The Politics of MN

[couldtryharder]

It would seem to me that even here in cyberspace there are rules to how it's done. Some posts that people put up get lots of responses, and some get none. Some people that post almost get a virtual 'snub'. Me, I just come on to have a natter about stuff, get some questions answered or give some answers to other peoples question. But there seems to be some kind of you are in the in crowd or you are not. Or is it that I'm just a cynical, paranoid old fart (this could well be true!). Just interested in your thoughts.

I think that it is a fast moving board and a lot of posts simply get missed. It is not the kind of board where every post is acknowledged. When I post, I don't go down a 100 post thread and list every name and reply to each one. That is not ignoring people, it's just too BIG to try to do.

During peak times, a thread can slip off active convos between one refresh and the next and simply not be seen. Once off active convos - where most people trawl! it is easy for it to remain unnoticed as it slides further and further down. atm there are 71 unanswered threads. That's not bad. on a board with thousands and thousands of posts every day - only 71 posts have been missed.

I think the mistake is thinking that it is somehow personal. Nobody is being snubbed. Basically, nobody's that important! Most people don't even clock usernames!

There is no 'in crowd'. There are just people who post rarely, sometimes, often and far too bloody much . There's no snub of anyone. Nobody is more important than anyone else and nobody is the victim of any sort of ignoring campaign.

As I suspected, I'm just cynical

a cynical paranoid old fart. yup.

people don't mean to be unfriendly but sometimes there is history which new posters are naturally not aware of and it affects the way people behave.

when I was a new poster I couldn't work out why a certain person was getting an easy ride in arguments - she could be very bitchy and rude to other posters and no-one picked her up on it the way they did other people. I later found out that particular poster had PND and other people were aware of it and were (perhaps unconsciously) being extra tolerant to her because of it. I quite like the fact that it is a community in that way.

so sometimes there are things going on, you are not being paranoid or cynical in noticing it, but it is not always what you think.

Strange coz I assumed I'd turn into my mum as I got older (brilliant) but seem to be morphing into my dad instead with the cynicism and paranoia. OH NO [shocked]

Once you've been here (or on any forum) for a while you do get to 'know' other posters - it's inevitable. And it's more likely that you will respond in a slightly different way than to someone who is new/unfamiliar.

It's often perceived as being cliquey - but rarely intended to be so.

And as Hecate says, it is a very fast moving site, so chances are that a thread in Active Convos is easily missed.

Don't take it as a snub - just jump in and post more!

also without realising it you develop more of a sense of how to phrase thread titles in a way that gets them noticed, when to bump or post for the maximum response, etc.

I've been here for around 4 years now and have yet to identify the mystical "in crowd" to which people sometimes refer. There are obviously posters who know one another. But that's no skin off my nose. I don't expect to be recognised and remembered on a board as vast and diverse as this. Hec explained it well.

Jump in and enjoy, or if it doesn't feel like your thing then look elsewhere. But I really think MN offers something for everyone unless- you can only use textspeak-- :)