Well, like, I know the existence of most people on the forums. Theres a small group of active members who come on every day, and who are familiar with each other. Nationstates is too large to have that.
Not really. A lot of us have rival views and conflicting personalities but that just creates some good debates. The problem is some of us (me included, sometimes) take it a bit far with personal insults and what not.
Only a few people post here regularly. After a while you start to figure out their writing style and learn more about them on a somewhat more personal level.
Its like living in a small town, whereas going to a big forums is like going to the city, you don't really know anyone. On these forums you kind of figure out who has the same views as you and who doesn't and that makes us interact a lot smoother.
They both have their benefits. In a smaller forum, you can make friends and experience a hate like no other. On a bigger forum, you can look at an asshats posts where he's making an idiot of himself and then probably never see him post again, while making it harder to get closer to other posters.
And a lot more companionship. I think in the end there is more companionship than hatred. I don't hate anyone on these forums, and I only strongly dislike a few people. Whereas I really get along with a lot more people.
Besides look at all the friendships that have been made because of this forums, everyone has gone away from this forum gaining something. Really that is all that matters.
Nationstates is the big leagues for debate. Serious discussions are damn near impossible to have here because there are only about 5 people over 18 and only two or three who are educated enough to have them. I remember coming off the NS forums and thinking how ridiculously low the standards for discourse are here. Of course, being out of the game as long as I have means I've definitely lost my edge. These forums are centered around the relationships between members, which is interesting and a hell of a lot simpler than NS (and forums like it), but also means that you actually have to build your own character and reputation (and more importantly, live by it). One thing I really miss about NS is that you can't get banned for simply upsetting other people, and sardonic, acidic debate is the expected norm. What I really don't miss are the hordes of cookie-cutter reds and anti-theists, and the presence of literally hundreds of people like Lenin Cat.
Well, if that is your opinion on the forums that you have been to, it raises the question whether Kali's forums would be successful. Think about it. You assert that most forums that you have been to are leftist. If that is how the majority of the forums are, it is likely Kali's forum would either become leftist or it would have dubious success. And realize that it is not the person who creates the forums that controls the political tone, but rather the people who go to that forums. If the majority of the people who went to Kali's forums took on a leftist position, it would be considered a leftist forums, regardless of what Kali does. Unless he bans all the leftists, of course. Then it might take on a rightist tone.
If I had a forum, there wouldn't be any rules or mods. People could spout all the juvenile bullshit they want, but have it come right back at them. This is the internet, not daycare.
