I just read through
most of this thread, as I am short on time and it seems the last few posts are just reorganizing of thoughts and clarifying misunderstands of the first page or two of posts.
I have to say, I joined SYM after I broke up with a girl and was devestated, not to find something to do, but to give advice for someone who was interested in a girl (Dark-Elvyn-Nyte {sp?}
). I stayed on when I got bored with the video games I was using to keep busy with, and kept up with the topic, and eventually popped into posting regularly around here. I have to say it is a community here. People get to know one another when regularly posting here.
I admit, most of what I post here is nonsense. It's not to garner new posts, it's just something to do. It's like running of to a local club and mingling to meet new people. You can put up a conversation in one of the spam threads here, which anyone in the world can read, join in, and participate in. Not only that, someone might stumble back to the thing a few days later with something new to add. I have over 10,000 posts, which doesn't matter to me. What does matter is that I can show up here, discuss politics, or religion, or my exploits for last week, and have it be an intriguing and intelligent discussion or a goofy and fun one. I can learn about other people, and other cultures while doing either as well.
The thing with the decline, or change, is that everyone has a different view of how this place "should be", to fit their ideal version of SYM. This leads to groups of poster's who agree on a number of things. Sometimes those groups butt heads so to speak when they cross into each others areas. As Aegis pointed out, it is fun to lighten up a sometimes
too serious thread. There were times when I recall throwing a post into a serious discussion with some found amusing, and I was lectured on it. It is a two way thing I have to say. Sometimes, I wanted a serious thread, with only talk of what I wanted information on. Others, I couldn't care less what was in my thread, so I don't truly know my opinion on that.
I do think though, that no one will ever be truly content on SYM. No one will
ever get it to be exactly as they wish it to be and have it stay that way. It is a group community, and in every situation where two or more people interact, there will be disagreements, and there will be compromise. This isn't bad in-and-of itself. With those things, you learn about others, and yourself.
As far as "SYM" elitism, I remember the tiff in the HC, although I sort of blew it off as IK starting an argument and went back to my nonsense if I remember correctly.
I should hope I don't come off as elitist. I personally, don't care about things to be offended enough by someone else to exclude them because "they aren't good enough". I tend to have a sarcastic, abrasive, and lewd sense of humor. Sometimes this offends people instead of amusing them.
I do happen to notice that a number of people who are established here over a long period of time post only in certain types of topics. As Fable mentioned, people avoid certain types of topics, mostly based on preference, or time limitations. I'm limited to time online now, so I tend to avoid anything serious because of that.
