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Decline of GT; due to societal changes or site policy changes?


PNWguy
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In the threads both on GT and here started by Eric in which he explains his recent monumental decision, folks are lamenting how GT has degraded substantially over the past few years.  A couple of folks have opined that it is simply a reflection of the overall degradation of civility in society in general.  Most say the downturn was a result of the new ownership and their values.

To be clear, I realize Eric's decision was not based on incivility or behavior in the forums, but rather a fundamental difference in the values and belief system of the new owners and their shortcomings in taking proper care of his "baby".

This thread is about those who noted their displeasure at the change in tone and behavior in the forums.

My initial thought was that it is clearly a reflection of the degradation of civility in society.  People are losing their freakin' minds.  It seems every day the news is full of people doing outrageous things in drive-thrus, in traffic, at WalMart, etc.  

But, I'm on a bunch of gun and vehicle forums and people on those are still very civil, respectful, friendly, and helpful.  Cast Boolits is made up of 90% conservative old farts and they don't tolerate snarkiness.  They may not know the meaning of the word, but they know it when they see it and run off anti-social types.

Another forum for my Yukon is made up of a very diverse group with lots of urban youths and city people.  Still, very helpful, friendly, and no personal attacks.  

So what are your thoughts on the decline in civility?  Have you seen it on other forums?  In the real world?  Since I think we can agree that it was apparent on GT, was that due to a change in admin or a reflection of society in general?

 

 

 

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I belong to a ton of different forums, some I visit often and some I only stop into from time to time. Over the years I have seen two areas of decline. First forum owners, like most mass media groups, are catering to the left leaning vocal minority with dreams of tolerance, diversity, and inclusion. Which is why spinoff forums like this one keep popping up. Second, people can't seem to have a difference of opinion without getting sand in their panties. You used to be able to say the M&P was better than the Glock or that Sig's customer service was crap, and the next guy would just disagree and explain why. Now people throw little tantrums and are personally offended because I like this gun better than that gun, so I must be attacking them personally and somehow ruining their self worth. People forgot that we are all entitled to our opinions and perceptions and that it's okay to disagree.

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28 minutes ago, Dric902 said:

GT has a political forum

every other gun forum I belong to doesn’t. When the new owners threw open the doors to and attracted liberal poitical trolls, it became a political forum with a gun section.

Well, Cast Boolits also has a political forum, and GT has had one from nearly the beginning, IIRC.  I spent very little time in the political forum just because I didn't enjoy the arguing.  I do agree that there seemed to be a lot more tolerance and encouragement for progressive and liberal viewpoints lately.

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IT isn't about a Political Forum, but about the newcomers to that site.

I've got reported for being a Racist in mentioning Rosenstein as a Jew, not a Muslim or Buddish.

I don't see Jew or Muslims is a race.  But I understand some newcomers, seems liberal to me, believe so.

Then Moderators reacted as if they are a Race.  Management is bending to the will of liberalism.  That's been happening over the last year or so.

 

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Hard to tell. I can only speak for myself. My main issue was that my posts had been castrated and threads closed while more and more liberal trolls took over and being literally protected by some mods. Not surre if that was based on new rules, mods bringing along their own agenda or changes in society.

That being said, I also know that I can get pissed off easily and that turns my posts rather nasty.

What Eric said really makes sense now, out of his perspective. And I? I just like it better over here. Looking forward to better times, no need to bash GT, it is what it is.

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56 minutes ago, ModGlock17 said:

IT isn't about a Political Forum, but about the newcomers to that site.

I've got reported for being a Racist in mentioning Rosenstein as a Jew, not a Muslim or Buddish.

I don't see Jew or Muslims is a race.  But I understand some newcomers, seems liberal to me, believe so.

Then Moderators reacted as if they are a Race.  Management is bending to the will of liberalism.  That's been happening over the last year or so.

 

Same here. I got the race card thrown over a post about a dirt dauber in our laundry room. Had nothing to do with race or even people at all. Just me and my pet insect. In the context of my post, it couldn't even be twisted into something racist or about people. I knew then it was time to go. Then I got Eric's email. If Eric is kind enough to welcome me here, I'm happy to be here!

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13 minutes ago, Huaco Kid said:

No one can take a joke anymore.

 

10 minutes ago, Will Beararms said:

The fact it is owned by a foreign entity is disconcerting.  That’s water under the bridge. Don’t look back; ever onward. 

Pretty Much..,I don't know very many pro gun CNs. As a matter of fact they seem to want to cuddle with those who will kill them

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I think it is a combination of factors already mentioned as well as the social media shift to sites like Instagram and Facebook. Internet forums move more slowly and provide less instant feedback/gratification that younger participants are accustomed to from other platforms.

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Aside from Eric selling GT, how many members truly knew the evolutionary changes in ownership and their policies? I suspect few beyond the insiders. 

The lack of civility is a symptom of the increasing evolutionary speed of modern society. Technology such as 24 hour news fails to allow for people to hear shocking news, assimilate it, and determine how it affects them. It also increases the growing perception of insecurity in the West - even as crime is declining, I.S. has been militarily defeated and A.Q. has been weakened, North Korea is being more compliant, and other factors have changed. Governments, through politicians, have learned to take accidents, natural phenomena/disasters, and other non-human incidents, only to 'anthropomorphize' them into human influenced situations that call out for the intervention of politicians to "save constituents". Examples? Global climate change, hurricanes in Puerto Rico and the northeastern US, asteroids crashing into the planet, volcanoes erupting in Mexico and Hawaii, etc. Add this factor with the meddling that politicians and government elites do with human related issues -  wars of hegemonic power, international power relations between states, promoting of special interest fractionalization in society, etc. and we have a mess. Societies and their populations are being manipulated and in response to this discovery, they are reverting back to nationalism, religion, and systems that made 'sense' to them from previous generations. People tend to be inherently opposed to change, unless it is explained. When change is increasingly relentless, people do not react well emotionally.

GT became a huge forum. It encompassed a vast swath of American society, including both the positive and the negative peoples within it. While Eric initiated safeguards and set up sub-forums for these conflicting opinions to play out safely, too many decided to take their personal brand and impose it in and on other sub-forums not designed for these exchanges. Once, GT was mostly self-policing. As it grew, it got more anarchistic and mods had to be appointed to deal with the increasing conflict. Eric could either do as he did with the negative freedom model or go the SiG Forum method.

I hope TBS grows well, but I far prefer quality over quantity in membership and this site reaches what GT did prior to its' sale. 



 

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3 hours ago, Boogieman said:

I left because RussP is a dick.

Rofl. Me too ,I think alot of folks left because of said dick. I also left because of the obvious bias. Particular what topics go in sub forums they let the Smurfs run the prison. But here Eric has it different once all forums are set im sure the big head will have a handle on that bs

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In the past, I have Moded a few forums.  If they are a specialty forum (guns, carry, etc.) they must remain a specialty forum to survive.  By opening the doors to politics or allowing the Mods to act in a political fashion (PC for example), staff no longer is in control.  Those who complain or get offended are.  When this happens with the consent of the owner of the site, it is time to bail, regardless of how much time you have invested.

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I been on forum that had Off-Topic sites that were a blast. The only rule was no harassment and targeting of members. Everything goes well as the community gets comfortable. The issue you have now is that you get "sensitive" people who join and the expect these communities to change to fit their whim, instead of conforming to the group and assimilating, and cry about being "offended". It then becomes a downward spiral, I have seen it happen to new groups/forums and old established ones as well. These type of people can not create anything, have an original thought or have any inspiration. They instead infest others, their works and cause chaos. You see this in society as well. To me they are petty individuals that are seeking attention (besides your trolls that do it out of boredom), maybe they didn't get enough hugs? Too many participation trophies? Hopefully you can find a group that will not kowtow to this, but it's getting harder and harder. I am more of the don't like it..leave as there are plenty of other forums around, but I guess I am more old school. Crap....I am my Dad now.......

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