swimming towards the shallow end

Where have all the substantial contributors gone? Shintani, Bluesman, Kip Carson, Hullo_Nurse (ok, I saw you a few posts back), unclebill, jesus....I can't remember them all right now, but there used to be some semblance of "seriousness" and intellectual debate on the bulletin board...I've been browsing a bunch of these new posts for the past half hour or so and all I see is new names and forgettable bullshit. Excuse the putdown, because I don't mean it to any one person, but I guess with a huge influx of new visitors you're going to get the brainless along with the brained.

Laurel, don't get pissed please, but I'm almost afraid to read some of the stories by new authors, judging from the reigning slackjaws on the board.

So what I want to know is this: do any of you new people recognize the efforts of your webmistress to make this a classy, more upscale site? Do you see that this is someone's brainchild? Then, do you see the nonsensical bullshit being posted all over the place?

Perhaps we could bring the quality level up a bit.

Hmm. I haven't noticed that at all. I see the same mix of sillieness ("Does cock size matter?") and seriousness ("America and Guns"). I see wacky discussion on which movies suck and are vampires real and serious discussions on infidelity, rape and censorship. Different people, but same mix of sex and brains. One day it may be a little more silly than serious, but has Literotica suffered a big old case of the "dumbs"? I don't think so (except for the whole "Vampires are real" thing).

Not saying that you are pointing to me in any way, but I definitly appreciate what Laurel has done here. This is a great place and I come here more than any other site. I hope that when I do post I try to do so intelligently.

I intentionally left out specifics because I'm not going to single anyone out for personal ridicule, but it seems that there is a LOT more than normal. If I was running this site I would probably just drop it - seems the original game plan has been discarded (or trampled/ignored to the point that it has become pointless). Maybe this is how it was always intended to be. I think it's awesome that there's so much traffic here, because it's an awesome site. Just a feel, I guess. I'm sticking to it.

southernhelle,
I can sort of understand where you're coming from. But at the same time, I think your original post was just a bit rude. And if you think there's too much "forgetable bullshit" post more often with unforgetable bullshit or be quiet.

That's all.

Bossy

southernhelle, do you just come out of the woodwork to start another round of bullshit and then retreat back wherever you came?

Surely to God, rather than starting a bullshit thread such as this, you have more productive things to do with your time. Perhaps finishing your part of the original chain story, the Millenium Project?

Whether you're "brainless" or "brained", I don't think it much matters if you're still a bitch about it.

K

oops!

[This message has been edited by Lasher99 (edited 03-27-2000).]

I am in all threads, my son. You have only to look closely enough.

DCL, I don't think the discussions on some of the topics you mentioned are wacky. Movies and cock size can be discussed seriously, don't you think? Sure, they're not weighty topics, but they're not silly either. (At least not to the pencil-dicked guys.)

The silliness I've seen isn't to be found in the topics (the vampire thread excepted) but in the sometimes endless sexual posturing. Yes, I've flirted here, but hey, a little of that goes a long way. Some people make me want to take up a collection so I can rent a hotel room for them. Yet, this is a BB, so it's my responsibility to just skim past that stuff if I don't like it.

I don't think this thread is a round of bullshit; Southernhelle has a valid point, even if she was rather forceful in her expression of it. However, I don't think that restricting the board is necessarily the answer. This board is like all things in life; you have to take the good with the bad. (Unless we're talking about Fake Name's diatribes.)

[This message has been edited by whispersecret (edited 03-27-2000).]

Hey everyone,
Don't get mad at Southernhelle. I understand what she is talking about. When you are part of a site that starts to grow like Literotica there are a lot of changes from the good old days. Sites are fun in there early days when it is like a tight little club, but things get a little more diluted with growth. You have to accept the trade off in the end. I used AOL the first year it existed. It was a blast. Now it sucks. I don't think the growth here will have a negative effect. I'm sure Laurel will keep things in check. Enough said.

Jesus was posting and I missed it. Argggh
Did he happen to register?

Helle there are just lots of folks here these days. You have been gone long enough now to know how many of the newbies feel when they don't know the background of a thread or the posters, and it just seems like silly stuff without that knowledge.

Many are the new posters and most of them are good. Some for their insights, some for their humor, some just for their personality.

The literotica part was always mainly the stories and they have improved at least grammaticality. The volume is high enough now to pick and choose.(sorry guys I just can't read all the stories like I once did)

The BB is as it always was, folks trading opinions, advice, humor and lies. The topics seem to follow a wave pattern with light humorous stuff, then serious stuff, often the serious topics lead to a blowup between persons which causes a period of light humor to settle back in again.

Hmm. I haven't noticed that at all. I see the same mix of sillieness ("Does cock size
matter?") and seriousness ("America and Guns").

I agree. In the "good old days", there were stupid threads (the Cum Taste fiasco comes leaping to mind) and stupid fights (again, the Cum Taste fiasco). We also had interesting debates and light-hearted silliness, as we do now. Some of the more intellectual posters have left, but so have some of the not-so-intellectual posters. In their place, we have a new group with varying interests and tastes mixing with the "oldsters".

I think when you're involved with a group of people, you tend to take their discussions more seriously. When you leave for a while and come back & see others partaking in similar discussions, they may seem trite or trivial because you're looking at them from a different perspective. So I know where you're coming from, Helle, but I think if you go back and read the old threads with an objective eye then read the "new" threads, you'll see there's very little difference in the subject matter or quality of posts.

Believe it or not, this board is not about curing cancer, stopping racism, or saving the world from nuclear devastation. It's about SEX - it's about FUN. It's about all of the people who come here - whatever you're thinking, feeling, etc. I don't want this to become a pretentious place where people feel intimidated because they can't write Pulitzer Prize-winning posts on The Big Issues. On a sex board, the occasional cock size thread isn't trivial - it's vital.

I feel very lucky in that the people who post here are by and large very intelligent. Some of you are more intellectual than others, but you all seem to have informed opinions and the ability to express them coherently. However, we need to make a distinction between the intelligent and the pretentious. Part of intelligence is the ability to use vocabulary appropriate in a situation and to choose appropriate subject matter for said situation. Like it or not, a discussion on the literary contributions of early 1900's Russian writers has no place here - though it would allow those participating in the discussion to show off what they learned in college English classes, it is irrelevant to the subject of this board. I support intelligent discussion, but have no interest in this board becoming a sea of pretentiousness. So, if you come to a board that is based around something as physical as sex and expect it to be all intellectual debate, you're going to be disappointed. Believe it or not, even highly intelligent men worry about the size of their cock, and many smart women think about shaving their pubic area.

So, no - I disagree. This ain't the shallow end. This is olympic-size deep-end action.

I wrote a wonderful paper on Yevgeny Zamyatin (he's the guy that Orwell stole the idea for "1984" from) way back in my college days. If you think it would help, I could post it.

[This message has been edited by Lasher99 (edited 03-27-2000).]

SH... show us a board with half the wit, drama, lightheartedness/sillyness, and love (yes, I think in our own crazy sort of way, there is love for each other here) as the Literotica general board, and we'll beat a path to get there... until then, we're all staying! Every topic and it's comments has merit, or there wouldn't be so damn many of them! Hell, the fake names even gave us a laugh or two (does anyone else miss the sarcasm?)

Laurel, from a 3-month "newbie" like myself, I say: Keep up the great work!

Helle, I was concerned when I read your post. I was partly concerned that there may be truth in what you say - but more concerned that you lodge a complaint without even trying to suggest a solution. Do you have any ideas to improve?

I like what Laurel had to say. I agree with her that this is a discussion board for all people. There will be discussions for everyone - and many of them will not cater for you. But if there is something that you want to talk about, then post it yourself rather than feel hard done by because somebody else hasn't done it for you.

Helle, I generally like what you have say and ten to one your thoughts will generate interest. But you must be more proactive and then just sit back and give us a chance.

[This message has been edited by slut_boy (edited 03-28-2000).]

I have to say, that in every aspect of life you have your serious side, and your silly side. We can't be serious 24/7 otherwise, no one would have fun.

When a serious thread is started and I have something to add I will. If I feel like adding to a silly thread then I will do that too. For some reason, I think, and I may be wrong, but I think it's The Auction, that is bothering you most. If I am right, then don't open that thread. And, if I am wrong, then don't open the thread(s) that did bother you.

We all come here for different reasons. Some for advice, some for fun, some to just read what is going on and never to post. Whatever, your reason is for being here, no one has the right to say whether it is right or wrong. Just as in RL no one can tell you what is right or wrong for you. Only you know that, and you can act on it.

I for one, don't take your criticism personally. However, I do know, that I am an itelligent person. With that being said, I must go on to say that I also read many of the posts by yourself, and the others that were before me for quite a while before I started posting here. My husband and I would sit here laughing our asses off at some, or I should say most of the things that were posted. That is what prompted me to start posting here too. I found that some of you took things more seriously than others, but you were all able to express yourself in your own way. I am an Accountant and deal with serious issues all day. I love the fact that I can come here and be serious when I would like to be, and just damn right silly too when that mood hits. I do the same with my RL. I can be dead serious when the need arises and just plain silly and anything else in between. That is what make me.. me. And, that is what makes us human.

Well after having followed this thread for awhile, I'm going to try to say what I think. I just hope it won't be to bad formulated, since my mind don't always seem to follow a straight path. And english not being my native language, might make it a bit more difficult for you to understand. So I humbly appologize for the grammatically errors that I'm bound to make.

I'm a newbie here on the BB myself. But I do think that there are a both serious and very funny topics here. Sometimes I just sit and laugh out loud about what some people say. And other times I sit almost flabbergasted, when I read the serious and wise topics that the same people respond to, or start. And I honestly don't think that I can start those wise topics myself.

I think it shows that the people that post here are inteligent, and don't just come here to talk sex and have cybersex.

I for sure try to follow the general tone there is in a thread. For example the thread "A brief description of who you are" that turned into the auction, there you can be funny and come with some crazy comments. But then there is the thread "Early retirement" where it isn't appropiate to come with funny remarks, but it's needed to be serious, and give the person some support if you can, because the person was very serious when she started the topic.

Well that was my comments, and I do hope they make sense.

ShyGuy

Okay. I must admit that I live a great part of my life in the Cyber universe. And I for one do not think this BB is shallow, unserious or childish.

Want childish, shallow or unserious. Go to any political BB on the net. More childish, mud throwing arguments/discussions, can't be found anywhere else.

Southernhelle. You were a regular when I was a little puppy here. Now, I have never been upgraded to regular/experienced anywhere else on the net.
And I will continue to be coming here for a very simple reason.
Everybody here are intelligent people to me. We fool around, sure. And some of the threads has made me go WTF!!!
But I quite frankly wouldn't know where to get the mixture of joy, joking and seriousness if this place was shut down. (Laurel. DONT YOU DARE!!!!!!! )

I love this place. What other reason do I need??

Southernhelle:

I respond at the risk of being labeled one of the "brainless" contributors by you. I'm a newbie here and your attitute about contributions by those you don't include in your perception of "substantial contributors" seems somewhat amusing and disturbing to me. My first impression was that you are a fairly arrongant person. I mean you have to feel pretty confident that you are one of the "brained" to make yourself the self-proclaimed judge of not only what is "substantial", but who is "brained" and who is "brainless." However, another way to look at it is not so much that you are arrogant, but that you are a person who is uncomfortable with what is unfamiliar to you. I recently returned from a vacation to a lovely seaside town in the carribean. It was my first time there and I was enchanted with its beauty, the hospitality of the people there, the food, the local culture and the first rate accomodations. However, my traveling mate had been to the same spot several times and spent the entire trip pointing out all the changes and comparing (in a nagative way) the place as it exists now and how it existed in his memory.....not at all accepting of any changes because it interferred with how he knew the place at one time. Despite my determination to block out his negative reactions to the changes and to just enjoy the experience from my own virgin perspective, his comparisons irritated me. Your perception about the lack of substantial contributors reminds me of that attitude to a certain extent. I believe that one of the awesome things about the internet is the obvious, the ability to exchange ideas, news and banter with people of all ages, nationalalites, educational background, viewpoints and socioeconomic status. I am unimpressed with the cliquish attitude you sometimes run into on boards and chat rooms that I felt was expressed in the original post of this thread. With technology as it is today, there are many means of having private or semi private communications with anyone you happen to want to share with...why would you want to make a public forum like a BB exclusive? I may be way off mark here in what prompted you to say the things you did in your post.....it may be that you are neither arrogant nor uncomfortable with the different experience this board now is for you...I hope so. Anyway, just this newbies two cents. Boo

[This message has been edited by Boo (edited 03-28-2000).]

Boo, would you mind if I asked you a personal question? Well, I can't really be expected to wait for the answer, so here it goes *laughs*. You said somewhere on another thread that you are an attorney - I was wondering what kind of work you do, thats all.

Slut_boy,
I work for a small general practice firm. We do alot of plaintiff's work, criminal defense and also matters of equity, probate and domestic work. I am primarily responsible for the domestic caes, divorce, child custody, adoption etc. but am involved in the personal injury and criminal defense cases in the firm as well. And I know from your posts that you teach Con Law. That's got to be a great job.....

Excellent analogy in your first post to this thread, Boo. A very astute observation.

Boo, that was extremely well expressed and presented, and I agree with you, though I think a mistake we all make on the BBs is reading too much into a short post. I think you may have over-analyzed SH a bit.

Whisper, certainly I think discussions of movies and cock size can be important and productive. Wacky was just a word I threw out there without checking my thesaurus. I simply hoped to make a distinction between light-hearted, fun discussions, and intellectual debates, both of which exist here.

Everything cycles, doesn't it? If you think there's too much light-hearted this week come back next week.

Gonna go check the Vampire thread now...

Hi Boo,

Thanks for the reply. Sounds great. I used to practice as well (not for very long), and sometimes I miss that. Especially now as an academic the only private work that I do is opinion work for practioners - usually on a point in limine *laughs* and so I miss the contact with clients. But I don't miss the stress which I am sure you often feel yourself under.

Anyway, best of luck Boo - and thanks again for the reply.

OK - I have read this thread of discussion about 4 times today - each time refraining from posting .. but somehow, as a "newbie" myself I have a feeling I should be giving perspective on this.

To whom it may concern:

I have been a long time lurker here - and I did and still do enjoy most - not all - of the discussion in and around here. This is why I decided to finally become a member and subscribed - as I see have many other people and seemingly still are.

(un)fortunately me and some others happened to "stumble" into one of the most delightful and maybe most silly threads - the auction.

Now - seeing this as a request to give some information about ourselves - combined with the "bidding for most sexy" ... this may have eluded some of the newbies, including myself most likely (since the other ones already knew their virtues and vices I assume) to present ourselves in a rather forward manner. I felt it matched the style of this discussion.

You may have seen some of the newbie names on other topics too though - and I for one try to "adjust" to the tone of the theme discussed. You will not see me make fun and behave like an erotomaniac in a serious thread as e.g. those of Endlessly.

I run a cyber community myself - with a BB and discussion forums and all - and people come and go (and around my "realm" we are talking about people between 15 and 25 years of age mainly), but most stay and so it grows - but this is what makes the place "alive" and buzzing - and it is the way I like it... and why I like it here at Literotica

Now, southernhelle, as for you being scared of some of the stories those newbies might submit .. I assume you too had at some stage a "first time" - and comments such as that make us new authors really self-confident to say the least and are found deeply encouraging. Nevertheless I will be submitting some things I wrote soon and you are free to let me know what you think about them. Of course, they represent my likes , the preferences of the men I wrote them for and about - and not all are true but fantasy, so I might even have written things that are not likely to happen or work ... but they are my - our - fatasies wrapped up in erotic fiction.

Oh only one last thing to mention - you know, literotica is becoming a quite international community, and not all people visiting are blessed with english/american/australian being their native language - I hope you will give people like me credit for keeping some comments to a seemingly shallow level - some things discussed at Literotica are not just subjects they teach you the vocabulary for at school - so bear with us, we are learning.

Thanks for listening to a newbie's ramble - and again - I am talking for me and only for me here.

Hecate

[This message has been edited by Hecate (edited 03-28-2000).]