Let me preface this with the following: you have my permission to move this thread, lock it, delete it, whatever you feel is best for this board. If there's a consensus that this thread causes board disruption and needs to be deleted, I'll be the last person on here to argue.
Also, I realize that this thread won't be very popular and might raise some uncomfortable issues; for those of you who have posted with me before, I hope you'll know that this isn't me trying to stir some shit for the sake of stirring shit. For those of you who don't know me, I can only hope you'll take my word on it. If this post ends up hurting some people, I apologize in advance. This may sound like an old phrase, but if I didn't care about you, I wouldn't post this. I would just grab my bags and close the door behind me.
I think there's a problem here. I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who thinks so, but I won't suck anyone into my Life of Crime by naming them here. They will chime in if they feel comfortable enough to do so, and/or if they think it'll do good.
Anway. Here goes.
There are a few things that can happen in a tightly-knit group. If the group is a closed group, the effects are even more striking. It's pure sociology, and it's highly interesting. Here are some examples:
Groupthink - To a certain extent, Groupthink occurs in every group. Members of a group tend to a) seek complete harmony within the group, and thus usually don't voice their dissenting opinions; those that do are looked upon as mischiefs and troublemakers within the group, or are accused of not getting the point of the discussion; b) agree on a certain procedure, etc. prematurely before exploring other possibilities; and c) consider the group's decisions to be correct while everybody outside the group is wrong.
Primacy Effect - We tend to believe that the first opinion, or the one voiced most loudly, is correct, even if we have proof otherwise. In groups, the "quieter" members therefore will share the views of those who have the loudest voice; or they will become "troublemakers".
Collective Primacy Effect - Members of a group tend to discuss only shared knowledge. And since they believe they are self-sufficient and independent, they usually don't consider other views and outsiders' knowledge.
Risky Shift - People in groups tend to make far more risky decisions than when they are alone, because they believe that the group can't possibly be wrong. Historical examples for Risky Shifts and their effects: Watergate and the Vietnam War.
Enough with theory.
After having come back after an extended leave of absence, the reasons for which shall not be discussed here, I do not recognize this board anymore.
This has nothing to do with it being an open board now, and this has nothing to do with having new posters on here that I don't recognize. It's some of my dearest TORC friends, and I'm proud to call them that, who have changed beyond recognition. I have lurked on here this past week, and I've also been reading some of the recent threads on here, and I've come across certain people's user titles and certain people's sigs, and I couldn't help but think, WTF is going on here?
A few months ago there'd been no way in hell that somebody like Jnyusa had a title like "Practically Wonder Woman" and a sig text that goes with it. I realize that there's no doubt a healthy helping of humor in there, but my point is, a few months ago she wouldn't have found that kind of humor amusing. She would have called it smug.
A few months ago something like the drama around *E* voicing a dissenting opinion in this thread: *link removed upon request* would NEVER have happened. I don't know what is was exactly that happened there, but it sure scared the crap out of me. And Voronwe did, too.
Then there's the constitution project. Guys, you rock, and it's a kick-ass project, and once it's done it'll be even more kick-ass. But it almost seems to me like it has become a project for the sake of being a project. Yes, we need rules on here, and we need rules when we post with each other; but there are rules and then there are constitutions... Also, I remember watching Faramond getting frustrated with the way things were handled there. He voiced a dissenting opinion and was basically told that he didn't understand what was being talked about. Groupthink. Right there.
Guys, what's going on? We used to argue with each other, we used to have fun with each other, this place used to swarm with life. I come back after a few months and the place seems dead to me, and I find myself avoiding certain people.
Is it because I was gone for a while and am out of touch? Maybe. If I'm the only one on here who feels that something has changed in people's attitudes, forgive me for not letting sleeping dogs lie. I just... needed to say it.
The chakra around here is that you can post anything as long as you do so respectfully. Great. But what is the use in posting something respectfully if posting it may make people think of you as a dissenter, or a disturber of the peace? Can we please stop with the smugness? Can we please be aware of the dangers of certain psychological effects that occur in groups?
Please?