The Psychological Dynamics of Message Boards

[Cal]

Originally posted in the OBW -- My Journey thread in response to comments about this board.


The attraction of this board isn't just the LC, it's also part of the psychological dynamics of boards in general. I've said before that they are very addictive.

I've been on one before that was centered around a particular musician and I saw the same things going on that occur here--the same psychology, the same misunderstandings, the same ebb and flow. I found it very hard to break away. I kept coming back. Why? Because I had an emotional investment in it.

All you need to get addicted to a board is:

1) A board covering a subject you are interested in and have strong feelings about.

2) An opinionated personality.

3) Enough participation on your part to initiate an emotional investment in the board. I.e. You care about the stake of your opinion in the board and even more your perceived status on the board. You don't want to be misunderstood. You don't want ideas you disagree with to take hold.

4) Adversaries. Someone who might paint you or your ideas in a bad light. This will always keep you coming back to defend yourself.

4) The time and the temperament to hang out on a board.

Board addiction is a strange phenomenon. We don't get addicted to clubs or other social settings as we do here. Our knowledge and experience of others in the group is nebulous and tenuous. Yet our bond to the board is strong. I think the reason is we feel we can "make our mark" at a board like no other place.

I have a high IQ and I'm a good writer. I'm highly opinionated and have a strong sense of indignation about injustice. I think I'm right about what's right. I'm extremely logical and also pretty emotional. I'm somewhat introverted, a computer guy and a pretty darn good typist. In other words, I'm tailor-made for board addiction. Perhaps you are, too.

Anyway, like I said, the dynamic I've seen here is the same on other boards. They move in group-feel-driven, emotional swings, up and down, up and down. There is a unsettling mob mentality which rears an ugly head on down cycles. During the down-cycles, invariably some people check out, promising never to come back, but secretly hoping that someone might miss them enough to encourage them to stay. People feel bad that people leave because they feel it's evidence they shouldn't be here either.

But on the up cycles you feel like you are in the company of bright, likable people who share your interests. You might even call them friends. You feel engaged. Soon however, boredom and impatience sets in, someone has a bad day, and another down cycle starts. At some point you have to come to grips with the weirdness of boards and decide whether they are for you or not. But I think it's in bad taste to check out and blame the board. After all, it's really human nature at work.

I checked out of the Bereans and have never posted there again. Soon after that, this board appeared and I felt to support it. This board is an improvement over the other board. I think the majority of the stuff has been of high quality. But the "LCS Factor" thread initiated a down cycle which marked the end of the honeymoon.

I disgree that this board is a "bizarro LSM" though it could become one. We do need someone like Pat C, but we definitely don't need certain others. We had some good new folks on the other board who didn't make the transition. I wish a gracious LSMer would post here, but perhaps that's asking too much.

If I might be a bit constructive, I think we need to be able to talk about things other than the LC here. We need a section of the board to talk about spiritual matters in and of themselves. This is smart, gifted group of people and I'm interested in what you guys think about things without their always being in terms of the LC. For example, I've wanted to start a thread about the nature of faith. But I don't want to discuss it in terms of the LC or with obligatory jabs at the LC. Also, I'd like an area on the board where we can talk about anything. Sports, politics, macrame, anything.

The real weakness of this board is that by nature it requires people to dwell on the past. Or more basically, it's a board that requires a somewhat negative attitude. You have to have a problem with the LC to fit in. Any social setting based on a negative can turn into a death march.