Silly threads that foster no discussion - Friend or foe?

[ronmac]

I think it's a shame that, for all its possibilities for spirited debate and diverse cross section of opinions, the advent of the internet instead correlated with a broad public demand for echo chambers.

Brilliant observation.

[notallwhowander]

I think the Trout Mask Replica thread was a good one, because that thing was rather conceived to be divisive and controversial. But when you lead with that, the follow ups just don't seem to have the same gravitas.

That being said, I think it is better to start a thread when one actually has something to say, or at least a sincere inquiry where the OP is willing to carry a conversation for a while.

[PeterG]

As has been said many times before, by myself and others, if you don't like the title of a thread don't open it. But if you do open it and you don't like the subject, don't read it. But if you do read it, and don't like it. TOUGH!

[PeterG]

If people can't handle a particular topic or thread direction, then they can always leave it.

If nobody or hardly anybody is interested in a thread then it will die on its own accord.

Some amount of caveat emptor should be exercised here: if a thread is simply titled by a year or more overtly calls for the contribution of lists, people who don't like those things can easily opt not to read them. I agree that something called "[artist] appreciation thread" (or RIP threads or break-up threads) are not very nice or appropriate places for non-fans to announce how much they think that artist sucks, but otherwise I would hope that people could have a thick enough skin to deal with differences of opinion and differences of posting styles.

I think it's a shame that, for all its possibilities for spirited debate and diverse cross section of opinions, the advent of the internet instead correlated with a broad public demand for echo chambers. The migration by many from Usenet to moderated boards like this to then places like Facebook is case in point for so many categories of internet discussion. "Everything is awesome!"

+1 Very well put.

And one of the reasons I have so many people here on ignore, as I got tired a long time ago of being insulted because of my often silly nature and lighthearted threads and for not agreeing with the musical views of the PE prog rock cabal.

[Zeuhlmate]

I like the diversity of thread types here.
It can be too easy and foolish, it can be too heavy and prententious.
In periods there are too much of the foolish stuff, lists, etc.
but wtf... I dont read it all.

[PeterG]

I like the diversity of thread types here.
It can be too easy and foolish, it can be too heavy and prententious.
In periods there are too much of the foolish stuff, lists, etc.
but wtf... I dont read it all.

Exactly!

[Jerjo]

And one of the reasons I have so many people here on ignore, as I got tired a long time ago of being insulted because of my often silly nature and lighthearted threads and for not agreeing with the musical views of the PE prog rock cabal.

Proud to be one of the ignored and apparently of the PE prog rock cabal. Wow, a cabal of people who like prog rock. Who would have thought something like that would exist in a forum called Progressive Ears?

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Friend. We all need sillyness in our lives.

apparently that's the only thing you have...

[Gruno]

Proud to be one of the ignored and apparently of the PE prog rock cabal. Wow, a cabal of people who like prog rock. Who would have thought something like that would exist in a forum called Progressive Ears?

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Ook, magalla wa norble. Imk nan gribbo wa pietal?

[Jerjo]

Ook, magalla wa norble. Imk nan gribbo wa pietal?

klaatu barada nikto

[Gruno]

klaatu barada nikto

[Scott Bails]

I got tired a long time ago of being insulted because of my often silly nature and lighthearted threads

The problem for many is when the ratio of "silly and lighthearted" threads gets out of hand. I'm sure most of us enjoy a little levity from time to time, but when the entire "New Posts" first page is list threads and "friend or foe" threads and "19XX was the best year for prog" threads, it gets a little old.

As with most things, moderation is key.

[Vic2012]

I don't mind silliness. Silly threads/posts have been part of PE forever. The trend that really kills me are threads of nothing but youtube videos. I mean soul crushing, interest killing amounts of yt posts for pages and pages. It happened in a thread I was enjoying and one particular individual just killed the thread with page after page after page after page of videos. All the conversation ended right there.

[moecurlythanu]

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!

I've seen some threads ruined that were otherwise interesting because of that. Just ruined.

You don't get it, Vic. The reason all of those YouTube posts need to be put into the thread when someone disagrees with the one posting, is because the one posting knows that the poor schlub who is disagreeing with him could only be doing so because they are completely unfamiliar with the artists under discussion. Posting the YouTube videos when someone disagrees is a way of taking the poor schlub by the hand and saying, "There, there poor schlub. I know you've never heard this band. Let me help you with the basics."

It's really quite a kindness.

[PeterG]

As with most things, moderation is key.

True dat!

[Vic2012]

You don't get it, Vic. The reason all of those YouTube posts need to be put into the thread when someone disagrees with the one posting, is because the one posting knows that the poor schlub who is disagreeing with him could only be doing so because they are completely unfamiliar with the artists under discussion. Posting the YouTube videos when someone disagrees is a way of taking the poor schlub by the hand and saying, "There, there poor schlub. I know you've never heard this band. Let me help you with the basics."

It's really quite a kindness.

: lol

But page after page after page after page after page. ...........

[Zeuhlmate]

apparently that's the only thing you have...

[PeterG]

Was his comment aimed at me? If so, thanks for the support.

[Rune Blackwings]

The quote below that features an exchange between per anporth and Scrotum Scissor, that I lifted from the Strangler's thread, certainly looks like a discussion to me, Ron. Perhaps you would be better served if you posted a thread defining exactly what a discussion is.

[/B]Quote Originally Posted by per anporth View Post
"The punks *loathed* the Stranglers. They were also one of the most offensively misogynistic bands ever. Sometimes, when a band is so blatantly unpleasant, it finally doesn't matter how good the music is..."

Srotum Scisser replied: "While it's certainly true that the communal punk scene more or less declared war on the band, and not only for the case of misogyni (although this was usually seen as the pretext for why The Slits and Crass refused to appear on the same bill as them and basically banned festivals and venues altogether if they booked The Stranglers), I know of bonafide punks of the time who have praised the early years of the group as some of the edgiest experiences they had in terms of concert attendances etc. One of the reasons why they were so controversial was exactly the point that they were so successful at provoking a subculture (punk) which itself foistered on the act of provoking the establishment as part of their ethic and aesthetic, thus perceiving The Stranglers' game as that of consciously minded fakeness and an ironic reaction to punk's core values. Of course, they pretty much started out as a pub rock group, Greenfield having earned a living from playing piano in a bar for several years and Cornwell having busked around the countryside with a repertoire mostly referencing Phil Ochs, Tim Hardin and John Martyn, and as for rock music they were mostly into 60s psychedelic such, being almost a decade older than the average punk of the day."

The Raven is an amazingly sophisticated work coming from a major, commercially established UK rock act at the time. There's not a single detail out of plan there, harmonically, dynamically, lyrically, sonically - and that ensemble chemistry between them was as steady and organic as that of any "prog" band. Obviously, Burnel was/is a competent classical guitarist with an extensive CV of contributions to "serious" music, so neither in terms of cultural criteria were they ever punk as definition goes."

Ha, ha. You just can't make this stuff up@!

scrotum scissors is worth a discussion himself,

[StevegSr]

scrotum scissors is worth a discussion himself,

Yes, definitely! I wasn't putting down this discussion but, as usual with scrotum scissors, I was fascinated by it. He's always insightful and has a flair for the English language that's stunning at times!

[JKL2000]

The problem for many is when the ratio of "silly and lighthearted" threads gets out of hand. I'm sure most of us enjoy a little levity from time to time, but when the entire "New Posts" first page is list threads and "friend or foe" threads and "19XX was the best year for prog" threads, it gets a little old.

As with most things, moderation is key.

I've never used the New Posts feature, if that's what it's called. I wonder if that makes those threads more annoying to people.

However, aside from the mods, I don't really think others need complain. Or do it on the site issues forum perhaps.

[3LockBox]

Pho

[Rune Blackwings]

Pho

mmmpho

[ronmac]

mopho