Dynamic Apathy

Is there normally this much disinterest and non-participation on this forum?

Any special reason why?

Originally posted by Mountain Man Is there normally this much disinterest and non-participation on this forum? Any special reason why?

Hard words, my friend, hard words.
We all do what we can, but we all fight with life, you know, and some of us in very tight places; for example, right now I have very slow net and cannot post clips, nor can do a decent research on such a speed. Besides, I have to figure out how to live on EU-style prices and third world salary from the type of 300$ a month; I have to admit that in the states I had more time, better connection, and more opportunity to post here. But I hope the things will get better.
It's another question that this is an academically oriented forum that don't attract too many general-conversation members, exactly because of it's quality.

In any case, if you consider it slow and disinterested, feel free to make a difference at any time of the day.

Thank you both for inadvertently demonstrating what Dynamic Apathy is. Fascinating that both responses come from moderators who haven't spoken to me before. 

I first coined this phrase when I was serving in Europe durig the Cold War.  We have all seen the apathy of hopelessness or depression, making people so disinrterssted that they will not even talk about why they feel so badly, but Dynamic Apathy differs literally in the personal dynamic of it - people with Dynamic Apathy really, truly, don't care and will go to great lengths to explain why they don't.

One person says that my views are too new.  He only discusses things that are at least 2000 years old.  Hmmm...OK...but he's missing out on two millenia of very interesting history, because the world of today was essentially created during the last two thousand years, making it of great interest to me.  But that still doesn't answer the question.

I frequently check the membership of this forum against the number of people on line, and the specific people who do the majority of responding by posting, and dynamic apathy doesn't even begin to cover it.  Thousands of members, and only a handful of posters, and almost always the same.

The second poster I can identify with - times are hard.  Indeed they are, as I know only too well.  I'm a retired military veteran getting along on a fixed income in a nation whose economy is going down the tubes.  Every month my retirement pensions goes a little less far, and the cost of living continues to soar out of control.  Not as bad as the situation where this person is from, but understand the feeling.  What I don't understand is why being able or unable to post images makes it impossible to post replies without them.  And I really don't understand why the vast majority of members are satisfied with being mere looky-loos.

A forum openly described as being Dynamically Apathetic receives a grand total of TWO responses, both from moderators whom I would expect to be both possessive and defensive of their forum, as I would be.

It was pointed out that this is an "academic foreum" and doesn't host musch "general conversation".  Nicely done back-handed compliment, from soneone who has no idea what my educational level is or particular interests are.  Perhaps if I point out that I practiced medicine for thirty years, that will establish that I am not some uneducated person looking for casual conversation.  From my viewpoint, I might begin to think that many forum membersa cannot keep up with me.  Would that be a fair assumption on my part, as it seems to be on yours?

And to top it all off, that person closes by telling me to "feel free to make a difference".  Really?  How would you propose to create interest and enthusiasm where there is none to begin with?  Over the internet?  To a complete bunch of strangers?  When even you, as moderators with a vested interest in this forum, are unable to accomplish that yourselves?

I have responded to a large number of topics and nothing happens at all - no responses at all, from anyone.  I am carrying on discussions on this forum with a grand total of perhaps five individuals, amounting to no more than one or two per an entire day, and one of those is only talking to me because I chanced to disagree with his point of view about something.  Presumably, those threads were posted to express intewrest by the posters in that particular subject...so?  What happened?

So let's try this again, shall we?  What is the problem?  How about an answer from a non-moderator, for starters?  Or you could just try telling me what you want to talk about?  You just might be surprised to find out what I know. 

You measure our mental health here for free if something mental still exists in this Me=creation?!?

Well, Mountain Man, sadly I cannot respond to your posts because modern history is not my fave, nor are the military and he alternative ones - I'm interested in pre-history and ancient one, history of art, sciences, etc; so sorry if there are not enough people to respond to your posts, I personally cannot go and write on topics I don't dig or know about only to say something. So even in the time of my biggest activity I wouldn't be posting in the threads you are interested in.

I'm not interested in your background, or age, or experience, don't want you to prove anything, and don't assume anything about you. I didn't say that you in particular are looking for general conversation, and wasn't doing any backside compliments; what I meant is that in a more academicly oriented forum in general there are less participants; less participants generally means less posts.

However I can assure you that this forum has about 80 people guests at any time I check the active users panel, people who read, no matter that they dont write at the moment; and I wouldn't call this happens because the forum is apathetic or whatever. Of course you are free to have your opinion on the question.

FYI, a moderator is not supposed to "motivate" the members of a forum, this is not a school, this is free activity;everyone is welcome to come, read, write, etc as much as they want; there isn't a quota for how much one has to write a day.




Edited by Don Quixote - 24-Aug-2012 at 16:52

The activity on a forum is done by its members.

Edited by Don Quixote - 24-Aug-2012 at 16:32

When I get a second job I will get better net-surf and faster net, now I can't afford it; then I will be able to post on my old speed. I will sorely miss the 100$ a day I used to get in the US - here I need to work a week for them, if there is work, that is. Dreams are costly.

Originally posted by medenaywe You measure our mental health here for free if something mental still exists in this Me=creation?!?

Wrong answer, Mr. Wayne, and before you reply, you measured mine right from the beginning, and my intelligence level.

Care to rethink and try again?   This isn't personal, but I'm concerned about a moderator who tries to make it so when the issue under discussio0n is why the vast majority of the membership isn't doing anything on the forum.  What would you call it?

For that matter, what would you like to talk about? 




Edited by Mountain Man - 24-Aug-2012 at 17:50

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? 

Originally posted by Nick1986 Anything historical Mountainman. I'm interested in American, ancient, early moderrn and military history. Yourself?

Ancient mysteries are a real passion of mine, along with military history, modern history, early railroad history - that Steam thing again! - some ancient history  - I like the Mayans; they intrigue me - and anything pertaining to how we got to be who and what we are today.

Evolution and it's apparent contradictions interests me greatly from a philosophical viewpoint (and a medical one!)rather than a strictly scientific/genetic one.  For example: perfect evolution according to Darwinian Theory would render us rapidly extinct; therefore, IMHO, evolution is not a good or even a valid adaptation to the real world.


However, if it's interesting enough, I will do enough reading and research to discuss pretty much anything.  Be warned, however; I favor the Botany Bay Theory of Life On Earth!  Evolution doesn't answer the more interesting questions about human physiognomy.  

So - pick something and we'll start a thread, or direct me to one you have already started and I will do my best.


Edited by Mountain Man - 24-Aug-2012 at 19:00