Message Board Dynamics

[_Some Schmo]

I often wonder what I’m doing here.

I mean, the subject of Mormonism itself is a pretty much dead one to me. I don’t really care much about it. I've been out so long, I barely even think about that part of my life. I certainly don’t care to debate the nuances of the doctrine, the validity of Joe Smith’s “prophetness,” or whether the church is true or not. The answers to those questions seem pretty clear to me. I actually find myself still caught off guard and surprised that there’s anyone left who actually thinks the jury’s still out on these subjects. So why would I bother?

It strikes me that it’s a kind of meta-mormonism, or more specifically, an interest in the way people discuss it on message boards. For quite some time now, I’ve been fascinated by the way people conduct themselves in the DAMU. And there are few boards that provide a more interesting commentary on that phenomenon than this one. The fact that it was started as an outlet for people to talk about another message board without censorship is a message board enthusiast’s wet dream. Other kinds of boards have similar dynamics, of course, but what makes this one special is the natural heat generated by such a controversial subject. What's better for getting people riled up than religion (and sometimes politics, since the two subjects are closely related in many ways).

I notice in myself that the thing that will get me talking in a thread more than anything else is an observation about the way someone is posting rather than specifically whatever they’re posting about. I'm primarily interested in their motives and how they try to hide them, sock puppetry, taking sides on certain subjects, poster reputations, the influence of avatars and screen names, conflict resolution (or not), etc etc.

I really think that there’s an entire field of study about this topic that is largely untapped. The books are just screaming to be written. I’d attempt one myself, but I don’t feel I have enough sociologic expertise to do it any kind of justice at all. I’d sure be interested in reading such a book, though. I’ve seen what are supposed to be comical commentaries on this subject, where they named the different roles people tend to play (like “the angry poster” or “the antagonist”) but they weren’t really attempting to study the dynamics as much as provide some light commentary on them.

Is anyone aware of such a book? Are there others interested in this sort of thing? Is that anyone else's primary reason for being here?

[_moksha]

I often wonder what I’m doing here.


Is anyone aware of such a book? Are there others interested in this sort of thing?

Sort of a book that gives self-help advice on how to let go and get on with your life?

[_John Larsen]

I often wonder what I’m doing here.

I mean, the subject of Mormonism itself is a pretty much dead one to me. I don’t really care much about it. I've been out so long, I barely even think about that part of my life. I certainly don’t care to debate the nuances of the doctrine, the validity of Joe Smith’s “prophetness,” or whether the church is true or not. The answers to those questions seem pretty clear to me. I actually find myself still caught off guard and surprised that there’s anyone left who actually thinks the jury’s still out on these subjects. So why would I bother?

It strikes me that it’s a kind of meta-mormonism, or more specifically, an interest in the way people discuss it on message boards. For quite some time now, I’ve been fascinated by the way people conduct themselves in the DAMU. And there are few boards that provide a more interesting commentary on that phenomenon than this one. The fact that it was started as an outlet for people to talk about another message board without censorship is a message board enthusiast’s wet dream. Other kinds of boards have similar dynamics, of course, but what makes this one special is the natural heat generated by such a controversial subject. What's better for getting people riled up than religion (and sometimes politics, since the two subjects are closely related in many ways).

I notice in myself that the thing that will get me talking in a thread more than anything else is an observation about the way someone is posting rather than specifically whatever they’re posting about. I'm primarily interested in their motives and how they try to hide them, sock puppetry, taking sides on certain subjects, poster reputations, the influence of avatars and screen names, conflict resolution (or not), etc etc.

I really think that there’s an entire field of study about this topic that is largely untapped. The books are just screaming to be written. I’d attempt one myself, but I don’t feel I have enough sociologic expertise to do it any kind of justice at all. I’d sure be interested in reading such a book, though. I’ve seen what are supposed to be comical commentaries on this subject, where they named the different roles people tend to play (like “the angry poster” or “the antagonist”) but they weren’t really attempting to study the dynamics as much as provide some light commentary on them.

Is anyone aware of such a book? Are there others interested in this sort of thing? Is that anyone else's primary reason for being here?

I agree with you. My motivation for posting on MAD is that I find the responses and tenor of the debate fascinating. The most interesting thing is how and why people respond, not the ideas that spawned their post. We should have a little more discussion about some of the other boards. I have been interested in the topics and responses on FLAK lately. I have also been trying to figure out the differences between FLAK and PostMormon and what causes those.

[_Some Schmo]

I often wonder what I’m doing here.


Is anyone aware of such a book? Are there others interested in this sort of thing?

Sort of a book that gives self-help advice on how to let go and get on with your life?

Heh

Let go of what? The board? I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't consider my life "on hold" by participating here.

[_Bond...James Bond]

I'm quite the same way Schmo. The issues don't really interest me (something will occasionally), but the personalities and how they behave does.

[_The Nehor]

Heh

Let go of what? The board? I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't consider my life "on hold" by participating here.

Yes, but your mother does and she wants her basement back. :)

(I figure a thread about motives and such needed a post to deconstruct. Why did I say that? What am I hiding? What do you get when you multiply 6 by 7?)

[_Some Schmo]

I agree with you. My motivation for posting on MAD is that I find the responses and tenor of the debate fascinating. The most interesting thing is how and why people respond, not the ideas that spawned their post. We should have a little more discussion about some of the other boards. I have been interested in the topics and responses on FLAK lately. I have also been trying to figure out the differences between FLAK and PostMormon and what causes those.

I used to be a regular on the Foyer and spent the first few weeks on FLAK (the board spawned by the Foyer). You're right; FLAK is another animal altogether worth studying. My interest there has waned probably because there's much less contention. Believing members aren't welcome over there at all (at least, last time I looked) so the relationship between "live" mos and exes doesn't exist.

But the Foyer/FLAK was most certainly where I first became interested in this subject, and I really do like many of the long time personalities there. I even met one participant there (Hank R - incredibly smart, talented and interesting guy) and have briefly spoken on the phone with another (belaja - what can you say about her except brilliant?) It's just not as "messy" at FLAK, so there isn't as much to observe, I guess. That's not to say they don't have their moments; I've had some great times there.

I remember really early in my Foyer days making a post about something or another, and guy sajer totally took me to task over it in a way that's left an impression with me ever since. Lots of people had already said similar things in that thread to what he was saying, but they didn't "hit" me anywhere near as powerfully as what he said (or more specifically, the way he said it). I can't not read guy these days without having that experience as a backdrop, and he remains one of my all time favorite posters.

I can't help but think that far more is said between the lines than the words printed on the page.

[_Some Schmo]

Heh

Let go of what? The board? I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't consider my life "on hold" by participating here.

Yes, but your mother does and she wants her basement back. :)

There you go again, speaking as though there's actually life after death.

;)

(I figure a thread about motives and such needed a post to deconstruct. Why did I say that? What am I hiding? What do you get when you multiply 6 by 7?)

Nehor, you're a case study all by yourself. I enjoy a great number of your posts as well, although perhaps not for the reasons you intend.

The answer to the great question, as always, is 42.

(Incidentally, and totally off topic, did you know that if you dug a straight tunnel between any two points on Earth and free fell through it, it would take exactly 42 minutes to go from point A to B? Isn't physics fun?)

[_Yoda]

Heh

Let go of what? The board? I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't consider my life "on hold" by participating here.

Yes, but your mother does and she wants her basement back. :)

(I figure a thread about motives and such needed a post to deconstruct. Why did I say that? What am I hiding? What do you get when you multiply 6 by 7?)

Remind me to tell Sami that the leather handcuffs don't work, either. ;)

by the way, Schmo, the REAL reason you come here is because you can't live without your daily dose of Goddess worship. I don't understand why you keep denying that. ;)

[_CaliforniaKid]

I'm not here solely for that reason, Schmo, but it does interest me. There have been a number of Sunstone presentations about blogs and their possible impact on Mormonism. For some reason message boards seem to get neglected. I like both venues, but I have to say that I enjoy the boards more. Blogging seems to center very much around a single individual. If you're not a permablogger, then you're just a commenter. And as a commenter, you're likely to get ignored, you have to follow a certain etiquette, and there's not really room to talk about your life or build friendships. You're pretty much there at the behest of the permabloggers and limited to talking about what they want to talk about. I love the boards because they are more egalitarian. You get a whole range of people, all from very different backgrounds, who all participate as equals. There's a lot more room to share about personal matters and to build friendships with a wide range of people.

By the way, I really enjoy this community here at MDB. Thanks, everybody, for being awesome.