When An 'Online Community' Isn't

[hippydave]

I'm sure at least some of you have heard me holding forth at great length (and occasionally volume) about just how distasteful things have become (or sometimes are, depending on your POV) on both the Marillion and Mostly Autumn official forums. Well, this week I dared to air my perhaps controversial thoughts about one of the many reasons why the

Comments

[kalyr]

That's a lot more reasoned and measured than your earlier post that kicked all this off, and I find myself agreeing with almost all of it.

Especially since I'd been hounded off the forum by the "flash mob" of whom you speak, and have only recently started contributing there again. I'm still not convinced it's a good use of my time and energy.

As for the "flash mob", some of the same individuals are responsible for wrecking Heather Findlay's forum before any community had time to form. What part of "You don't shoot first time posters down in flames for making innocent and perfectly sensible suggestions" do these people not understand?

[hippydave]

I had time to think about what I'd said, and whilst I stand by it, I felt that to those who hadn't heard or didn't understand my feelings on the matter, it might have been difficult to swallow. It deserved backing up with something more substantive, hence this blog. I did wonder about whether I should bother, but so many people are unhappy about the forum that I felt not bothering was a bit like taking off in the plane, donning the parachute, and then refusing to jump.

A hearty amen to what you say about the situation on Heather's forum - as a not-particularly huge fan anyway who is also unsure about what sort of music she'll be serving up, I haven't joined up - and after seeing the shit that you, Weety and others have had to put with from certain quarters, I'm actually glad that I haven't. As you say, a clear instance of the 'Flash Mob' destroying a community before it can be built.

[kalyr]

That whole episode left a really nasty taste in the mouth, and left me feeling that the whole thing was somehow my own fault for being a disruptive influence on the forums.

I gather those feelings are common in abusive relationships.

[kalyr]

And when did one of the mods slag off Breathing Space or Panic Room? Don't remember that at all.

[hippydave]

Well, they'd be foolish to do it on a forum where everyone could see it... ;-)

I did wonder whether to bring that up at all, but screw it, I'm sick of the bullshit. The person involved has been heard several times by different people (which is why I give it credence) known to me being extraordinarily unkind about members of a particular band. Whilst everyone's going to like different things musically, the comments being made weren't so much about the music as about the capabilities of those playing it. All rather unkind, given the circumstances. I'll say no more lest it result in a witch hunt or other unpleasantness, but for me this typifies the unpleasant nature of some of the people involved.