The State Of Vr

I think VR is going through a quiet patch, spam will always be there and people who don't like spam can easily avoid it, but as said before it passes the time. I tend to check the conversational board, and if nothing interests me I post some spam, have a look at rants and music and thats it really, recent topics too.

what ever happened to "dont delete this, please dont!"? that was my favourite thread ever, twas so much fun. but now its dissapeared somewhere i never did read the whole thing from start to finish like i meant to..

Quote: Amused_To_Death_

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VR needs controversy, it needs something that has that extra 'bite',

Vampiresssss.

I know I am not funny

I don't mind the bitching and backstabbing. It's what made this place worth coming back to for me. granted, it usually was about me, but that was half the fun.

From my own view, as soon as there's any signs of a heated debate with two people with contrasting views, it's decalred bad and you get a slap on the wrists. This is a community of cliques now because everyone is on everyone elses MSN list. It's not decay it's just lukewarm. That's all. I contrast with Tabby, i don't think we should we are all friends. In fact there's a lot of unnecessary "let's pretend to be friends" going on.

I like what you say about tolerance but i think keeping opinions about people locked up and not saying them breeds bitching. I make it quite clear the majority of the time when I dislike someone and it can be brash and harsh but I never say anything I wouldnt say to their face. I admire this quality in a lot of the people I talk to on VR but theres less of a community atmosphere on here because we are so close off this site. What can we talk about thats left? We havent got much to say to one another because those who are friends know each others views on issues already. We are all so alike, a majority of the time we take the same stance on issues, and thats what makes this place stale. We arent a maelstrom of competing ideas anymore. We're just people trudging along with the same views and opinions which is a good and bad thing.
We need a catalyst, we need something new, and i have no idea what it is yet.

I like the fact that everyone thinks there should be more arguing... There was a time when I got on my high horse about everything and got involved in loads of arguments - maybe I should go back to being an outspoken self-righteous git. What's interesting is that we were all (well, most of us) critical of Fee's Brutally Honest column, and yet now it seems that that is exactly the kind of thing that's missing. I must admit I miss seeing people like ET fly off the handle and cause massive fights - that was always fun.

Personally I think VR is mostly the same as it's always been, it's just that the people who used to make me laugh all the time and who were most worth reading (I'm primarily thinking Karl, Jo and Mark) have faded into the background, and in their place has come a few people who are always posting but have absolutely nothing to say. It seems to me like the average age of the active members has gone down, and that has played a big part in it. I still love the Shoutbox, and the conversational board, and music etc - I still have a great time here when I'm able to spend time online. But I must confess I have a major problem with the Spam board. I know that people will say that it's always been like it is now, but I honestly don't believe that at all. It used to be the first board I'd go to when I came online, and in the main the threads there were genuinely funny and original. Now it's just a barren wasteland, and there's no point reading any of it. I think the main culprit is all the Now XXX threads which I was against from the start - I don't care what you're now wearing, I certainly don't care what you're now eating, and I don't care what you're now thinking because it's usually nothing. They're all so tedious.
Now inevitably someone is going to point out that I started all this by being the first spam monkey and frequently arguing in favour of the Spam board, but I still maintain that I never just posted for the sake of it - I always had something to say, and I always tried to be funny (even though I was usually the only one laughing ). I do feel kinda responsible though... I feel like Dr Frankenstein. I tried to create something positive and all I succeeded in creating was a big lumbering monster which looks set to consume us all.
Argh! Run for your life!

I was having a discussion with a friend recently about VR and my attitude towards it. I think for myself VR is my internet home, and while I dislike some aspects of it, it will always be my internet home. It doesn't stimulate me as much as it used to, and a lot of the time I don't find much to read that interests me at all, but I'll still probably always come here.

We do have this discussion every 4 months or so, and nothing ever really changes. The main regulars of the site, as is common in people, have aged somewhat. We've all grown up since the 'good old days', and perhaps other things in our lives have just taken over - I think it's only natural. I do remember a time when my life pretty much was just being online and particularly on VR. I got caught up in all the arguments to argue my case, I took an interest in every new development and all the gossip - like a lot of people here really. Now other things like uni, new groups of friends and moving into my second place distract me somewhat from discussions we've all had before.

Perhaps that we have had the big discussions a million times, the religious debates, the discussions on the nature of love, etc, make them stale to some of the older regulars now. I know I don't really participate in them anymore. At the same time, the contrived 'quirky' discussions of spoons and badgers and jaffa cakes and whatnot are getting old too. That's not to say spam is a problem - like Chris said, it's just something to do when bored and I don't think it detracts any from the other sections of the board.

I don't think personal columns work. Every time, half the modship ceases to post in the end and they become stale from lack of regular posting. I think this is something to look at.

I think anything too radical of a change could alienate more people than make them sit up and take notice, but perhaps we need some fresh ideas. The Uber Meet really created a buzz around the site for a couple of weeks, but on-site, I think if people simply posted more, especially the older regulars who find themselves distracted of late, we might increase the spirit of community here and breathe some life into things.

But let us not give up - there is nothing that cannot be fixed I do not think and as aforementioned, this will always be my internet home. Basically though, I think we have all grown up and VR is not our life anymore. It's like a drug. The first hit is always the best. Apparently.

Now, reading over what I've said, I've went right off my point and said almost the opposite of what I meant.

F*ck, I'm going to shut up. My opinion doesn't count now, okay?