb is informal in the thread and then as necessary official in the sub dealing with it. Hence and as I do not know who did it nor want to know...advise ya to take in stride and either consider the value if any and do what you feel is appropriate.
I do not have to lecture you about the coc. U have trod the boards to long. And U have trod them with me on varying venues for over 5 years. And to date nothing you have commented on... is or has been a violation. And as you have seen me preach... you maintained a civil attitude. So has everyone in this thread for that matter. And that's what we strive for.
And it's a given that a member should be able to openly respond to a Mod and or their position even if it's a counter. And vice versus. Its What makes us an objective and informed community. And not a bunch of overt feigned intellectual cliquists no matter the educational level or credentials or life experience.
If at some point that degrads then otoh it's a staff members responsibility to correct it.
And We all by now, less the spammers-trollers, understand that.
Recommendations for improvements should be made PM to the Owner-Admin to avoid contentious and or argumentative comments and avoid flame wars among members and miscommunication of the intent behind the recommendation.
My only minor point of disagreement, with any of the above, is whether a Mod's responsibility includes motivating members.....and imo, it most certainly does. If for no other reason then it instills in the membership a realization that the staff is interested in them as members and what they are attempting to bring to the forum. In the way of interests, subject matter and participation. As does that responsibility include attracting new membership
Now that was the Mod speaking now comes the member
.....and a response to the op's original question.
The reasons for apathy here or elsewhere defined as dynamic or other...is usually a consequence of multi layers of causation. Among them include personal issues and concerns that require posters to either leave or limit their participation. Another is personality conflicts between members and or members and staff. Others include daily life responsibilities to include work..education....other hobbies and activities etc. etc.
It has also included poor management and staff interaction, in the past, based on aforementioned cliques, among them, and egos. And those who stroked them in an effort to gain a superior positions of recognition. That was true here once..... but no more.
It has included attempts to proselyte an ideological-political and or theological position, excessive nationalism, bigotry, anti-semitism, hatred of other nation states and their roles at any given time in history over contentious issues etc.....with no allowance for opposition or presentation of a counter in an objective fashion. This too has been done here. But no longer. With in reason, all may be examined and all remain welcome until a CoC violation occurs. I might not like em and may think their delusional in nature, in private...but I'm going to support their examination. As does the Owner-Admin. Bet.
Another reason is because members here may have come because, for whatever reason, they got a boot elsewhere. But because they enjoy the social interaction they have gone elsewhere. Even tho this place; might not have been where there heart's lie and they then left when they found that few of their former forum friends on "x' would now join them on 'Y'.
And because membership and participation is cyclic....always been... always will be... and I should know.... having been blogging for nearly 20 years.
In the end, it is completely justifiable to pose the original question and receive whatever responses are provided. To assume otherwise is to assume we have forgotten why we are here...and that's to facilitate and support civil and objective discourse about history. And the place on which we do it.
And that was my response as a member to the question.
Edited by Centrix Vigilis - 25-Aug-2012 at 03:50