# Why Don't Youth Predominate SD Like Other Forums? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2013, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776 "2013-02-09T08:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/121 "2013-02-12T15:18:46Z")
> [@bump](#): > > (in other words, people who in their 20s may be concerned with posting constantly on facebook and tweeting about whatever inane thing they’re doing that very moment or where they are may become less interested in that, and more interested in intellectual stuff like the SDMB in their 30s and 40s.) As opposed to the 40-somethings on this board and their inane ramblings about how much they hate Apple and Facebook and any music made after they turned 20 is awful? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/122 "2013-02-12T15:41:58Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > No, it’s a proper discussion forum as well. The site is split into various topic specific subreddits. I already linked to some upthread. What you saw is the “frontpage”, basically whatever is most popular on the site right now. I clicked on one of your links, and have the same initial impression as Vinyl Turnip. When I click on one of the Reddit topics, it displays a threaded discussion of a linked news story. The threaded replies are more like what you’ll find below Yahoo news stories than in a discussion forum. However, I didn’t create an account and sign in, so maybe there’s a Reddit members-only forum? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/123 "2013-02-12T15:51:37Z")
Reddit is a discussion forum. It is not a vBulletin-style forum, but it is still a discussion forum. The fact that it even lacks some of the graphical features the SDMB has and yet still manages to attract skrillions of younger users should be yet another point against the “the youth needs blinky sigs” hypothesis. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/124 "2013-02-12T15:57:41Z")
My guess (I’m open to evidence to the contrary) is that most of Cecil’s online fans first learned about him from reading various free “alternative” newsweeklies (like the Austin Chronicle) in the Eighties. That explains the demographics of the SDMB regulars, why the regulars here tend to be very liberal (with rare exceptions like moi) AND rather old (I turn 52 this week, so that definitely includes me). Readers of alternative newsweeklies are starting to skew older, just as regular newspaper readers have for a long time. Younger folk generally agree with Ghostbuster Egon, who said “Print is dead.” Hence, they never read the papers where Cecil’s column appears, and never get turned on to the web site. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/125 "2013-02-12T16:06:43Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Reddit is a discussion forum. It is not a vBulletin-style forum, but it is still a discussion forum. The fact that it even lacks some of the graphical features the SDMB has and yet still manages to attract skrillions of younger users should be yet another point against the “the youth needs blinky sigs” hypothesis. What graphical features does this board have? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/126 "2013-02-12T16:08:38Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > What graphical features does this board have? It has a nifty blue and yellow banner at the top of \*every \*page. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/127 "2013-02-12T16:09:33Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > I clicked on one of your links, and have the same initial impression as Vinyl Turnip. When I click on one of the Reddit topics, it displays a threaded discussion of a linked news story. The threaded replies are more like what you’ll find below Yahoo news stories than in a discussion forum. However, I didn’t create an account and sign in, so maybe there’s a Reddit members-only forum? No. You can post links to news stories and discuss them. You can also create a “self post” just containing text like you can with vBulletin. There’s a unified interface for both. > [@Vinyl Turnip](#): > > What graphical features does this board have? Smilies. Reddit has no smilies. ---
**Author:** ![Jr.DNA\_test](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jr.DNA\_test](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jr.DNA_test)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/128 "2013-02-12T16:18:29Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > I don’t know if we still have it, but I think we at least used to have a rule where you were only allowed to show your signature once per thread or once per every 50 posts (that’s by default a page), that’s why sigs are off by default. You know, there probably aren’t too many things that would qualify as patently asinine. This rule would certainly be one of them. I’m starting to get the picture of a repressed pit of bones covered by rotting flesh than the enlightened place Simple Linctus imagines to be frequenting. And someone please comfort Capt. Ridley’s Shooting Party. Reddit may be the brain-child of Facebook and Twitter but it’s ok to be on there. No one’s perfect and it does have its uses. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/129 "2013-02-12T16:19:20Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > What graphical features does this board have? The gray boxes and lines separating posts from each other are what I meant. Reddit lacks even that. Also, smilies. And the little icon indicating whether the user is currently online or not. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/130 "2013-02-12T16:21:41Z")
> [@Jr.DNA\_test](#): > > And someone please comfort Capt. Ridley’s Shooting Party. Reddit may be the brain-child of Facebook and Twitter but it’s ok to be on there. No one’s perfect and it does have its uses. I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to interpret this post. Why would I need comforting? > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Also, smilies. And the little icon indicating whether the user is currently online or not. And different fonts, and different font sizes, and different colours for text. ---
**Author:** ![Jr.DNA\_test](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jr.DNA\_test](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jr.DNA_test)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/131 "2013-02-12T16:24:03Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think this hits the nail on the head. I’d go one further, and say that the same things that keep the vast majority of non young adults away are the same things that would keep teens and younger adults away, except that as people mature, a larger proportion of them are attracted to more intellectually challenging things like the SDMB, or great literature, etc… I wasn’t feeling too well yesterday and did not highlight this quote. A candidate for best quote of this thread. What a remarkable list of intellectually challenging things. The SDMB, or great literature, etc… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jr.DNA\_test](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jr.DNA\_test](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jr.DNA_test)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/132 "2013-02-12T16:27:23Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to interpret this post. Why would I need comforting? Your defense and promotion of Reddit seems to be a little fevered. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/133 "2013-02-12T16:29:13Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to interpret this post. Why would I need comforting? I don’t know what it’s on about, but I’ve just been ignoring it. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/134 "2013-02-12T16:31:58Z")
> [@Jr.DNA\_test](#): > > Your defense and promotion of Reddit seems to be a little fevered. I think you mistake “fever” for general bemusement at the SDMB’s two firmly established conceits bubbling to the surface again: that a) all young people are retarded and b) the SDMB is some _sui generis_ home to the best and brightest minds on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Jr.DNA\_test](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jr.DNA\_test](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jr.DNA_test)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/135 "2013-02-12T16:37:01Z")
To be fair, I’d bet if we were to judge by Reddit perhaps as many as half of young people would in fact come off as retarded. And yes, the SDMB certainly does not appear to be home of the best and brightest minds on the internet. When did it become so damn important to everyone to be the best and brightest? You can lose track of what that is supposed to mean. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/136 "2013-02-12T16:37:17Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Smilies. Reddit has no smilies. Reddit also has no user avatars. A few subreddits (subforums) offer “flair” to users. Often its a short text blurb, but sometimes it may be an image. The underlying CSS of subreddits can also be customized by their moderators. A stock, uncustomized subreddit: [Reddit - The heart of the internet](http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/) A slightly tweaked subreddit: [Reddit - The heart of the internet](http://www.reddit.com/r/Curling/) A clean Apple-themed subreddit: [Reddit - The heart of the internet](http://www.reddit.com/r/apple) A highly customized subreddit: [Reddit - The heart of the internet](http://www.reddit.com/r/gameofthrones) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/137 "2013-02-12T23:22:09Z")
> [@Jr.DNA\_test](#): > > What the hell is a Faustian pact? [Faust](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust) > [@](#): > > Faust is bored and disappointed. He decides to call on the Devil for further knowledge and magic powers with which to indulge all the pleasure and knowledge of the world. In response, the Devil’s representative, Mephistopheles, appears. He makes a bargain with Faust: Mephistopheles will serve Faust with his magic powers for a set number of years, but at the end of the term, the Devil will claim Faust’s soul and Faust will be eternally damned. The term usually stipulated in the early tales is 24 years–one year for each of the hours in a day. > > During the term of the bargain, Faust makes use of Mephistopheles in various ways. In many versions of the story, particularly Goethe’s drama, Mephistopheles helps him to seduce a beautiful and innocent girl, usually named Gretchen, whose life is ultimately destroyed. However, Gretchen’s innocence saves her in the end, and she enters Heaven. In Goethe’s rendition, Faust is saved by God’s grace via his constant striving—in combination with Gretchen’s pleadings with God in the form of the Eternal Feminine. However, in the early tales, Faust is irrevocably corrupted and believes his sins cannot be forgiven; when the term ends, the Devil carries him off to Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Jr.DNA\_test](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@Jr.DNA\_test](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jr.DNA_test)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/138 "2013-02-13T00:13:45Z")
> [@Jr.DNA\_test](#): > > First time I see a forum where you have to check off a box to show your signature. It’s like an anti-Faustian pact to make yourselves look old. Damsels in distress in these parts would probably go down the Hansel and Gretel route. 😉 I have a couple of Wikipedia pages in tabs to read beyond the first few paragraphs still. Your quote is really strange though. The little I read made more sense. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/139 "2013-02-13T03:42:40Z")
A fair number of posters who joined while under the age of 25 have now been posting for 1/3rd or even 1/2 of their lives. I’m at 1/3rd myself. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776/140 "2013-02-13T03:54:25Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > You really think a lack of avatars is keeping youth away? Seriously? Not keeping them away, but if a 20-something looked into a bar, for example, and the people were all dressed in suits, s/he would likely think “bor-ring” and move on. When I look into some forums (and bars, for that matter), there are so many animations, colors, and decorations that I can’t locate the posts without hunting. The Dope is like a very plain, no frills bar with only hard liquor served neat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-youth-predominate-sd-like-other-forums/649776.md?page=8)