I enjoy intelligent humor just as much as anyone else on this board. It's why I come here in the first place. That being said, I also like to take a break and enjoy some dumb, mindless humor every once in a while too. If that makes me immature then so be it. If someone thinks they're too mature or cultured for that kind of thing, that's their problem. To be honest I'd prefer people like that stay out of those threads, because it always sucks the fun out of it and it seems like they don't get that it's just a stupid joke.
That's the simple point. It's a joke. When you go to the zoo you already know not to stick your hand in the baboon cage, you know in those type of threads its sarcastic farce. Nobody on here actually believes that like its a science. It's fun done in bad taste.
So we should just sip our port and talk about current affairs and have discourse with all the pointed qualities of Wonderbread? This is what leaves me looking elsewhere. Originally, I enjoyed the board because it was funny. If humor is no longer a requisite--and it really doesn't seem to be--well, that just sucks. When everyone takes themselves super serial then how are you supposed to end up with threads that take on a humorous life of their own from everyone's own brand of silliness? If every joke is upended with, "Hey, that's not funny" followed by a sad essay about how you once knew a dog that was blinded because someone got too excited with the peanut butter, then how is anyone supposed to try to test what people find funny? And if you don't find it funny, rep that shit. Can't fit your indignation in 255 characters? PM. Don't derail every topic with a dissertation on equal rights. Louis C.K. is forty something years old and funny as hell. Just because people think their humor has "evolved" doesn't mean everyone has to be a boring dick head champion for every cause in the galaxy. The world is a funny fucking place, find the laughs. And just to stay on topic after my dissertation of indignation, bring back red dots. I want people to have a color code again for how much I hate their ideas.
I agree. Humor, like anything else, is often personal and unpredictable. I like very witty, intelligent humor and toilet humor. If people find certain brands of humor worthless because of principle, so be it. Look, there are way more than enough threads that could go around this place, covering everything from the super serious to the utterly juvenile. Not every thread is for every person. I don't ever post in the guns and ammo thread. Why? I hate guns. I don't think people would like it if I wrote a dissertation about why I don't like guns in that thread every couple of days. So I stay out of it. But there's plenty of places I do like, so I tend to stick with those. For instance, I like the photoshop threads, though I don't photoshop myself. I guess my point here is that there's room for all types of humor/serious threads and posts. Maybe not all are to someone's liking (for instance, I hate the Simpsons, I've never laughed once watching it. Does that mean it's not funny? No, it just means I don't find it funny - so I move on), but what I was getting at earlier is coming in to a thread and imposing judgment that people shouldn't like it isn't really what we should be doing. Or could be doing. If we did a Simpson's thread about funniest bits, I'd probably not post in it. I might read it though.
I think this thread has transformed from a discussion on how to attract new members to the board into long time members complaining about things they don't like on the board. As far as gaining new members to the board, I'd say one of the most basic things people around here fail to do is be welcoming. When I joined the board around a year ago, I think maybe 2 people sent me reps saying "Welcome." This place has a bunch of members who have been around for years. Not surprisingly, it feels like a mellow conversation between old friends. When you join, it feels a lot more awkward to post here than in other boards, so I think if People seriously want to keep new members around then just try being a little friendlier and more encouraging to new posters. It's like when you're hanging out with a group of old friends and one of them brings a long someone new, you try to actively include the new guy in conversation so he doesn't feel unwelcome. When you see a post from someone who hasn't posted in a while or someone who mostly lurks then send them a rep saying "Hey great to ear from you. Keep posting!" What I'm saying is so obvious that I feel kind of dumb writing this out, but I really think the core membership of this board isn't great all that great at the basics of making people feel welcome. I'm typing on my phone so sorry if this came out unreadable.
Again, I have to agree with Roxanne and VI. I'm arguably the oldest person on the board (52+) - I own a successful business and am a "pillar of the community". Married, 6 kids, Chamber of Commerce president, United way past president, so on and so on - you get the point. So I should be above some of the humor on this board? That's what attracts me to the board - I enjoy the serious conversations, but the humor (when it was around) is a respite from an otherwise serious life. Everyone needs to stop taking themselves so seriously - it's okay to laugh at yourselves and other people, its what makes us human. I'm not suggesting we should be cruel - far from that, but funny generalizations are just that - silly humor. I'll get off my soapbox now... And for those of you following (Wexton), both of my oldest daughters are married - to white men...just saying.
I was simply stating why I don't post anymore, and I'm sure if Im not the only one. The point of this thread is to attract new posters, a good way might be to discuss what is causing other long time posters to leave or become lurkers. I was explaining its a combination of my sense of humor changing, and just not finding comedy in a lot of the threads anymore. If you find it funny, more power to you. There is an audience for everything. My point was, the board needs an identity. Does this board want to be broad, easy comedy like "Two and a half men," or smarter comedy like Archer or Louis.
For the record, everytime a new person posts, I rep them with a "Good stuff, keep posting" or something like that. If more of the older/active people did that, I'm sure it'd help.
Back to the original The TiB Twitter is working hard (and doing shockingly well, and I'm an optimist) thanks to y'all's input. Not sure we can quantify the traffic going here, but there most definately IS traffic coming here because of your input to TiB's twitter account. In the future -- now that it is "established" -- TiB's twitter will be increasingly linking to here, as well as (hopefully) doing AMA's with interesting people. Other ideas for ways to increase traffic???
I'm just really thankful for all the old-school members who are sharing their insight into why they're not posting any more. This isn't about getting new members, it's about getting more quality involvement by anyone; old or new. When it's the same people treating this place like Facebook, it's not worth the time or effort. Hell, that was the main reason I bailed for a while... it was fucking boring and the vast majority of posts were beyond lame, and more than a few of the "usuals" were fucking idiots. I really liked the in-your-face humour/shit that was found on the old board, and I also like the more mature aspects that we seem to have fostered around here lately. It's not a one-or-the-other kind of thing... I think we can do both... it's just a matter of how the hell we pull that off? I want people to be smart and funny, and I think we've been tolerant for those that aren't out of some fear that we'd lose membership as a result. I do notice that a few people that haven't posted in a long time are starting to... and thanks for that. Personally, I have no time for lukers. Fuck them. They add nothing to the community, they just cost me money in bandwidth. I just wish more of them would have the balls to step up and actually participate.
On the PC topic: I am absolutely for being able to make jokes about anything. What I find really annoying though, is when people make offensive jokes with 0 creativity and then pat themselves on the back for being edgy and able to joke about anything. For example, and as people have mentioned, the #likeagirl thread. Seriously, how many of those posts were just "google>search: drunk slut>copy link>post"? It's like saying "girls are good at stuff? Heh, more like they're bad at stuff!" I think a good analogy is to look at different types of pranks you find on youtube. Some are well crafted, clever, and funny. Others are just people going out and being fucking assholes in public, and when someone gets pissed and fights back the pranksters go "dude, stop, it's just a prank!!" No it isn't you idiot, secretly filming yourself being a shithead "as a joke" doesn't mean you're not a shithead. Similarly, dropping a tired one line racial stereotype comment isn't racial humour, that's just you saying racist shit and declaring it a joke. Not all jokes have to be complex and ultra clever, but even slapstick humour can be done poorly. Anyway, I'm not trying to bitch and sound all self-righteous. I like this place a lot, and I think it's great we're talking about how to keep it good/make it better. Those are just my thoughts on the direction I'd like to see us go. (I'm also not passively trying to be snarky to anyone from the #likeagirl thread. I have been guilty of doing everything I complain about.) More on focus, I was always a fan of the creative threads, like caption contests. I don't know if they're a thing, but I think reverse caption contests could be fun too… start with a quote and try to find pictures that would put the quote in the funniest contest. Flash fiction (250 or 500 or whatever word short stories) could be cool too. I don't exactly how it would work, but I'd like to try having them as contests where we vote for a winner. I think threads like those would be an easy place for lurkers to pop their posting cherry.
So I read through most of this thread and it is turning into a good example of why I can't be bothered to take much time to contribute anymore. There are several people here who are saying things like: "we are witty, we are better than low-brow humor" or "I am all for non-PC humor" and then go on to say why we shouldn't talk about this or that because it's lazy. Those of you who say this; you are the ones sucking the life out of threads. Perhaps we could have a rule: If you take offense; take it elsewhere. Don't take it personally, just keep the butt-hurt to yourself and move on to the next thread.
I love healthy debate - about everything. Cars, vaccinations, dogs, parenting, climate change, coffee, commercialism, holidays, whatever. I think debating and discussing strengthens relationships. That said - the majority of us on this board have 'known' one another since...what? For me something like 2006 or maybe 2005 or 2007, I can't remember if I was introduced to TM after BrotherB's first or second tour, it's been a good minute though. We've grown up since then - all of us. Marriages, divorces, kids, losses, mortgages. We like good beer instead of whatever cheap piss we can get at a decent cost. I think that reflects in our conversation and what we're looking for, and trying to hang onto the idea of 'be funny' (dear God I'm not funny) or 'don't be serious, we don't want that shit here' isn't something that contributes to quality. On other message boards I've frequented - and hell, even on this one in the drunk threads - I've seen amazing discussions evolve from the 'hi' 'hi' 'what's up' 'nothing' threads because someone throws a banana in the brew pot and things get interesting. So that's kinda cool. I have never once suggested a thread - I suppose that's my own fault for not contributing - but anymore my days are so weird that I don't have time or necessarily the inclination to do it. Plus I suck at knowing what to talk about.
Open-ended question to the people who have been here a while: Do the regulars on here prefer the "familiarity" aspect with one another?.... or.... Are you wanting "fresh meat" on the board? I stand in the middle. Not gonna ask a question without giving my answer.
I don't know what I am here actually...on one hand I've been around since the TMMB/RMMB days (roughly 2007ish) and I've posted 650+ times here, so I'm not exactly a lurker; on the other hand I'm nowhere near an everyday poster. I guess I can try to change the latter. As far the PC crap goes, I think its at least partially a result of stuff leaking from the Serious Threads onto other threads. Don't get me wrong, I think the debates in the Serious Threads are awesome, but when people keep being "serious" on the WDTs and other threads specifically designed to not be serious then you're going to have people getting high and mighty. People should just do what VI said earlier; he doesn't like guns, so he doesn't post in the gun thread. If people don't like the sort of humor posted in the non-serious threads, don't read/post in them.
Is there a reason certain forums are unviewable for people who aren't logged in? I know this is a hangover from the RMMB days, but I don't see any particular reason the permanent threads for instance shouldn't be viewable and might help sell the board to some new people.
I think we had it set like that originally in order to try and get people to sign in/up in order to see that stuff. I've just opened up all those forums so that guests now have read-only access to them. Thanks for pointing that out.