Originally Posted By DDMAN26 I was just perusing some old topics and noticed how many topics there were and the amount of people that participated in them. Today while there are a few outliers, the participation has really slowed down. Maybe it's just people have moved on.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost My experience with Facebook has remained pretty civil. I have not friend-ed everyone on the planet so it is a pretty controlled group. I do wish there were a limit of how many kitten and dog "shares" that are allowed.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: For some the Laughing Place pond is still viable. For others it is not. Over time people either continue to be encouraged by the friends they make here--or discouraged by the enemies they make. Just as with society as a whole, people either shun those whom they don't get along with--or they keep coming back for more of what and whom they like. ORWEN: It does seem like a lot of ducklings have left, though. Some people just don't have the time to keep up with each other. ORDDU: There seemed to be more comraderie back in the early days of Laughing Place. I think Doobie was more in charge at the time and kept a tighter reign on those who tended to insult others or lack proper manners when it came to communicating with others. ORWEN: Plus--as time goes by--it seems people are less tolerant of each other. But that's everywhere--not just here. ORDDU: So, for now, this coven continues to visit the Laughing Place pond--hoping to enjoy the left over ducklings that continue to splash about. Hoping for more tolerance and love to be displayed among members... ORGOCH: Got a contract out on somebody here?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I really like LP and will probably always be here (sorry). Some here like me, some probably hate me. Doesn't make me much difference. The conversation is enjoyable and the information is good. Much better than hearing on Facebook what someone is having for dinner... I spend time on Facebook too, but it is a whole different deal.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I agree with RT, the reason I come to LP is for good discussion. It seems that there currently isn't a whole lot of Disney theme park stuff to discuss (other than Shanghai, which is still a couple years from opening), since almost all of the existing projects have opened and there's not anything significant in the pipeline. I'd rather have a relatively quiet discussion board with really good stuff on it, than one that has a ton of posts that are all garbage. I'm not pointing any fingers, but it's quite easy to find any number of the latter type. LP seems to be an exception to that And I spend a decent-ish amount of time on Facebook, but that's almost an entirely different set of topics than LP. On FB, I keeping up with the news of my friends; here I'm keeping up with real(ish) events that have a more wide-reaching impact (yes, I realize how innane some of the discussions can be at times, but I think it still fits)
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost There's a little more to it then that, Witches. When LP first started it was based in California. Almost all of the posters knew each other on a personal basis and made no secret that they were not at all impressed with those outsiders that found their way in once Doobie moved east. Some of the "attacks" were unwarranted, but some were a retaliation at being left out of the conversation so many times by the "insiders". Some of us, like myself, were thicker skinned and just kept hanging around. Over time the originals left because, I think, LP was no longer their own private playground and those awful outsiders were actually arguing with them about stuff. I'm not saying any of this is right or wrong in the sense of how it happened, but as an outsider that in many ways I still am 10 years later, it didn't always feel real friendly toward us.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Yes. That. I've been here for nine years, and in the beginning it was far more cliquish. I actually enjoy LP much more now.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Thank you for your assessment, Goofyernmost, duckling. I guess I never realized the clickishness so much from years ago. But I hope you know you're always welcome within this coven. So are you, Road Trip--and everybody else.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I still love to visit on LP and wish it was more active. I don't post very much anymore because I am trying to overcome my Disney addiction. I don't want to ,but the recent changes with more Character MeetnGreets at the theme parks is boring. And not excited about FP enforcement and next generation wristbands,etc. and price increases for the resorts and attractions. I admit I was weak and almost booked a last minute trip to see Chubby Checker during the Flower and Garden Festival Concerts. I still have my flights but cancelled the room last night to avoid the 5 day cancel policy so I guess I am wavering. I will be really upset if Chubby retires and I miss his last performance at Disney. Anybody planning to see any of the Flower Power Concerts?
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I remember first coming on and being totally amused by the witches and did some covert research, using informers to help me decipher the mystery of the Witches. But you three went away as well. Lately have been making occasional appearances before a group of puzzled newbie's that have been, at times, pretty harsh in their criticism of your particular brand of communication. So it was a kind of reverse situation. You found out how it felt to be on the other end of how the community, not you girls, dealt with us in the beginning. Sad, but true. I personally hope that you keep posting and eventually, as I did, they will start to understand a appreciate what you ladies are trying to do. And then there was Pixie Glitter, who stole my heart and stomped on it repeatedly, leaving me a shattered and empty shell of the man I once was. Oh, the humanity! ;-)
Originally Posted By u k fan I agree to a certain extent with the comments on Cliqueyness(SP?). I registered in 2000 and there were regularly whole topics that I just didn't even understand as they were so littered with in-jokes and the like. I always assumed that part of it was my UK location so I think I was thicker-skinned than some, but it could be tough. LP is still my online home. I agree that I'd rather come here for interesting and educated debate then go elsewhere for 50 posts on why the Princesses are so great!!!
Originally Posted By Princessjenn5795 I have been on here for a few years now, but I have just started posting again after taking a break for several months. I did check in and read posts a few times, but for a while there at least there was a lot of negativity and a couple of nasty troll,s and a lot of the threads were devolving into rants or personal attacks. That seems to have sort of worked itself out a bit, but there is definitely a decrease in the activity here. I do really love this site, and I hope it becomes as active as it was a couple of years ago.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >> Almost all of the posters knew each other on a personal basis << We do?? LOL Unless you went to the yearly Doobie Awards .... or the occasional meet - As some of us met in 2005 for LP's 5th anniversary ..... I would say the VAST MAJORITY of posters here are anonymous and prefer to remain that way ... and only know each other through our posts.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost ^^^^Well, those were the most prolific posters at the time as well. I understand why. It's a family feel, but that didn't stop the way that those that didn't attend the 05 Doobie's felt at the time. East coasters were not taken very seriously at the time. It has changed with time, even before the "old timers" started to leave, but, you could see that when disagreed with it was a situation were many of those just stopped posting. I don't even remember situations being as "hostile", as they are now, especially during an election year. But, people left anyway. This past election was particularly hostile on World Events, and that is why it is pretty quiet now. But, during that time, one dare not have a differing opinion because if you weren't secure in yourself, it was scaring. Anyway, many times the early days threads were funny and interesting and I miss that part of it, but so many were inside jokes that others could not participate in because we didn't have first hand knowledge of what anyone was talking about. It was like being part of a gathering where a group of people were all huddled together laughing and having a great time and the rest of us were standing just outside the circle wondering what it would be like to know what everyone was talking about. What proved that was once a few started to leave the group generally just broke up and no one wanted to participate unless they all were here, the rest of us were not considered worthy of having anything interesting to say, I guess.
Originally Posted By MissCandice How odd. i was just thinking about this the other day. Does LP get enough eyes on its website to make a profit? Do people buy the stuff posted on the right hand side of the page through the LP store? I don't need to know the answer but I was just wondering about it the other day as I was thinking about how LP has changed over the years. I know I've taken breaks off and on since 2005 when we were told by a moderator here that we (the people who post on the boards)really weren't needed by the website to function. I miss the fun of an active board.
