AT helping the EA to knock the last few nails in?

[gozzer]

I was pondering this very same thing only the other night mate.Is it so or is it simply that on this site the people who do still disagree with our opinion simply dont bother? Dont seem to get the same level of participation from across the membership as we used to on any subject.

 

I was thinking about the polls we had on the options of taking fish, the last result was 2to1 in favour of keeping the right. (Strange how so few have an opinion now we have almost lost the right).

At the time I remember someone saying that the poll result proved, that AN was not in line with the feeling among the majority of anglers. Having read what many other angling sites have to say on the subject, I personally take that as a complement.

 

John.

[Rusty]

I was pondering this very same thing only the other night mate.Is it so or is it simply that on this site the people who do still disagree with our opinion simply dont bother? Dont seem to get the same level of participation from across the membership as we used to on any subject.

 

But that's the point Budgie, on any forum there will be a group of ‘Elders’ who naturally take the lead in representing forum membership, often unintentionally.

 

It’s not a criticism of AN, it’s a characteristic of most electronic meeting places. The founder members and long standing contributors gravitate towards those with similar views, those with different views drift away. In time a core group of Elders is created ready to express a view on any contentious issue. The problem is that the Elders usually have the same view so new members (mortals) are reluctant to challenge for fear of ridicule or embarrassment.

 

AN prides itself on welcoming new members and accommodating healthy debate. I would say that by and large that’s the case but when the chips are really down and a newbie is having a good old prod at the Elders the closing of ranks is quite apparent.

 

It’s just the nature of electronic discussion where you don’t have the benefit of reading body language, facial expression and all the other signs which convey intent.

 

A reply to the post in general, not Budgie specifically.

 

For what it’s worth I don’t have any interest in taking coarse fish for the table. The idea doesn’t appeal to me probably for all sorts of illogical reasons. I think that if it is restricted or banned the number of those significantly affected will be minimal.

 

Is it really that serious an issue?

[Dick Dastardly]

That's exactly what I was thinking Rusty and well explained.

 

Sadly a negative thing in a way as it unintentionally makes the Forum "cliquey" (well that's how it must appear to newcomers) and would explain why the healthy debate and promotion of alternative views that I have so liked here has dwindled over the years.

 

I enjoy listening to well presented alternative views to my own (if they are supported by facts and experience) as they can either just re enforce my views or indeed change them.

 

I would hate (in fact do) when people just agree with me! The fact that they were agreeing just because I'm "Budgie" would be even more detestable.I would think the same goes for the majority of the other elders on here?

 

Maybe us "elders" are stifling the forum and should take a back seat or maybe re join under different names? to stop this?

[Rusty]

Maybe us "elders" are stifling the forum and should take a back seat or maybe re join under different names? to stop this?

 

No I don't think so, Elders on any forum are always faced with the same problem, how to encourage and contribute to healthy debate in the face of (perhaps) ill-considered different views from newcomers when all you really want to do is plant a fist on somebody's nose.

 

Nothing needs stopping, I think AN contributors (new and old) would be prefer it if yourself and others carried on dealing with that issue under your own name.

[Anderoo]

I see long-standing forum members as a really positive thing. Just look at some carp forums which are populated with a huge turnover of users, very few of which have much to offer to other new members.

 

Many of the 'elder' (like it ) members don't actually always agree with each other that much as far as I can tell, perhaps it's just that they happen to on some repetitive, recent topics and so it seems like it's cliquey? I don't know. I personally don't agree with people just because they've been a member a long time, definitely not just because 'it's Budgie' or whoever! (I took his advice on bream fishing and look where that's got me ) Sometimes I agree with the elders, sometimes I don't, like any members. I just hope that when I disagree I explain my position well enough, and I have had my opinion changed on various issues many times by people here, new and old members alike.

 

Over the last year or two some really good new members have come along, some of which are still here and some, sadly, which are not. But an intelligent, well reasoned post backed up with experience is obvious, no matter who writes it.

 

If the 'elders' signed up again under new names it would be pretty obvious who they were anyway! The elders always seem to go out of their way to include the newer members, in a way that newer members would find more difficult I think.

 

I for one welcome our benevolent overlords.

[Dick Dastardly]

If the 'elders' signed up again under new names it would be pretty obvious who they were anyway! The elders always seem to go out of their way to include the newer members, in a way that newer members would find more difficult I think.

 

Thats a good point!

Was just concerned as I feel that the numbers of members contributing to some threadfs has droped.Maybe its simply because newer guys are far more interested in "how to","can you help","whats the best" type topics than "political" ones? And I suppose who can blame them!

[Leon Roskilly]

.........Many of the 'elder' (like it )...........

 

There are 'elders'.............then there are 'the ancient ones'

Edited September 19, 2009 by Leon Roskilly

[gozzer]

I find this 'cliquey' thing interesting.

 

If you look at members who agree on certain issues, (certainly not all), you will find that they joined AN at very different times. Some have been around since the forum started, I would call them the 'elders' (or ancients Leon ). The rest have joined at various times since. So it can't be the length of time on forum that makes a 'clique'.

 

Some members have known each other since before AN started, some have met a few times since, some have never even met another forum member. So that can't be the reason a 'clique forms.

 

Many fish different disciplines. So that can't be the reason.

 

There ages differ vastly. So that's not it.

 

They started angling at different times in their lives, and pursued different paths, giving them different experiences. So that can't be it.

 

Just what does constitute a 'clique'?

My own opinion is that on AN they don't exist.

 

It's just a group, who happen to be anglers, that through their different experiences, have come to similar conclusions on some subjects, and are willing to debate them. No more than that.

 

John.

[Dick Dastardly]

Undoubtedly John its just that it must "look" cliquey.

[John Weddup]

Hi All

 

I find this debate interesting as there do seem to be less posters these days. As you can see by my membership number I have visited here regularly since very early days.

 

I do find there are a lot of like minded anglers here so the theory of us sticking together could be true although unintentional.

 

I occasionally look at other angling forums but none really keep me interested in the way an does.

 

Having said that what does not help is developing a totally different angle to this thread so that the only people that read these comments are the ones already involved.

 

Its unlikely that a new visitor is going to wade through 6 pages of posts on the original subject to find our present comments and post accordingly.

 

When a post changes direction it should be possible to re badge it with a fresh start and title maybe with a link at the end of the old topic so it can be followed.

 

regards

 

john