It's a puzzling Internet we've spawned, I notice at times. Our incredibly diverse cultures and habits blend into one amalgam, a norm, and either we fit in that particular clique or we find another web site to subscribe to. Yet everywhere there seems to be a common belief that we can always find acceptance somewhere, on some forum, in certain company. Why is this? We find a group of netizens with similar interests and assume that we can assimilate ourselves into that group as if we've always been there. The startling truth is that this is not nearly as concrete as we had assumed. Nay, the web is comprised of individuals so varied and conflicting that (it is my theory) true acceptance is utterly impossible. Anywhere. An obstacle always seems to arise that tears groups of Internet "friends" apart and ejects them onto their own separate paths.

Take, for example, an African American web forum. Every poster is black, so they share a common bond, correct? I believe otherwise. At first, everything performs like clockwork, but after the superficiality has worn away, each person's true quirks begin to display themselves. So while each user on our example forum is black, some are Muslim, some are Christian, some are atheist... Some are old, others young... Some are left-wing, others right-wing... Some support violent video games and some don't. Yes, some are even vegetarians. Once these differences rear their heads, conflict is born. In time, this can tear apart the integrity of a web site from the inside out, as suddenly and violently as a bandsaw rips through a sheet of aluminum foil. Of course, reaching this point happens gradually. By the time anyone realizes what's happening, it's too late.

The people on the forum begin to segregate themselves because of their differences, and the situation becomes a Darwinian "survival of the fittest" scenario. The dominant posters of like mind rule the forum and speak their thoughts, while the meeker forumites keep their peace and enter lurker mode. Eventually, these quiet people stop coming to the web site altogether. Then the board becomes the de facto property of the dominant posters, and with exclusivity they indoctrinate all the newbies with their ways of life and opinions on all matters.

Now comes the question: Is this happening to RinkWorks? We've noticed a definite change in the content of posts since the conception of the message forum. Messages are growing stupider and newbies are showing that they can't follow the examples of veteran Rinkies. Heck, I'm still pretty new, but at least I do what I can. :-) I'm just grateful for Brunnen-G and everyone else who has brought this quasiconspiracy to light. Let's bring back the quality that's always set RinkWorks apart from the rest of the bunk on the web. Perhaps we do have different beliefs and lifestyles (okay, no surprise there) but is that a problem? There's no reason for it to be one. So let's put out the flames.

-useless"Intelligent/classy posts? Anyone?"ness

Disclaimer: The opinions presented in this post do not necessarily represent the opinions of the poster. Feel free to comment but don't hate me for my unusual theories of message forum dynamics. :-)