Inspired by a post by Sarahfeena, I got to wondering if the SDMB really had cliques.
I see there being many different cliques but I also see overlaps and that all are welcoming to others.
MMP’ers probably form the largest Clique. They appear to be very welcoming.
I seem to fall into the **Sportsfan ** clique, probably as to some degree we felt like pariahs at time on this board. We collectively have a good sense of humor with each other and can handle the usual heavy teasing with only rarely getting stupid about things.
There is a clique of **Tolkien Fans ** on the board and it seems a little odd that we have always been tolerated more than the mainstream sportsfans. This is not how it works in everyday life.
What other distinct cliques are there?
Are you part of any?
Do you think it is a bad thing?
I’m in the Antinor01 clique. We’re very exclusive.
I can’t think of any real groups/cliques I would consider myself part of. I mean yes, there are plenty of other gay dopers, but I often find myself disagreeing with the others. There are other pagan dopers, but I wouldn’t say there is a clique. If anyone knows what clique I belong in, let me know!
There are the TV show cliques. Lost, and some others I can’t think of right now but you get the idea. I joined this board specifically because I wanted to participate in the Heroes threads.
In case anyone answers without reading the link, I’d like to make clear that I was referring to rampant cliquiness on another popular message board, not the SDMB. I actually don’t think it’s a problem at all here…I think people tend to run across folks with the same interests as they have…WhyNot and I have joked about the both of us always turning up in the abortion threads. (Guess you don’t have to agree with each other to be a clique!) And when you “talk” to the same folks over and over, you do form a relationship of sorts. But I have never felt excluded from anything, even from the beginning of my membership, which I think would pretty much be the definition of cliques, isn’t it.
You’ve hit it on the head, I think: a “clique” to me connotes exclusivity. I don’t get the sense that anyone isn’t welcomed anywhere, it’s just that some of us don’t fit in certain threads. I don’t know thing one about sports, but I still don’t feel like I can’t post in a sports thread or that I’d be ill treated. I just don’t *want *to.
The only reason the MMP feels even slightly cliquish to me is that I’m not up on the latest gossip, stories and whatnot that are shared there. And that’s just because, like any extended conversation that’s been running a long time, I don’t have all the backstory. In addition, it moves pretty dang fast, so I feel like I can never catch up. But I don’t feel like I’m being shut out intentionally, and if I really felt like it, I could dive in.
When I first signed up, the whole SDMB seemed like one big clique where you were ignored unless your username was recognized. I don’t think people do it deliberately, though, but it can be a little daunting for anyone just starting to post. I started off in the MMP because it was much more manageable.
Mumper reporting for duty! Just wanted to say that you’re all welcome to join us any day of the week! Just jump right in! Seriously, though, somedays without the MMP I would feel lost. They are like my invisible support system. So, therefore, I’d say that it’s a good thing, although I’m not sure if we truly fit the definition of clique.
There does seem to be a clique of “people who get called out in MPSIMS threads - particularly the flirt threads” I’m not a member of that clique as vanity searches almost invaribly result in only my husband talking about how wonderful I am an no one else here seeming to call out my existance (ok, rarely someone does, not often enough to make vanity searching worthwhile).
To be honest, I still feel this way a lot of the time. I am truly surprised when someone comments on a post I’ve made as it often seems my posts are invisible.
That probably isn’t the case, but when I comment and then someone else makes a very similar comment later that gets quoted and questions asked it gets a bit frustrating.
I definitely think I fall into some of the TV show cliques. Survivor and Lost definitely.
I also think I’m a big part of the video game players clique. And I know a couple of people are completely sick of my analysis of the “console war.” But then others like it, so I’ll stay in that clique.
I choose to believe that I’ve just said it so perfectly, there’s no more to be said!
Oh, I hear you! It always makes me want to go, “Hey? What about my post? Am I on your ignore list or somethin’?” But that sort of traps people into breaking the rule about not saying who’s on your ignore list, so I don’t.
Yeah, but I think we’ve all experienced that. And I think your name is one of the more recognizable ones - or maybe you just happen to post a lot in the threads I’m interested in.
I was also thinking about the mafia “clique” as well, Hal. Although if you read past games, there are only a handful that have consistently played. There’s a high turnover rate, I think.
I don’t think there are cliques (in the sense of exclusive groups), though there are certainly preferences. I also think I could drop off the map and no one would ask, “Where’s susan?” That might be because I don’t share a lot of personal detail and my life isn’t very interesting from a message board perspective.
Just wanted to say that you’re all welcome to join us any day of the week! Just jump right in! Seriously, though, somedays without the MMP I would feel lost. They are like my invisible support system. So, therefore, I’d say that it’s a good thing, although I’m not sure if we truly fit the definition of 
