Are all the forums dead?

  • After being "away" (e.g., taking a break from engaging in most activity regarding forums - mine included) I decided to go back over my "watched threads" list here at Woltlab Forums; and that was a good thing because it has given me an opportunity to look at past topics and discussions (and my responses) in a new and refreshed "light".

    Ellionator - I like what you had to say in #'s 1 and 2. I think you have correctly identified the "king pin" to a establishing a successful forum.

    I would add here that I personally believe there can be at least one addition made to those two points you made - I will elaborate further on herewith. But first I would also make some observations regarding the area of "competition" - that being Social Media. Actually, it is in the truest since not a competition but rather a distraction!

    Unless Facebook and Twitter implode sometime in the future, those of us who like forums (and also do not believe 'forums are dead' - as a few persons have stated) will just have to accept the fact social media is a "force" that must be recognized, but also understood as to why it attracts many people.

    1) Social Media - like Facebook for a prime example - attracts most people because they don't really have to think for themselves - especially when it comes to forming new ideas and making independent, unique decisions entirely on their own. Instead, there is this built-in ready-made social response "formula" that enables their participation without having to make any extensive and well thought out contributions.

    [One person here on Woltlab Forum said it quite well I think: Most Facebook users are mindless robots trolling along like sheep; or, sheep being herded over the cliffs - and gladly to so.

    2) And Twitter ... well here we have a bunch of people who engage in quick spurts of "tweets" without any thought as to what the consequences of

    their tweets may lead to. Most couldn't care less - even those in "high places"! And as for actually engaging in any unique, thought-provoking one-on-one discussions of a complex or comprehensive subject with someone else ........... well, that not only didn't cross their consciousness, many also wouldn't know where to begin in taking part in subjects and discussions which require not only concentration of serous thought beyond a few seconds, but which also requires thoughtful, purposeful direction of the thought processes.

    Now for that "one addition" I mentioned I would include here:

    From my experience with interaction on Forums - and I have been a member of various types/formats of forums - from highly technical to the "adult" sites - there is one element that many (but NOT all) Forum Administrators who actually under-cut their own success regarding making their forum attractive to a wide audience. And when I say this, I am fairly sure I am going to ruffle a few "feathers" here, but I am going to say it anyway:

    1) For some illogical reason, many (but NOT all) forum administrators have an unbending, unreasonable opinion (and with it the implementation thereof) that allowing a Forum Member to refer to, AND / OR include a LINK to, a blog, forum, or a website they are also an administrator of.

    Why alienate, restrict, and suppress a Member's activity simply because that person offers something that someone else (another forum member) may be interested in? What is the Administrator afraid of? Such a narrow minded approach is foolish at best, but worse, it is also self-defeating.

  • With recent political events in the UK and elsewhere (I will not be drawn to elaborate, we all see the news) I think that the MSSM - Mainstream Social Media are becoming increasingly un-trendy and un-fashionable.
    It should be possible to capitalize on this as far as users numbers are concerned for forums and blogs.
    In addition, people no longer feel safe to express their views online as much as they used to. We are touching on sensitive stuff here, but as far as the future of Blogs and Forums are concerned I think there is a space and need a for them.
    As the MSSM continues to fall from grace this will increase, but the MSSM will always be huge.

  • I agree withe the last two writters I've read. So, I also think that the big boom around social networks like FB is over. People posting whenever they go to toilet or what they see, when they look out of their window, or the never ending speeches like "Being friendly is better than egoism. Nobody is interested in such trivials, we read it a thousands times.

    Worst of all, we humans are already so dumbfounded by the media that any genuine interest in the real world seems to have been lost. A good experiment is to leave all Internet-enabled devices at home once a week and experience the world as it is.

  • I agree withe the last two writters I've read. So, I also think that the big boom around social networks like FB is over. People posting whenever they go to toilet or what they see, when they look out of their window, or the never ending speeches like "Being friendly is better than egoism. Nobody is interested in such trivials, we read it a thousands times.

    Worst of all, we humans are already so dumbfounded by the media that any genuine interest in the real world seems to have been lost. A good experiment is to leave all Internet-enabled devices at home once a week and experience the world as it is.

    Everyone has their face stuck in a phone these days. I have to say that the only thing my phone does is phone, and a very basic camera.
    Anything else is done on my computer. As you say, the trivia on Facebook and Twitter is distracting and pointless, more serious stuff is handled better on forums or blogs. Long term I see these options running in tandem.

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