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I don't like the idea of any of the fora becoming elitist.
I'm not sure if having some level of quality control, or aspirations -- which are built into Barbelith's intentions as I understand them -- is "elitist". Maybe in literal terms that's true; but then a magazine, even a popular magazine, is elitist by only accepting articles that it thinks are well-written, engaging, intelligent and entertaining. A comprehensive sixth form is elitist for not letting you in without some level of previous education. Commercial television is elitist for not commissioning every half-hearted proposal about stump-fuckers as a sitcom. Maybe I'm elitist for only wanting decent, interesting people as my friends.
That doesn't mean we're confining ourselves to ivory-tower star councils whenever we apply any kind of standards.
As I think Jack pointed out, the internet as a whole is not elitist (except in class and national terms, in that it requires a level of financial support and technology). There are endless places online where you can post the first thing that comes into your head and reach an audience. There are so many discussion boards out there, many of them fairly similar in their level of discussion. Barbelith is trying to be different from most if not all of them.
Specifically, as has been seen today, what scale are judging the quality of any thread on, other than one persons opinion?
Many people's opinion.
If we begin to delete threads, even ones that people think are of no net worth, then we're falling into a interesting, but ultimately damaging situation. For example, people may begin to feel that their thread ideas are not worthwhile enough to be started, and as such we would end up with the same people starting the same kind of threads over and over, which would become old and stale. By having such a wide depth of quality, the board will become more interesting for it
The internet has that wide range, and it is of course interesting for it, but why should Barbelith mirror the internet and include gems you have to hunt for amid a mountain of manure? Why should Barbelith have to require direct links to anything decent within its pages, so people can cut through the crap to find it? Because that's how the internet works: you have to select your favourites and follow tip-offs to make sure you get somewhere worthwhile. If you tried reading it page by page, you'd be bogged down in dross.
The ideal of Barbelith, I thought, is that almost all of it is worthwhile, creative, thoughtful and intelligent.
By the by, I don't start many threads. I contribute to quite a few, though. You don't have to feel comfortable with or keen to start a thread to get something out of Barbelith. It might even be wisest if people just joining held back from leaping in that way, and joined existing discussions first. |
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