This is not going to be the easiest OP I've ever written. It may equally not be the easiest OP for others to read. Chances are some if not all may be offended by it, I would say sorry in advance but truth be known I'm not sorry so I won't. If you are offended by what I am going to say then you have choices. For example, you may just think badly of myself and my thoughts or consider what offends you about those thoughts. You could dismiss these words outright or consider them in relation to yourself with an open mind and heart.

So, here goes:
It's now my considered opinion that participation in forums like this is not only a complete waste of time but is also contributing to the continuation of the status quo. Not only the external status quo where the Human race is walking blindly toward an abyss but the internal one where our egos protect us from considering and taking responsibility for, the consequences of our actions/inaction.

Every single one of us that either reads or posts on the internet can only do so because we are throwing fuel on the fire of the status quo. Be it paying for an ISP, a mobile phone, Wi-fi in a cafe or whatever. We each come to the internet with our points of view, our notions of what's wrong with the world and our visions of how it could be a better place. We read and post millions of bytes of data and every single byte goes toward enabling the very things we say we oppose.
Perhaps it could be argued that it's a 'necessary evil' to do so. That the effects of throwing fiat at the corporations to gain access to the internet are far outweighed by the potential for change in what we type and read. It would be a fair argument should the content of our interactions actually be effecting some form of 'real' change for the betterment of all. But it's pretty clear that isn't the case.

What do we do here and on other such forums? Think about it for a moment. We do sweet fanny adams. We go round and round in circles discussing events in the news when we already know what lies behind it all. We go round and round in cyclical argument about our different perceptions of the World, often building up persistent divisions and ill feelings in the process. We pat each other on the back, slap each other in the face and paper over cracks in each others fallibilities. We jump down each other's throats when we perceive hidden meanings in each other's words which may actually be nowt but our own projections. We prop up egos, attack egos, create outcasts and form subsets. We convince ourselves we are right and often look down our noses at those we think are wrong. This could be a very long paragraph...

All the while whilst we do this, the World is going to hell in a hand basket with us offering no resistance whatsoever. We are all shilling for the status quo and the supposed 'New World Order'.

I have decided to address this in my little corner of the World. I am taking a step back from the cut and thrust of pointless internet forumming and am instead going to concentrate on 'walking away'. Time spent online could be better spent elsewhere. Learning new skills, practicing old ones, networking and community building, reducing reliance on fiat 'money', meditating, being an active and fully engaged part of nature and addressing the bits of my ego that are plainly dysfunctional. This is not to say that I am giving up visiting places like this altogether, rather that it's time I put the world of the forum into perspective and treated it accordingly.

That of course means I won't be engaging in any debate about what I just wrote.

In Lakesh

TBH the circle jerks only started when a certain few newcomers arrived who wanted to talk shite but thats just my 2p

I use the forum to mainly keep tabs on pals such as yourself, oi, mikey, wub, sketts and co and will be meeting up later irl for a pissup somewhere I've not been before so I don't consider it all to be complete without worth.

Also gris and apps contributions about growing stuff have been very useful.

Well, I suppose it depends on what 'function' you want a forum to serve.

If it's to cure the ills of the world, it's not likely to be a success.

If, like myself, you'd just mainly like to interact with other people whom geography would normally make it impossible to, and have a laugh, then it can serve that purpose very nicely - though it doesn't do it consistently, because of the presence of people who are on a different wave-length, and we may perceive their approach as being deliberately antagonistic, hence corrupting the atmosphere we usually enjoy.

I hope your break isn't permanent, because you're one of the dwindling number of people whose company I enjoy.

dubs, you bummin me out man. i guess i take more than i give :/ im richer from all the knowledge advice friendships music fun that i get here. you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life.

I don't think there's much difference in talking to people in everyday life as to discussing points of communication on random topics on a Internet forum, it mainly boils down to are your learning something and do you enjoy yourself doing it.

Problem is many points of opinions get taken wrong on forums for one reason or the other, while trying to express oneself and bad mojo or karma is created between folks, your a very good poster here dub, and a smart person, but don't do anything you don't have to do that may cause you stress or you feel is pointless...... life is to short.

But I will miss your input

I'd have to say the one thing which baffled me from the onset with this site was what appeared to be some expectations of what it was or could become.

There was, if you like, an unattainable delusion of grandeur. Gilt-edged, guaranteed to fall flat on it's face.

It's a water-cooler at best.
People chat shit, some discover they share interests and discuss more specialised shit in their own wee corners, others might listen in but may not share the same depth of knowledge or have the confidence to contribute, at least initially.

If some want to conduct an online experiment in anarchist cooler collectives, I'm not fucking interested tbh.

I'm concerned to see the dialogue beginning to descend back into the realms of 'sheep', 'retard' etc

You're 100% correct dubs, we won't change much of anything here, except what we give to each other by way of information, perspectives, thought-provoking concepts and loads of fun and caring.

Without the last two items life ain't worth shit, no matter what your ideology.

To be perfectly frank i dont see the status quo changing no matter what the minority does.

Because the majority feeds it so much anway, and they dont know any better.

Apologies for what some may call pessimism... i call it realism, its my prerogative... and saying these things may piss some people off.

So i see places like this as a way of connecting with some like minded folk.

That being said I do understand where dubs is coming from... may you find what you are looking for dubster.

andyh wrote:

My two pence worth...

I have to agree with paragraph 4 - the way we treat eachother on forums is a disgrace at times - but at others it can be really heartwarming.

I have to agree that speculating about world events and people does fuck all in the scheme of things but I would also add that I have been inspired to make changes and learnt a wealth of practical knowledge that I would not necessarily have gained without participating in forums.

Ultimately we all have a choice as to how we spend our time and the changes we wish to make - We all need to create a balance that suits us and that we find to be meaningful - I wish you the best and hope to see you around still particularly on the threads which are about sharing skills etc x

thoreau wrote: You will x

Good luck Dubs,
i rarely post here but it is a place full of wonderful people and i hope one day their dreams become reality. Yours my friend certainly will as you are a very genuine guy.

Take care mate and 'Play Up Pompey!'

Chaf.

Chafouin, if this thread has done one good thing, it's prompt you to post those immortal words......"Play Up Pompey"

Dubs you have to remember that this forum will give YOU exactly what you ask of it , as with anything else in life.

I doubt anyone on forum can 'make a huge difference' in the great scheme of things but we can support each other and be 'friends' and sometimes that's very special

A forum can change the world in a small pond ripple kind of way. It might often feel like a waste of time or it might feel like way too much beast feeding but it is a matter really of your outlook on life.

We all live in the real world whether we know/like it or not. Some of us do our best to be above it or outside it but the fact is that in one way or another we feed the beast. A forum at worst is a place to go to find the worst in others and yourself and at best a forum can teach you about the world and bring you closer to others that as Gilly said you might not be geographically close to.

The problem with this forum is also a strength. It is a small community which I believe is a mixed blessing and curse but that is a whole other topic.

I hope if you leave that you enjoy the real world and I wish you all the best. If I leave the same applies.

I have to change myself before I start changing the world. I've started that process so who knows where it will end up.

feather wrote:
So on the one hand you don't want things to be done differently yet on the other you're surprised this encourages typical forum bahaviour?

oioioi wrote:
Lol, nice try, coconuts 0

I have no twitches about signing up to a set of conditions, having someone appointed to ensure members play by the agreed terms and letting them get on with it.

If either the terms or the referees don't suit my tastes, I move on. s'not hard.

If I were really commited to a situtation where everything was subjected to an endless consensus seeking format, I'd do my own just to show the doubting fuckers.

But truthfully, online forums don't mean that much.

i-baster just dropped a gem in here on his first line....

dubmeup wrote:
This is myth i think that sometimes people in overpopulated areas perceive wrong...imo

It all comes down to having faith in humans....