> That sounds suspiciously like sticking your head in the
> sand Jim
Actually, I don't think so. My theory (and experience) is that there are a few people (like many famous Anonymous on ANN) that just pops into a thread and spit out something stupid to stir up trouble. It happens all the time and it's mostly very obvious. What bothers me is that everyone starts replying angrily to that "stir-up" post, and simply IGNORES the four-five _sensible_ posters that almost always appear to post "good"/constructive/serious comments right behind the Anonymous one. Those potentially interesting and noteworthy threads are simply lost - and then people start saying that everyone in the community is a fanatic and that all they see is negativity.
As long as people don't take time to reply to sensible comments, the "stir-ups" will reign.
I guess people just like more to follow a good flame-fest then to pick up on the sensible stuff.
> The user base is just constantly gnawing at each other
> at the moment
> and sure, trying to correct it could even perpetuate it
> but ignoring
> it is not going to make it go away either.
I think we should be mature enough to identify and ignore those who only live to pick a fight for the sake of it.
> Yep, its a shambles - thats what a shambles means Jim
> it means
> something that needs to be sorted out, tackled and
> turned around
> but is in such a mess that you don't really know where
> to start or
> what approach to use.
A community is all in how you perceive it. When I read ANN, I'm constantly amazed when the good/insightful posters are subsequently insulted (albeit indirectly) by people saying that noone does anything but bicker and that the community is crap. Call it "sticking the head in the sand" if you will, but if people would just learn to ignore the right people, the impression of this community as a whole would change to the better.
.
SlimJim