[Karma Queen]

I'm starting this thread because it was suggested by steve_ber. As I mentioned in another thread (the one about the photo scandal), I have felt in the past few weeks that IndiaMike has changed, and I don't know why.

People seem to be arguing with each other over ridiculous matters, and the mood seems to have got a little more confrontational and rude. I thought I was the only one to feel like this, but steve says he thinks the same... so I'm guessing there are more people out there who agree?

I do love IndiaMike (I've been here quite a long time now), but I do feel as though people need to calm down and remember that everyone has a right to their own opinion. It irritates me when people are arrogant about their 'supreme' knowledge of India: the way I see it, India is such a fanastically diverse country, no one can ever be a true expert - not residents
of India, not people who have been travelling their for years, not people who have been there two weeks.

My proposition? Let's cool it, and have some consideration for other members before we start arguing...

KQ x

[indiawise]

Snarrrlll.. .. yup u have a point. But its more the exception than the rule and i think that the more experienced hands on the forum could chip in to mellow some arguments down.
What i would love to see is some humour in the writing of posts and travelogues! cheers...

[Nick-H]

I think you are right

But I also think that there is an oversensitivity to anything negative, which gets jumped on, which leads to more arguments and recriminations.

So yes.

[AvidTrekker]

The changes are subtle. But very much there.....

Generally people are not patient. Sometimes rude. Newcomers do not do their homework [at least read some IM threads before posting question!!]. Some of the tone is of outright arrogance. Someone quotes Buddha but only to show off. Not to behave the buddha way... by practising what Buddha preached.... only to score points.

Yes, there are many newcomers who are quite the know-it-alls. Even on trifles such as transportation and hotel-room-quality-and-service. [which are bound to change every now and then]

All these things are bound to happen. Change is the only constant in this visible Universe.

In spite of all this, IndiaMike still remains the place to hang out. For me, by choice. Thanks be to Mike [The big Paneer]. May God Bless him and his missus-to-be for a very happy and fruitful wedded life.

[skell]

Originally Posted by Karma Queen

I'm starting this thread because it was suggested by steve_ber. As I mentioned in another thread (the one about the photo scandal), I have felt in the past few weeks that IndiaMike has changed, and I don't know why.
People seem to be arguing with each other over ridiculous matters, and the mood seems to have got a little more confrontational and rude. My proposition? Let's cool it, and have some consideration for other members before we start arguing...
KQ x

I agree that consideration for others is important.

But, I don't think that IM has changed much. There have always been (since I've been here) contraversial topics, political opinions and threads that have gone way off track. It's part of what makes this forum interesting. But, if I find the thread offensive or boring, I just don't read it anymore. (Okay, sometimes I add my 2 cents ) Usually it either fades away, or our wonderful moderators put it out of it's misery.

This is still the best travel forum in cyberspace!

[Karma Queen]

^ I agree. IndiaMike is fantastic, and many many travellers would be lost without it!

[cyberhippie]

Some need to wake up to the idea that your say will never be final here, all opinions are read and different people will read differently into the content of a thread and make their own choices!
Much of the argument here on IM stems from people trying to relate their point of view based on their experiences as the absolute truth!!
That's a foolish way to think, more so when the subject is India. Is there a more varied, complex country on earth??? I doubt it. So when it comes to giving the "absolute truth" on India think again, there's gonna be an completely opposite take on things going on, as we speak, in some part of India!!
A great example of this was the recent "smoking on trains' thread, everyone gave their expereinces and we "amiably" came to the conclusion that smoking was both banned yet went on anyway.......... Such is India!!

We've always had hot debates about India here on IM but things have changed, probably because we now have a much wider audience, therefor more opinions!!
Which is great but with this comes the inevitable clash of personalities, as the opinions become more varied, people start "virtually "banging the table to be heard above the rest, which is sad and as these post are often heavily subscribed to I wonder what new members must make of it all??
Worse than this I feel is the "chatty" feel of IM sometimes, it's great to be friendly and feel like your part of something but often frivilous posts are kept on the front page by hyper posting! Some answer posts with 10 one liners, where their point could have been made with a couple of answers, I know posts go this way sometimes but I see a lot of threads that are just people chatting!
It keeps the new "travel" posts off the front page and is just bringing down the tone a bit IMHO
Of course as usual here at IM it's not all bad news and much of the IM spirit lives on, with good honest info being shared by great people who take the time to help!

[byronic]

I personally, have just dropped out of some threads recently because I felt a bit of "know it all" hostility and attitude. I just don't want to be part of any drama.

Also some threads have gone into shameless off topic spirals, and loose their OP queries?

Anyway, I've just chalked it up to: 1) The Heat 2) Everyone going stir crazy waiting for the Monsoon 3) All the planets are in Uranus :P , and 4) Uncool know it all, testosterone hostility...

Ya I feel it too, let's chill folks

[crvlvr]

I don't think it has. Certain topics (religion, the british raj) tend to bring evoke passionate responses (which may include mudslinging). These threads come and go.

Actually, I am disapointed on IM, threads are closed because other members ask for it. With no warning to the offender, who, in most cases, just think he/she was stating the facts. People have different ways of expressing themselves. Remember, we have no control over what other people say, we can only control how we react.

I've noticed that on other boards, when things get out of hand, the moderator asks the offender to "tone it down". Further violations will be penalized. Here is a great example by Cyberhippe:

Your attention to detail seems rather flawed, and some of your latest essays counter productive! Though a bright pupil your often desent into the inane needs attention! That said your contribution here has been great and as such I'm willing to go easy on you THIS time!!

No, I am not advising the moderators how to moderate this board. I know its a tough job. I am just stating my observation.

[DoDi]

Sometimes the tone of written posts can be misinterpreted as being harsher or more combative than the author intended, i.e. that the writer was scowling when perhaps they were actually smiling.

I'm a newbie, so you may take my opinion with that grain of salt, but I also think that interesting threads are closed too soon because there is disagreement among the participants. I enjoy a good (civil) argument because I learn quite a bit from the clash of ideas... even when I've taken an opposing POV I appreciate very much when someone else challenges it.

[Merchant]

I don't think we (the greater IndiaMike) should be afraid of spirited discussion or strident opinions. In my years here, I've only seen a handful of threads turn truly nasty. Most of the high-energy ones are just an exchange of pendantries at high volume--but people generally aren't attacking each other. This is easily the most generous and humane discussion board around.

[Dr Funkenstein]

Compared to a lot of other Internet Bulletin boards, IndiaMike is very calm and well-mannered. I don't think I've ever seen anything remotely approaching a flame war in all the time I've been here.

Having said that, tempers do seem to have got a bit frayed lately and I totally agree with KQ when she says this:

My proposition? Let's cool it, and have some consideration for other members before we start arguing...

[snowcrab]

India Mike is a truly great travel resource. I'm getting down to working on particular travel issues for my trip in October and finding (with the search function) such a wealth of really great information informed with the kind of personal response that makes it alive, not just data.

I'm probably one of the worst offenders when it comes to just enjoying India Mike as an online conversation around the globe about just about anything. Compared to some other such conversations I've participated in it's not really all that bad. Sure sometimes things people say get under somebody else's skin and they make a boarderline rude remark but I have never seen the kind of all out flame war erupt on IM that I've seen happen on other boards. I'm thinking about the CBC board which got totally insane and was shut down because of the cross boarder sniping going on at the start of the Iraq war or on other boards where a few people having a conversation have actually asked others to drop off because a few people want to have a private conversation! I think the moderators do a very good job of keeping that stuff down to a dull roar-kudos to all of you.

I also value the many interesting links to other sites participants share.

My pet peeve is people who don't use the search function and start yet another thread asking "Where can I find a cheap hotel in -----" without using the search function first. Coming close second to them are those people who want to do a research project or paper about India and expect the many well educated people on India Mike to come up with resources for them.(Though even then I had to chuckle at the lady who wanted people to help her to fake her term paper after spending her trip to India just hanging out at one resort!)

All in all I think that IM is a very interesting and well managed site. I hope the moderators take this to heart. It is possible to be too demanding of oneself, which usually means ending up being too demanding on others. We are all human beings here and that is pretty much a definition of imperfection. So I think a few reminders like this, to be kind to one another, especially to let newcomers in on the ground rules is all that is really needed.

[wandering_kat]

There's that old saying - "familiarity breeds contempt". Maybe, as IMers become more familiar with each other and feel like "a big family" (as a few people have put it), they feel less need to be reserved about their responses - just like we all are with our own families vs complete strangers!

[Sprocket]

I've only visited the country once, for eight months. The lasting impression I have is extreme tolerance and compassion by the vast majority of people for me as a dusty, unkempt Brit on a Bullet. We should reflect this in our conversation as a mark of respect.