This is indeed an important thought, as seemingly innocuous forms of participation that pass for the norm elsewhere are often viewed as destructive and at-odds with our aims here.Originally Posted by 120mm
Posters of the "that is totally the most bad azz awesome-looking boomstick ever" ilk damage the board in two ways: (1) they disrupt the flow of serious discussion with empty, juvenile banter (i.e. the proliferation of senseless white noise), and (2) they draw in others with a similar mindset, whose posting practices are likewise devoid of any substantive value (i.e. the replication and breeding of assclowns). The membership base at M4C views this kind of posting activity as subversive, no matter how benign the intent, because it drives away serious-minded professionals who make a forum like this one worthwhile. The site staff and mods exist to protect and serve the interests of this base.
We all understand that sometimes a post is just a post, and not every missive is going to contain some deep insight or great revelation; that said, the larger pattern of participation must be toward substantive contribution. By this, we mean that we expect our fellow members to pause for just a moment before hitting the "post" button to consider whether what they are about to add contributes to the discussion in a meaningful way, advances our collective body of knowledge, or legitimately assists another member.
So, what kinds of self-checks can help a newer member stay on azimuth?
If you're in the habit of adding posts which could be excised from a thread without taking anything away from the discussion, you're doing something wrong.
If you're enthusiastic about a given product, vendor or service to the point of wearing a "fanboy" label, you're doing something wrong.
If you aren't paying attention to what you are communicating with your language, or are careless in your use of profanity, you're doing something wrong.
If you are having a hard time accepting that some gear/gun choices are inferior to others, you're doing something wrong.
If you're argumentative, or disrespectful to another member, you're doing something wrong.
If you're posting just you're bored, lonely, or have nothing better to do, you're doing something wrong.
If you're leaving others with the impression that your experience base is confined to video gaming, an Airsoft militia, or high school, you're doing something wrong.
If you're dispensing advice on a topic or situation in which you have no first-hand knowledge, you're doing something wrong.
If you're working on your post count with an eye toward getting your numbers up, you're doing something wrong.
Now, we're not really about the "don't" list around here, of course, but often people can't begin to assimilate the right standards until they see some of the wrong ones spelled out. With this in mind, one can rightly infer that adding posts which play a legitimate role in conversational development, are measured in their tone, intelligently-worded and underpinned by your own experience will always be very well-received.
M4C is different, and the difference is deliberate. If that makes no sense to you, or you view it as unnecessarily hard-edged, then accessing the forums in a read-only mode is adviseable. We have no wish to create an offense nor to be unkind about it, but the mindset and culture of the site will be safeguarded -- at your expense, if necessary.
If this does make perfect sense to you, and you are resolved to be a serious student of the defensive use of fighting arms as working tools, then we are unquestionably a stronger resource with you here. Welcome!
AC
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