I know that the category “Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share” has been reserved as a sort of catch-all for topics that don’t really fit anywhere else, including news of the day. But I think that title is really not suitable for such a broad concept, and could use a makeover. A lot of what ends up there is far too serious and doesn’t deserve that sort of flip, dismissive classification. We can do better.
I don’t necessarily think the answer is to create a whole new category on the board; what is called for is a more neutral heading which makes it clear that it encourages posts that can be serious but need not be; reflections as opposed to questions - discussion starters in other words. Maybe something like “News and Discussion”?
“Because that’s the way it’s always been done” - which is what your statement amounts to - is the worst of all explanations for why something is done as it is.
The name isn’t really an accurate description of the forum, but the description below it is pretty clear:
For general discussion: from frivolous chatter to deep thoughts; from harmless diversions to life-changing announcements.
I think the argument for changing it is, basically, “It feels weird to post serious stuff under a forum with that name, until you get used to it.” And the argument for leaving it alone is, “Well, we’re used to it.” (Plus, it has some sentimental value for long time posters.)
I’m not sure either argument is really that compelling, but I guess a tie goes to the runner inertia.
It could still be something snappy, but needs to be more welcoming to the sort of topics that end up there by default. If inertia is the best argument for no change, that’s no argument at all.
You say it’s an ivy-covered tradition, but I would suggest it has outlived its usefulness, whatever that may have been. Misleading at best, maybe even tasteless when you have to lump in sober or even grim content with the “mundane and pointless”. Is that really worth sticking with?
Here’s an idea. You start a thread that is “News of the Day and Discussion? There are also lots of News and Current Affairs type threads out there already. Read, enjoy, participate in those without being aggravated and agitated. I’m confident that the mods will help you get your new thread threaded into just the right spot.
Then you can start only serious discussions there and you won’t need to be irritated by the rest of us enjoying this one as it is.
It’s a bad explanation, because it doesn’t really explain anything about why it’s been done that way.
But in the absence of a good reason to change, of all the ways a thing could potentially be done, “the way it always has been done” is often among the best, or at least safest, choices.
I disagree. It is the exact reason why so many things are done, simply because it’s the way it was always done. That explains why, and it happens to be a bad reason to do anything. Your ‘fence’ presents an opportunity to learn why things were done the way they were, but it also provides the excuse to say “we shouldn’t change things because there must have been a good reason they always did it this way before”.
I did think bringing this up might strike a nerve. I didn’t think the most adamant opponent of changing anything would be the self-professed “newbie”.
“Tradition!” (said in a Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof voice). “On the other hand - there is no other hand!”
But really Boo, I don’t anticipate a change in one title to cause the whole house of cards to.come crashing down, but thank you for your thoughtful sarcasm.
You clearly haven’t seen the threads about avatars, embedded media, and like/dislike buttons. All of them are changes which signal the imminent death of the board.
I agree that it’s inappropriate to have breaking tragedies in a forum called Mundane Pointless Things I Must Share. I understand there was no better place to put breaking news stories and that tradition carries a lot of weight for people., but it seems to me the single underlying commonality of all stories on that thread is sharing. Why can’t we call it “Things I Must Share”?