Lack Of Content

I have no problem with an occasional video, if it fits the conversation. But it seems like the forum is being bombarded with videos these days. Every thread is full of Youtube content and I do more scrolling than reading. I'm not watching all those videos; if that was my goal I'd be on Youtube instead of a discussion forum.

 

I don't know about others, but I seldom watch a "long" youtube. First, I scroll across the bottom to find the length. If its over 10 min. , I ignore it. Just like a long post, if its over 3/4 of a page, I don't read it.

Why don't those who post videos or you tubes, just summarize it if its very long. Or, why don't they give the essence of it, such as look at 5.39 min. to 7.1 min. to see the point they're making, for example. Just name the topic. If I'm interested, I'll do my own research without any help.

 

I suspect if every post, that at least one member wasn't interested in, were deleted, there wouldn't be any left.

 

We live in a copy and paste world. A world where swipe has replaced type, a world where one's own words and thoughts are only noticed if they are famous. A meme that has gone viral and seen thousands of times draws more interest than an original very clever one posted for the first time.

I agree we as seniors can do better. We as seniors should have the time to make one great post rather than spend that time with twenty copy and paste. Here is a consideration. I find many seniors will not read lengthy posts. Post using several words that are not often seen or heard in conversation is another consideration. Not everyone is impressed or interested in how many unique words a poster can use trying to impress others.

I enjoy a challenge such as your post above using the word plethora. I knew what it meant in general but looked it up for further understanding. Had you used just two more rarely used words in your paragraph that required looking up, I would have stopped reading because it would distract from your basic message.

The question arises as to what anyone can post without resurrecting the dead horse and beating him again and again for pages and pages. It takes some thought and organizing to put together an original post, especially if it is written from mostly personal knowledge from life experience. It seems these quality content posts get little interest and many times cause conflict with others that have to always best that poster. This discourages quality content posting and makes the old unoriginal copy and paste game a more popular route.

 

I hope this does not come across wrong - but why is it necessary to pick to pieces posts? Granted some are to long, some too short ,bad grammar, misuse of words, etc.
To me just trying to stay on topic of a thread is often hard. My concern is that if too much focus is on being correct and proper it might turn people off. I do realize we all need to be more alert to our postings, but I do not want feel criticized for some feel is a bad post.
As for videos does not matter to me.

 

(in red above): Because Ken pays for this forum and, whatever he sees necessary to help it, he will request.

 

I don't think Ken is picking apart posts, he just wants a different type of seniors forum than can be found elsewhere. I am not criticizing anyone's posts, just giving my opinion of why copy and paste is more popular than original thought posts. For many, forums are a hit and run as they participate in many forums plus Facebook, so time is of the essence. I enjoy all kinds of posts even the ones considered no content.

 

When any members of a forum start being pick on, then I don't like the posts. It's happened to me before. "Why can't we all just get along" isn't really a saying that goes with any forum, due to differences in opinion. People get upset and end up posting things that shouldn't be allowed in a forum and on and on.

Ken has to try, and note the word "try", to control any problems that crop up.

 

Got it.. and thank you

 

Forums need content. If the best one can do is copy and paste then I’m all for it. It's probably something I would not have seen otherwise. Paraphrasing is plagiarism in a sense when one can read the original. Pertinence to the original topic is the key. Verbosity is not a trait shared by all.

 

I hope this is a good thread for posting my concerns about a change I see in SOC. I think it is because many of us have given up some of the interesting things we used to do and readers are tired of our reminiscing which has become repetitious.

A good example of what I am trying to convey is posting about accomplishments like the train Frank designed and built. He is not on the forum due to health and certainly not able to do things he loved to post about and many times accompanied with photos. If we go search some of the early posts, we see a guy that made amazing furniture. He was gone before I arrived.

I know we have a few members that still do things and live lives that make interesting posts and we also have several excellent writers that make any topic interesting, but it seems to me that as members age and do less, we see a decline in what I will call a higher content thread or post based on personal experience and even a decline in lesser in content threads with original thoughts, photos, etc.

I include myself in struggling to post about things of content without repetition that while once having fresh content, becomes stale with repetition.

I wonder if others are also finding fresh new topics, especially those of high content, difficult to come up with.