Obviously not part of the clique
What the hell happened to my post?
I actually saw it after posting.
Anyway the question was:
Is the (alleged) SDMB clique a real phenomenon;
Do people here agree because they are ‘in’ (or are they 'in becuase they agree)?
Or is it sinply that open-minded, intelligent people are generally able to independently come to the same conclusions.
Damn; that wasn’t nearly as clear as my OP.
Well, I’m posting with my left trouser leg rolled up and my right nipple exposed, but it is a Friday.
Serious answer: long-time posters are obviously more likely to form friendships and friendly adversaries among each other, which gives the appearance of a clique. As with any other social setting, a new person is obviously going to notice the group of old friends hanging out together. Is it exclusionary? I don’t know. I don’t feel that it is - I’ve never felt part of any ‘in’-crowd and I certainly hope I don’t look down my nose at everyone who joins up - but then again I’m hardly a newbie here.
This isn’t directed at you, Mangetout. I’m assuming you aren’t like the person I’m going to be refering to.
Well. on another message board I used to frequent, there was one fellow who would pop up occasionally and claim that there was a “Clique” conspiring against him. On the other hand, this same fellow, on the boards AND in real life, seemed to exhibit symptoms of a personality disorder. Possibly even Schizophrenia.
So, like the saying goes: “Don’t assume conspiracy when stupidity could work just as well.” You know, Occam’s razor, and all that rot.
Ranchoth
While there isn’t an “in” crowd as such, there are certainly posting patterns which can create that illusion, especially if you concentrate on one or two forums or one or two topics.
You can pretty much guarantee that on any of the controversial issues, certain longtime posters will appear in threads about certain topics. We know each other’s viewpoints on those topics pretty well and I suspect that sometimes comes across as us “ganging up” on the person arguing the opposite viewpoint.
What you might not see is that those same posters who appear to be posting as a united front in one thread will be arguing totally opposite viewpoints in a thread about a different topic.
While there isn’t a “clique”, each forum has a core group of posters who are extremely familiar with each other’s opinions and posting styles, just as each topic attracts its own core group of posters.
In addition, many regulars keep in touch with each other by email, IM, chat, and phone, as well as having met other posters IRL - those relationships which are maintained outside of the SDMB are very often reflected in posts made here (especially in forums like IMHO, The Pit, and MPSIMS).
I agree with reprise and Crusoe, some long-time posters just know each other better.
A lot of us European dopers interact more with each other because we’re up and about while most of the US dopers sleep, doesn’t mean there’s a European clique. If there is, I most definitely am not a member.
However, I do think that some posters see a clique and try to fit in. The ones I find most sad are those who try to gain acceptance by joining in a pile on. You can spot them in troll hunting threads all the time.
I wouldn’t want to be member of any clique that would let me join it. 
Thats because you don’t come to the dopefests! 
There is no clique. 
An then we have a poster who is a clique of one all by himself. Y’all know what I mean.
Actually, I think that what forms the impression of a “clique” to newbies here are the inside jokes. There’s nothing wrong with them, IMO, but when they’re told, they go over the newbies’ heads, leading them to think that everyone else is part of this group and they’re on the outside looking in.
But that’ll mean having to go to London! I hate London.
And rounds! I’d have to buy a round of drinks!
At London prices…
::Faints::
On another message board I frequent, there are (of course) accusations of cliquishness. People turned it around and made it into a huge joke, there are probably 200 or more “official” cliques and more being formed everyday. Members generally note the cliques they belong to in their sigs – anyone can join. Its pretty funny. Its a horse-related message board, and the cliques range from geographical (I’m a member of the hallowed Michigan Clique, and I suppose I could join the Midwest clique if I wanted), to breed and/or color-of-your-horse cliques, to certain products you like or hate cliques, age-related cliques such as the high school, college and grad school cliques, to “I read the messageboard at work/school” cliques and on and on and on.
Well hush my mouth and take me to the pit.
Intelligent/open-minded/independent.
Not universals around these parts, I’m afraid.
Inevitable really.
\
This is true, but I don’t think most people react to this by thinking there is a clique, as in an exclusive bunch of “in people” that no one else can hope to join. I haven’t been here that long but all it takes is a little reading, spending time here, and visiting more than one forum to pretty much get the gist of things, and get a feel for how things go. There is a feeling of being the new kid for a while, but that happens any time you join something in progress. Like going to a new school.
IMO, usually the people that think there is a clique are a little too sensitive when people don’t agree with them, or they bring up something that has been (over)done without checking first, and then wonder why everyone jumps on them.
But I have seen long-time posters get piled on too. Naturally there are groups of friends, but there are enough people here and enough diversity that I don’t even think having only one clique would be possible.
am I in now?
I’m more involved with a message board that’s been going since 1994. I joined in 1996. There are regulars there, as well as some who pass through occasionally, and certain others who are long gone and either pined for or reviled.
Some of the newer posters can resent the perceived clique, but on my board (the phlog, as we call it,) those who have been around longer have developed friendships, and the newer ones haven’t. It’s much the same, though much smaller.
If you’re curious, you can drop in and visit, and even post, if you care to. The format is different from Straight Dope. I like phlog’s better, but those who like the Straight Dope format tend to hate phlog’s, and vice versa.
We have lots of conversations about whether we have a clique or not, too.
Un oh … Fear Itself posted an alleged secret link to the SDMB Cabal, and now the link he posted has been intentionally broken and Fear Itself has been banned! :eek:
I clicked on the link Fear Itself posted before the link was broken - it lead me to a straight dope login page. I wasn’t able to access any further so I’m assuming you need to be a mod or admin to progress from there.
I’m wondering if Fear Itself managed to hack into some kind of secret Mods-Only forum where they talk about us and diss us. And that’s why the link was dealt with so quickly, and why the extreme step of banning was used so immediately.
They don’t want us to know what they’re saying about us behind our backs.
Or maybe I’m too paranoid.
As I understand it (and damned if i can remember who said it, though I’m sure it was a Mod/Admin) there is indeed a “secret Mods and Admins only forum”, for the removal, instead of the deletion, of threads. I’d try a search to give you a cite, but I’m still a bit leery of non(very)specific searches, given the past couple days. 'Twere in ATMB, I b’lieve.
Deleting a thread being more of a burden on the hamsters than simply moving it, and all. I’d imagine it’s also useful for cases where a discussion of “Should we delete this? What d’y’all think?” amongst those in power takes place. Allows one to act quickly, with the option of undoing it, if a consensus says one also acted rashly, in a particular case.
In the spirit of the US Army, I am a ‘Clique of One’.
Yeah, but damn! I’ve been around for two and a half years, and I still don’t get half of 'em.
-David