Wonder what happened to power posters who no longer post?

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

First of all, this thread has become horribly derailed.

 

Second, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix. It explains how (and more importantly WHY) people have become so opposite and polarized in their opinions by SHOWING how we are not getting impartial data regarding ANYTHING from the internet. Google, FB, Instigram, etc, only presents links to information that supports what you already believe and not necessarily the truth by any means (it even tells of how a pro football player fell into the 'flat earth society' and came out supporting this belief). Unless you don't use these platforms, or really know how to search for data, you are only hearing one side of things, and it may not be the 'accurate' side. This is MUST WATCH TV before you should take a strong stand on any topic.

[njbm 2,870]

We started a chat on an online swing site with a couple. When he started telling me that Soros and Gates controlled everything and covid was a hoax (last year), it was game over. 
 

A relative of mine who is a human superspreader (gave covid to four close relatives) gave my father bad advice on taking tylenol before his vaccine. Have no idea where she gets her info. I get Gold’s advice to seek objective sources for info. Some news sources give intentionally bad news because bad news sells. 

[Idahocouple6969 294]

12 minutes ago, njbm said:

We started a chat on an online swing site with a couple. When he started telling me that Soros and Gates controlled everything and covid was a hoax (last year), it was game over. 
 

A relative of mine who is a human superspreader (gave covid to four close relatives) gave my father bad advice on taking tylenol before his vaccine. Have no idea where she gets her info. I get Gold’s advice to seek objective sources for info. Some news sources give intentionally bad news because bad news sells. 

As soon as people start spouting conspiracy theory websites and information they got from a a friend who knows someone who heard that.... well I am going to ignore it. I want to do everything I possibly can to protect myself and those around me.  

[Lionheart72 2,190]

2 hours ago, GoldCoCouple said:

First of all, this thread has become horribly derailed.

I do apologize for my part in that... not that I don't think it was an interesting conversation, but it was off topic and so I stopped myself. A problem with forum threads as opposed to real conversations. Conversations drift from topic to topic naturally... not so much on an internet forum.

[AndrewandAnn 360]

33 minutes ago, Lionheart72 said:

I do apologize for my part in that... not that I don't think it was an interesting conversation, but it was off topic and so I stopped myself. A problem with forum threads as opposed to real conversations. Conversations drift from topic to topic naturally... not so much on an internet forum.

Threads are conversations. They only practical difference is that it is occurring on-line versus over a telephone or in-person.

 

As you correctly indicated, it is part of the normal course of communication. On all the other forums in which I participate (not lifestyle forums, but other subjects), when the conversation naturally moves too far away from the original subject, the moderator(s) will simply split it off and create a new thread. It's not really considered a big deal. I realize this community, however, may have a different norm. And I can appreciate that.

 

In any event, my sincere apologies to those who feel the thread was hijacked. The conversation was interesting and I simply got too wrapped up in it.

[njbm 2,870]

It doesn’t bother me if conversations drift. Nice to communicate. 

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

I also don't have a problem with the thread wandering, I was just pointing out the obvious. I am also not a conspiracy theorist and usually tune out when people start talking about them (kook, koo), but the documentary The Social Dilemma actually interviews the people on numerous platforms who flat out say 'yes, we did and do that'. It's all about the money. They want you to click on their links and if the links go against what you are already thinking, you won't click on them. As a result, they give you links, no matter how good or bad they may be, that reflects what you already are leaning towards believing. Please take the time to watch it and them form your own opinion. That's my point: get good data from both sides of the story and form your own opinion. If, after doing that, your opinion is different than mine, I'm okay with that. If you feel like you wasted that hour, I promise that I will give you your hour back.

[cplnuswing 4,713]

Sometimes threads do go off topic, and sometimes we split them, sometimes we don't right then, just sort of depends on the topic, etc. If it is two swinging topics, they will probably be split.  If not, probably no split.  Sometimes it might be even a good while later when we run up on a thread where it temporarily derailed and on those we might strip out the off topic stuff that is now probably years out of date and leave the never goes out of date original question about "how do I talk to my wife about swinging" or whatever the question was. 

 

I look at threads as having two lives. There is the here and now conversational type life that may have some off topic or bantering back and forth about whatever, and then there's the thread's second more focused and more enduring life as a reference source that someone 10 years from now may find useful and informative. Both have value in their own way.

 

In general, we try to use a light hand on here and now conversations since we want people here talking with each other, pretty much why we exist after all

[AndrewandAnn 360]

19 hours ago, GoldCoCouple said:

I also don't have a problem with the thread wandering, I was just pointing out the obvious. I am also not a conspiracy theorist and usually tune out when people start talking about them (kook, koo), but the documentary The Social Dilemma actually interviews the people on numerous platforms who flat out say 'yes, we did and do that'. It's all about the money. They want you to click on their links and if the links go against what you are already thinking, you won't click on them. As a result, they give you links, no matter how good or bad they may be, that reflects what you already are leaning towards believing. Please take the time to watch it and them form your own opinion. That's my point: get good data from both sides of the story and form your own opinion. If, after doing that, your opinion is different than mine, I'm okay with that. If you feel like you wasted that hour, I promise that I will give you your hour back.

Yes, I am aware of this behavior. It's called "confirmation bias" and it occurs when people seek out seek out information, opinions, etc. that mirror and support their own beliefs, values, etc. and avoid anything that might pose a challenge to them.

 

Business has been profiting off this human tendency since the beginning of time. Today, the difference is the size and scope of the monopolies and the fact that they are posing as being independent. At least when Joseph Pulitzer or William Randolph Hearst published an editorial in one of their newspapers, you knew it was the expression of an opinion and it was designed to sway you. The motives were entirely transparent. In contrast, the slime balls that run the social media monopolies lack the integrity, transparency, and truthfulness to admit they are manipulating their subscribers to both line their own pockets and promote their political agendas.

[cplnluv1 872]

After reading the newest posts I understand why many long time posters are missing. 

[njbm 2,870]

I think some are just not swinging during the pandemic and have no experiences to tell us about. 

[cplnluv1 872]

Or they are reading the new imaginative posts and just passing. 

[Rock n Tits 186]

Life or in some cases death

[Fundamental Law 2,885]

Life has an arc, a trajectory. Sometime that veers away from LS, sometimes it comes to an end, sometimes this sort of interaction declines among various priorities. All of that begs the question of why we are still here. 

 

Call it boundless curiosity about the world and the people around us. We had one of those "car conversations" that long-term couples have this morning---would we have grown the same way if we had met someone else, perhaps differently valued and differently engaged with the world? We concluded that our unique synergy--and every couple worthy of the name 'couple' (meaning they are clearly committed and committed to growing together) has their own unique synergy--shaped our arcs. 

 

Not everyone with this worldview has engaged with the LS, of course. But what keeps us engaged is the strength of our respect and affection for each other along with the aforementioned wonderment about our world and the creatures who inhabit it. With rare exception, given the opportunity, we think we would enjoy dinner and a conversation with those who have been part of this online community for years -- and more. Perhaps that's why, when we learn of the death of someone whose writings here were familiar and passionate--padoc comes to mind, we reflect on the opportunity missed.