Sad...

[_Quasimodo]

I just spent a few minutes looking over the date of posts on this once great board. This seems to be the only forum that has any recent posts. Very sad. I used to look forward to reading all the new posts and following the sometimes enormous discussions. A thread would go on for many pages and the wit and wisdom of some posters was truly remarkable.

I hope this board can be revived, but it doesn't seem likely at this point. I will continue to check in occasionally to see if things improve. It's like losing an old friend. Best wishes to all who are still contributing.

[_msnobody]

I was kind of surprised/saddened too, but then I figured maybe posters are at different seasons in their posting lives. IDK. Then, I was told that EA had retreated to the Paradise forum, people were mellowed out who used to not be, those who used to be aren't any longer, etc. Who came in and changed my world while I was AWOL?

Remember how we would all have to take a break every now and then, and announce it in a post so folks would know where we had disappeared to, only to reappear soon thereafter? Board wars (maybe this still exists in a sense), sock puppets.

[_Temp. Admin.]

Dr. Shades here. A huge part of the problem is that, due to continuing software issues, no new users have been able to sign up since mid-April or so. Ergo, there hasn't been any fresh blood since then; it's continued to be just us.

Needless to say, I'm praying that our software guy can figure out an effective fix before much longer.

[_moksha]

no new users have been able to sign up since mid-April or so.

That might explain why no posters with curiosity and gumption have wandered over from SeN ready to do battle with the denizens of hell that they have been warned about. The SeNers best arm themselves with a plate of cookies and a smile if they are going to make friends with this mean group of hombres.

[_Chap]

Dr. Shades here. A huge part of the problem is that, due to continuing software issues, no new users have been able to sign up since mid-April or so. Ergo, there hasn't been any fresh blood since then; it's continued to be just us.

Well, I'm relieved to hear that. I mean, where did DrW and Maksutov go, I wondered? Now I know they may have just been outside the armoured glass, mouthing silently in at us.

I hope they have not given up and gone away for good ...

Could one not energise and publicise a subsidiary board on which they could register their presence, if they are still watching us?

[_Arc]

This was indeed once was a great board. Now, not only are potential new participants unable to register, but it seems that most legacy members have been unable, or unwilling, to sign in and participate since the unfortunate "re-boot".

To my mind, another problem with participation on this board is that the Salt Lake LDS Church seems to be morphing into a parody of itself - and no longer worth the time to be concerned with. As Trump is to the Republican Party, so Nelson is to the Mormon Church (sorry, I meant "Church of Jesus Christ"). Both so-called leaders are ancient relics who have no business trying to direct their respective, increasingly irrelevant, organizations. Both are so out of touch with reality as to be a danger to those they are deluded enough to believe they lead.

Comment, debate, or critical engagement of any kind seems to matter not at all to these leaders, or to many their most dedicated followers. Since the "re-boot" the board appears to have largely devolved into a DCP & Co obsession site. Seems wise to just keep quiet and watch as they slowly and inexorably self destruct (leaders, devotees, party, church and all).

Thanks to Quasi for starting this thread.

[_Chap]

Since the "re-boot" the board appears to have largely devolved into a DCP & Co obsession site.

And as of this morning, the top thread in this forum was titled...

Peterson promises to ignore Mormon Discussions Board

What if the board started to ignore him? Would that be such a terrible loss? He says or does very little nowadays that is either interesting in itself or significant outside his own shrinking clique.

[_honorentheos]

Part of the board dynamic has hinged on participation in finding and advancing topics related to Mormonism that aren't simply headline grabs. That requires some effort and creative thought which DCP related threads don't really require. That's not to say there isn't creativity and effort in DCP-focused threads and posts. There's a reason Scratch's year end threads almost always leap into the thousands of views which, for an obscure niche board with a few dozen active posters is impressive. The threads certainly span a diverse range of posts from creative to insightful to data-driven quote sharing to quick copy-paste-comment. But as a narrative-based cosplay game that is Cassius U., it's always had it's capacity and limits.

This raises the question of what incentive remains outside of the Cassius U framework that lands inside of the Venn diagram overlapping "Mormon-related" and "Will reward the effort"? There's a reason most of the internet has reduced to porn and listicles.

I'm mean, what would a list of ideas for topics look like? If the thread turned into a brain storm session on that, how many topics would be thought up that someone might put in the time and thought to post? And then who would add a thought to nudge a thread along, or share a bit of humor or insight?

The Terrestrial Forum does have a certain DCP-porn and Mormon Listicle vibe. But it's all user-driven content, too. So, I don't know what to say about threads like this other than, "Will you also go away?"

[_Hagoth]

I hadn't looked at this board for a long time and when I decided to check back in I did a Google search. It gave me a link that was dead. Is there any way to do some SEO to correct that? Fortunately Moksha came to my rescue with a correct link.

[_huckelberry]

Obsession with Peterson on this board is a bit puzzling but the first page of Terrestial is showing 60 pages of discussion about some fellow named Midgley??

Arc, my view is the slc church is a pretty stable institution that neither changes or fades very rapidly. I expect it to be trudging along much the same twenty years from now. How do you see this differently? Is it perhaps increasing personal distance making its presence fade for you. (not a bad thing if so I think)