Job Discussion Forums

Nauczyciel

Let's just not reply to all these political rants, even if they annoy us. They will go down to the bottom of the page and fall into oblivion where they belong. In exchange, let's reply to all teaching-related subjects so that they are up. Easy? Easy. So do it!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

So why is it that we don't do it? We all know this, yet we keep...hitting...the reply button.

There's probably a moral in there somewheres

matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

I posted a non-political message related solely to teaching a couple of hours ago and despite being replied to twice it has already slipped down 6 places behind more political stuff...

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Why do you think that is?

matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

Because there are not enough people interested in teaching on this forum. Either that or the same 2 or 3 people repeatedly post messages that have nothing to do with teaching and then argue about things amongst themselves until anything related to teaching is so far down the list no one sees the thread.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

If folks are so lazy or so blind that they can't identify a thread that interests them 15 threads below one that clearly doesn't--or are incapable of using the scroll function--do you really want to hear from them?

That was a rhetorical question, Matt.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I try to strike a balance in my postings...I'll post on most of the teaching threads when they come up, but only on one or two of the political threads, since most have gone circular anyway.

If there is such an outrage, why haven't the mods done anything? It's not like they aren't here lurking.

I might get slapped by the mods for this, but here's an angle no one has considered. The more posts and the more participation in these threads, the higher the hit count and search engine rankings for Dave's. As this site sells advertising, and the ad prices are directly related to popularity, it serves Dave Sperling's interest business-wise to have such heated threads.

Sure, there's a tipping point where too much politics changes the relevancy of the forum as a whole, but I don't think we're there yet. Mods, any opinions?

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Matt's right. There aren't enough people interested in teaching on this forum.

There are some on the country forums, however. Not a lot, but certainly more than here on General Discussion.

I have found that-- at least in reply to what I have posted about teaching on the Mexico and Newbie forums--folks were interested in keeping threads going and also sent me some pretty good PMs.

Perhaps the complaints about politics are also symptomatic of there being quite a few folks on this forum who either don't express their opinions OR who object to opinions being freely expressed because they don't agree with theirs.

And Guy, I think you have a point. If nobody posted on Dave's the site would go t*ts up in no time.