A few site related questions...

I joined here in 2013, and haven't been active for about two years, until recently again. I enjoy this site, but what causes sites to lose membership, and not gain new membership (and this goes for any online community) is when there seems to be a ''group think'' type of attitude that sort of permeates the site. I'm not saying it always goes on here, but at times, it does. And that has a tendency to keep membership low. There needs to be more diversity of opinion, here - not just one type of opinion and if someone disagrees, they're pounced on. It's one thing for someone to be ''trolling,'' or to be posting misinformation. That deserves to be reprimanded. But, it's another when a site starts to resemble an echo chamber, and that will not bring new members, and will drive away existing ones.. Just food for thought.
 
wegs said:
I joined here in 2013, and haven't been active for about two years, until recently again. I enjoy this site, but what causes sites to lose membership, and not gain new membership (and this goes for any online community) is when there seems to be a ''group think'' type of attitude that sort of permeates the site. I'm not saying it always goes on here, but at times, it does. And that has a tendency to keep membership low. There needs to be more diversity of opinion, here - not just one type of opinion and if someone disagrees, they're pounced on. It's one thing for someone to be ''trolling,'' or to be posting misinformation. That deserves to be reprimanded. But, it's another when a site starts to resemble an echo chamber, and that will not bring new members, and will drive away existing ones.. Just food for thought.
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While I understand the fears of "group think" and agree with what you are meaning, I think a lot of members here tend to think they are being attacked when, in reality, they are posting wildly inaccurate pseudo-science or alternative theories without being able to support them. Simply put, if someone is going to post something as a fact, they better be able to back it up with research and a body of supporting evidence - otherwise, it is a theory at best that requires additional testing. New theories are great - it's how new things are determined... but trying to play it off as a "proven fact" when it is, in fact, not proven at all... well, that tends to get the more science minded members hackles up (and rightly so - just look at the resurgence in nearly "wiped out" diseases thanks to things like the anti-vax movement... pseudoscience can be outright dangerous)
 
Kittamaru said:
While I understand the fears of "group think" and agree with what you are meaning, I think a lot of members here tend to think they are being attacked when, in reality, they are posting wildly inaccurate pseudo-science or alternative theories without being able to support them. Simply put, if someone is going to post something as a fact, they better be able to back it up with research and a body of supporting evidence - otherwise, it is a theory at best that requires additional testing. New theories are great - it's how new things are determined... but trying to play it off as a "proven fact" when it is, in fact, not proven at all... well, that tends to get the more science minded members hackles up (and rightly so - just look at the resurgence in nearly "wiped out" diseases thanks to things like the anti-vax movement... pseudoscience can be outright dangerous)
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I agree with this completely, but have noticed it (group think) seep into the political and other non-science related sections. I had been inactive for a while, and returned to find really solid posters had left, it just makes me wonder why they did. (some were banned but not most) My comment is less of a criticism, and more of trying to help because I've seen a similar trend on other forums before and it usually points to the ''group think'' issue.
 
No problem - I'm pretty critical of thought patterns of "just go with the masses" and tend to ask lots of questions when I feel things are being inadequately explained :)
 
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