Holy crap. Are we seriously so completely meta that we use a thread discussing whether we like arguments to argue about whether we're arguing? 
What do we actually want out of OT?
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Cynovolans
Not in my dimension.
Puns and funny conversations. Without those I say close down off-topic.
MobBoss
Off-Topic Overlord
Holy crap. Are we seriously so completely meta that we use a thread discussing whether we like arguments to argue about whether we're arguing?
I know, right?
sophie
Break My Heart
At this point, I come to read posts from a select few posters, for the witty one-liners, for pc, and, very occasionally, because I'm legitimately interested in the topic discussed.
Narz
keeping it real
I want a place to kill time & unwind. I don't really expect anyone here to grok me very well & a lot of people who prejudged me like 4 years ago & aren't really interested in updating their reality but once in awhile I'll read something insightful & even the generally dull often have interesting things to say in specific arenas they know a lot about (and those who don't know jack provide entertainment value).
Mostly I keep coming because of the large forum population & the variety of topics & the intelligence level which is higher than your average forum.
Also, it's hard for me to cut my losses.
Mostly I keep coming because of the large forum population & the variety of topics & the intelligence level which is higher than your average forum.
Also, it's hard for me to cut my losses.
Moderator Action: Due to the poll symbol covering the RD it's not visible from the forum view that this is actually a RD thread. So please treat it as one - Thanks, Grisu
innonimatu
the resident Cassandra
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2006
- Messages
- 15,383
Seconded.
For me OT is just an easy way to discuss stuff with foreigners when I can't catch any around personally. The international aspect was what first drew me in. Then the community kept me around. But I must say that moderation is starting to become overbearing.
aelf
Ashen One
I'm mainly here for news, opinions on news, interesting stuff to read and the occasional verbal sparring.
Hygro
soundcloud.com/hygro/
I came for smart people discussing smart things intelligently.
I stay for the community. The community only works if other people in the community stay for the community, which means we still have to have good posts, good threads, and a good culture. I think it is very telling that if Rambuchan were to start posting today, he'd be banned quickly rather than be a celebrated poster.
I stay for the community. The community only works if other people in the community stay for the community, which means we still have to have good posts, good threads, and a good culture. I think it is very telling that if Rambuchan were to start posting today, he'd be banned quickly rather than be a celebrated poster.
LegionSteve
Motörhead
I find some of the serious threads really interesting, though I don't post in them much I do enjoy reading them. But I mainly come here to read the funny stuff.
Narz
keeping it real
A : why do you say that (that he'd be banned)?
B : telling of what?
You bring up a good point though, moderation is, and always has been, too focused on rules & cracking down on rule disrespectors (much less so in cracking down on subtle trolls) than in maintaining a generally fun & stimulating environment.
I come here to deliver one liners and stay to see the results.
It's kind of funny that many of the replies so far don't actually answer the thread question ("What do you want out of OT?"). Saying you're "here for the community" is nice, but what does that actually mean within the context of determining what the community desires out of this forum?
I marked almost all the options in the poll, and would have marked "highly structured enviroment for discussion" except I don't really require a ton of structure. While I sometimes enjoy the political, religious, and current events discussions, they so often spiral into mutual trolling and bickering that I read them less and less now. Which is too bad, because this group is full of intelligent people with interesting, informed perspectives - but many seem hell-bent on concealing that fact from the world by arguing about pointless minutia.
I don't mind arguing with someone about an issue I care about, but on-topic, intelligent argument is rare here; most of it is bad-faith arguing that slides quickly into trolling, quote-mining for snarky drive-by responses, etc.
In a nutshell, I want humor and jokes and meta one-liners and elegant sarcasm and interesting discussions about more serious topics. I don't want petty bickering, religious proselytizing, or childish behavior. That said, a few people here enjoy bickering and being petty - go ahead and let them if you want, we can all choose whose posts we read and whose we don't. The problem arises when that bickering drowns out any chance of intelligent discussion on the same topic.
All that said, it really just doesn't matter that much. It's just CFC-OT! No need to take it all so bloody seriously.
I marked almost all the options in the poll, and would have marked "highly structured enviroment for discussion" except I don't really require a ton of structure. While I sometimes enjoy the political, religious, and current events discussions, they so often spiral into mutual trolling and bickering that I read them less and less now. Which is too bad, because this group is full of intelligent people with interesting, informed perspectives - but many seem hell-bent on concealing that fact from the world by arguing about pointless minutia.
I don't mind arguing with someone about an issue I care about, but on-topic, intelligent argument is rare here; most of it is bad-faith arguing that slides quickly into trolling, quote-mining for snarky drive-by responses, etc.
In a nutshell, I want humor and jokes and meta one-liners and elegant sarcasm and interesting discussions about more serious topics. I don't want petty bickering, religious proselytizing, or childish behavior. That said, a few people here enjoy bickering and being petty - go ahead and let them if you want, we can all choose whose posts we read and whose we don't. The problem arises when that bickering drowns out any chance of intelligent discussion on the same topic.
All that said, it really just doesn't matter that much. It's just CFC-OT! No need to take it all so bloody seriously.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Because I'm bored and looking for interesting discussions.
Sadly I don't usually find much, and quite often its still the same bloody arguments about religion, US politics, gay marriage etc. I usually stop reading a thread if more than 1/3rd of the posts on any given page are made by someone on my ignore list because it isn't worth reading anymore (which actually helps).
Sadly I don't usually find much, and quite often its still the same bloody arguments about religion, US politics, gay marriage etc. I usually stop reading a thread if more than 1/3rd of the posts on any given page are made by someone on my ignore list because it isn't worth reading anymore (which actually helps).
aelf
Ashen One
Eh, don't you think that why people come here tells you a lot about what people want out of OT? Presumably, if you come here for certain reasons, you wouldn't want those reasons to vanish.
Besides, there's the poll.
Sure, but what does something vague "for the community" actually mean in tangible terms? That doesn't really describe what it is about the community the poster enjoys or seeks out.
Eat_Up_Martha
Prince
I spend a great deal of time lurking and enjoying the spirited debates. I don't know if I ever learn anything of value, but it's still interesting to observe the process from the outside.
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