Let me counter it by noting, that while I acknowledge the value of scattered talk - the shows I would be interested in discussing, don't have a focused thread.

Hmm. That brings up an interesting point. Is there a difference between the nature of the topics that makes one more suited to a separate thread than another? Because what Hec says here makes total sense to me too. Maybe because in discussions of things like television shows, there's a more defined time and place when discussion is (especially) relevant; certainly there's a more defined, though not static, group of interested parties*. Politics talk, though it often arises in response to a certain event or development, seems more free floating, and while the active-posting-group may also be restricted, it's a cohort likely to change from issue to issue or moment to moment. And in fact, it's the variance of that group that gives the topic a lot of vibrance.

So to me, that suggests that politcal subjects really are more suited to general discussion threads, while some other topics, like non-dominant tv shows, would be better served by having a dedicated spot.

I appear to have just talked myself out of a politics thread (where I was already leaning) and into support for a TV thread, should that come up again. Huh.

*And I meant to add, but forgot, that it is sometimes entertaining or interesting to read posts on things I don't watch or haven't seen, so it's maybe worth remembering that it's not necessarily only the known fans of a particular show who constitute "interested parties."

I oppose a teevee thread too. In case anyone was wondering. And also, adult swim sucks. Except for the part where it rocks. I didn't get the memo on the de facto Stargate thread, so I've been missing that.

I definitely agree on the 'whole other culture' thing that develops with the individual threads. There are definitely some denizens of the board that I've never heard of because they operate in different cycles. With me, its generally a show thread thing, because of my tape delay and now general inertia, I never go in there anymore. Except for Minear, cause I get Wonderfalls.

But it leads to a big whopping plate of whatthefuck when the now divided cultures collide. Yes, it's natural attrition due to growth, but I do regret it. It was nice when I read every post on every thread and knew what was up with everybody. But that's just not the reality that is now.

So how do we deal with it? I'd personally rather deal with the disconnect that comes from timezone skipping and skimming than the disconnect that comes from compartmentalizing our topics.

And for the history queries, I opposed the music, movie and LotR threads too. And I used them all. So I'm not saying if we have it, my experience personally will diminish. It'll just be one more thing to try to keep up with. But I do think there is a risk of a negative effect on the boards overall.

Sure, it may be fine, and we may all be civil and thoughtful, and we may only attract fine upstanding citizens with well reasoned and documented views that they're passionate but not obstinate about. But if it isn't, the damage isn't confined to that thread, or to that trial period of time. It runs the risk of damage to the community, and I'll be damned if I let anyone mess with my Buffistas.

t offtopic

So some minor resentment that we've got a Farscape/due South/Smallville thread which has become the stealth Stargate thread.

Stargate was grandfathered in -- I think it was already under discussion in the Farscape thread -- what were you going to do? Ban it when they were combined?

t /offtopic

Yeah. In fact, I think we took that attitude about similar shows for that thread. We kinda knew we might have some additional tv discussion there, we just didn't want to make it a Big Important Issue where the existence of the thread itself would make it inherently a general tv thread. I think if someone started up with discussion about NHL playoffs (what, it's on tv!) in that thread it would get thwoshed pretty quickly. Know it when we see it, I suppose.

I've now written (EDIT: and deleted) two different posts, both several paragraphs long, to attempt to express my thoughts. I am now going to force myself to use three short sentences (after this one) to say what I need to say, because I don't need any more than that.

I will vote against a Politics thread.

I believe it will quickly lead to unhappiness that will dwarf that of recent days.

I believe that because I can easily see myself fomenting the unhappiness.

As the proverb goes, Don't Get Me Started. (All right, four sentences. And a fragment. Two. Four.)

I believe that because I can easily see myself fomenting the unhappiness.

I'm glad to see you saying this, because I think it is true of myself as well. Having, rather naturally for this group, strongly held views, it is unlikely that I personally will be able to discuss hot-button issues dispassionately. I do hope I would be civil. But I rather reckon I would get my ire up a time or two.

And I would not want to contribute to the unhappiness of the board.

We kinda knew we might have some additional tv discussion there, we just didn't want to make it a Big Important Issue where the existence of the thread itself would make it inherently a general tv thread.

It is this very attitude that I consider hand-waving and denial. The dainty little steps around what to put in the slug. But it is the de facto genre TV show, and I'd just as soon see it labeled as such. And if genre tv shows get their own thread (which they essentially) do, then how is that fair that other shows don't? Short answer: it isn't fair. And it's completely arbitrary and flies in the face of folks who say they don't want a general TV thread. There's no defense for it except precedence and grandfathering. But now I'm saying grandfathering has created inequities.

Is it surprising grandfathering created inequity? You take a system that's out of equilibrium, freeze bits and try and ensure additional bits maintain balance -- you're almost guaranteeing inequity.

t offtopic As for it being the genre TV discussion thread -- I have never started a discussion about a genre TV show in there that wasn't grandfathered in. Period. I've continued ones, (because where can you thread-nanny one to?) but try to limit that. I think it's unfair to call it handwaving and denial when at least one of us (possibly more) are respecting precisely the decision that was made. t /offtopic

As for it being the genre TV discussion thread -- I have never started a discussion about a genre TV show in there that wasn't grandfathered in. Period. I've continued ones, (because where can you thread-nanny one to?) but try to limit that. I think it's unfair to call it handwaving and denial when at least one of us (possibly more) are respecting precisely the decision that was made.

"Grandfathering" in this instance becomes the handwave. Stargate is not mentioned in the thread title or header [edit: okay, it's in the header only] or slug. Previously "grandfathering" referred to Threads We Had At WX With Their Own Culture. Now we're using it to institutionalize what was basically thread-drift.

edited to change "you're" to "we're" because I'm talking more about the group decision that lead to Boxed Set, not just how ita uses it.

And if genre tv shows get their own thread (which they essentially) do, then how is that fair that other shows don't?

Because this community started out as one Buffy thread. Genre television is what brought us together.

I'm still on the fence about the politics thread.