Taking a break

[Flick James]

This site has been a tremendous source of entertainment and stimulation for me. Not only is it a great site dedicated to my fascination for bad movies, but has also been a source of many fascinating social/philosophical/ideological/political discussions. I can be very opinionated at times, and have no troubles expressing my views, but I also enjoy the exchange of ideas that I have come to love at badmovies.org. But in the end, this is a bad movie site.

I've felt lately that the site is sort of being overrun by those with axes to grind. I don't mind the disagreement. Like I said I enjoy the exchange of ideas. However, it just seems like there is an attempt to make the site a place for furthering agendas than exchanging ideas. It is to the point that threads that have nothing to do with such endeavors get hijacked and some sort of social/political agenda gets woven in.

This may seem a somewhat hypocritical complaint since I am one of the guiltiest when it comes to jumping into debates without hesitation. Perhaps it is partly because of this that I need to take a break for a while. I thought about just refraining from such discussions, but I think I just need a break so that if/when I return maybe the site will be a little more fresh again and I can have more fun with it. Not that I don't have fun with it now, but I just think that it has become too much of a site where people have to air their political laundry every chance they get. Like I said, I'm not judging. I know I'm guilty too, but it just seems epidemic now that politics/world views are finding their way into too many areas where they are not asked for or welcome. Because I contribute to this myself, all the more reason to take a break out of respect for what this site is supposed to be about, celebrating and making fun of bad movies.

I don't know how long of a break I will take. I really have no idea. I may log in occasionally to read reviews or contributions related to movies.

I do want to let everybody know that this is nothing personal toward anybody in particular, I'm not hurt or angry or trying to make a statement. Besides, I have a lot coming up in the next couple of months with a third child being born, trying to start a new business with my wife, and everything else that I'm likely to be a bit overwhelmed. The reason for this post is more because I've been here long enough, and may even actually have a few members that might miss me if I suddenly disappeared without explanation. I am very fond of all of you, so I know sooner or later I will be back.

Your friend,
Flick James

[Chainsawmidget]

Do what you've gotta do.  Everybody needs a break now and again. 

[RCMerchant]

I'm gonna get a break whether I want it or not (NOT)-cuz they should cut off my internet for non-payment loooong ago.
Because even thoug I dont post a lot like a few years ago-still come here every day-and reading it is fun for me.

[Menard]

I take breaks fairly regularly from the forum. As a matter of fact, someone could say that I more appropriately take breaks from being away from here.

Essentially, I come in for a while, then after my insomnia has been cured...

I think the forum has become a reflection of American society over the past decade. I think it was you, Flick, who mentioned about us being so polarized as a country. Anymore people are either wanting to talk issues and opinions, or wanting to avoid it, though I think more of the former. Not only has our own politics over the past decade and the economy spurred this on, but I think us being constantly plugged into media has spurred this on as we are being inundated with others' philosophies and want to be heard through all of the noise.

I could be wrong, but I think the discussions are being held to their own more than they used to be. Yes, some can't help themselves but to somehow inject their politics and religion into completely unrelated threads, as you rightly called someone on that recently, but the threads with potential for heated discussions are being marked (i.e. as PT or by use of the thread title) a little better.

Activity on the forum has dropped to a crawl. If it were a simple message board without separate forums it would be a good amount of activity, but with so many forums, and especially compared to what it used to be, it has slowed down in its old age.

Of course changes in our internet habits and competition from social networks is often blamed, but that is only partly responsible, IMO. We've been saying for a while that the heated discussions are pushing people away, and they have. Those who want those discussion and to interject their politics and religion into other discussions have, and several of us have just simply slowed down in our activity, fallen off, or just outright left as a result.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, at one point I was defensive and fond of this forum, but it has become someone else's forum, and if it disappeared tomorrow it wouldn't matter to me. It's a shell of what it used to be.

[indianasmith]

My friend, I will miss you tremendously.  Your comments are always thoughtful, educational, and well-phrased.
I hope I'm not one who gave you offense - my respect for you knows no bounds.

Hurry back!

[Andrew]

I've been noting the uptick in political threads lately and they always lead to problems.  It's funny you posted this, and I believe one of your reasons is not likely the political threads causing arguments, because Monday or Tuesday night I was thinking over the same problem.

We're probably going to go to a "no political threads" rule here shortly, at the very least until the election is over.  The site is about movies, and the political arguing only adds vitriol to any post. 

[Menard]

...political arguing only adds vitriol to any post. 

I dare...I double dare you all not to use this word, especially in relation to heated and/or political threads. This word has become the bastard step-child of the forum.

[RCMerchant]

The forum gets older-we get older.
We dont get p**sed-
we get crochety.

[Flick James]

I've been noting the uptick in political threads lately and they always lead to problems.  It's funny you posted this, and I believe one of your reasons is not likely the political threads causing arguments, because Monday or Tuesday night I was thinking over the same problem.

We're probably going to go to a "no political threads" rule here shortly, at the very least until the election is over.  The site is about movies, and the political arguing only adds vitriol to any post. 

I ALWAYS respect your decisions, Andrew. However, I hate to think that I am encouraging or influencing a policy decision. I love the philosophical discussions. I would hope there was a solution that did not require a ban of any kind. I love freedom, baby!

But I understand the quandy you are in as administrator and trying to run a site dedicated to more whimsical endeavors.

[Menard]

...trying to run a site dedicated to more whimsical endeavors.

Whimsical...like me picking on Andrew?

[Andrew]

I ALWAYS respect your decisions, Andrew. However, I hate to think that I am encouraging or influencing a policy decision. I love the philosophical discussions. I would hope there was a solution that did not require a ban of any kind. I love freedom, baby!

But I understand the quandy you are in as administrator and trying to run a site dedicated to more whimsical endeavors.

No, I'd say that we're going to have to implement that rule pretty soon.  This election is looking to be just as messy as the last, and I personally like to get away from the political arguing.  Some seem to believe that is should be discussed everywhere and with everyone, but that's just not the case.  There are places and times to discuss it, and the course of the country is a very important topic, but sometimes it is acceptable to just sit back and talk about things that are not critical.  

I miss the times when our big arguments were because one person didn't think that "Hell Comes to Frogtown" was the best movie ever made, and the other person thought it was better than "Citizen Kane."

[Menard]

I miss the times when our big arguments were because one person didn't think that "Hell Comes to Frogtown" was the best movie ever made, and the other person thought it was better than "Citizen Kane."

I could always start something on Zardoz again if it will give you that sentimental feeling.

[Andrew]

I miss the times when our big arguments were because one person didn't think that "Hell Comes to Frogtown" was the best movie ever made, and the other person thought it was better than "Citizen Kane."

I could always start something on Zardoz again if it will give you that sentimental feeling.

No, no.  I still get emails from those types from time to time.  If it were not for the different writing styles, I'd believe it was the same person over the years, just changing their email address every time. 

[indianasmith]

You're the boss, Andrew, and I will respect your decision.



But I will miss the debates!

[Menard]

I miss the times when our big arguments were because one person didn't think that "Hell Comes to Frogtown" was the best movie ever made, and the other person thought it was better than "Citizen Kane."

I could always start something on Zardoz again if it will give you that sentimental feeling.

No, no.  I still get emails from those types from time to time.  If it were not for the different writing styles, I'd believe it was the same person over the years, just changing their email address every time. 

It probably is the same person...just one of their other personalities.