The vast majority of regular posting Buffistas have met each other at least once.

I would take that "vast majority" down to a "many." It seems to me like many/most of us have met at least some of the posters who live in our general geographical area, but I don't think the NYistas have all met the LAistas, or the UnAmericans all know the midwesterners.

Thing is it doesn't feel to me like most people use their real names here, it feels much more like a 50/50 split.

I would agree with ND on this. It's good to have in the FAQ as a historical note, though.

And I think I have to start using that to explain the Buffistas. We aren't weird internet people with an almost cult-like fannish tendency. We're a collective.

This should be in the FAQ.

In an ideal world, everyone would observe for an extended period of time...but I'm among those that are far from ideal.

Me too.

I always wonder what goes on with people who CAN just read a conversation about something they're passionate about for months or years before commenting. I'm lucky if I last two hours.

I think sometimes it's easy to forget that a new poster can feel like they're being condescended to as well.

This is a really importnat point, and thanks for posting it.

Rafmun - thank you for posting.

msbelle beat me to it, but I wanted to thank Rafmun too. There are some painful truths in your very articulate and reasoned post. It would be difficult for me to be as dispassionate and articulate in your place.

Thanks for weighing in Rafmun. Since you put it out there though, I must take issue with this:

But overshadowing the majority of posters is a very small group of activist posters who make it their business to involve themselves in most issues. These posters are currently directing the direction of the board by sheer pressure of persistence. These are not necessarily the board moderators, but rather, they are the proverbial squeaky wheels. These activist posters' points are not necessarily stronger in any given debate, and there are even a few posters who will persist in misdirecting debate away from actual points (i.e., the recent discussion over tone evolved without taking into equal consideration the points being forwarded).

Like any community there are going to be people who are more vocal, more "activist", and more apt to weigh in on any given topic with their opinions. But they reflect the opinions of a broad range of the Buffistas - newbies, oldies and in-betweenies. They are most certainly not "squeaky wheels" - a term which carries a rather negative connotation as if they need to be oiled and shut up. I have also not seen any posters deliberately engaging in misdirection. From what I can see, people here post from the heart - sometimes with emotion, sometimes with intelligence, usually with both, and always with sincerity.

I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but your post seems to imply that there's a secret subversive gang that tries to impose its will on the rest of the community. There isn't.

Thanks, Wolfram. I was feeling kinda depressed about us.

I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but your post seems to imply that there's a secret subversive gang that tries to impose its will on the rest of the community. There isn't.

Except possibly MM and Clovis, although in their cases 'the rest of the community' translates to 'all sentient life'.

But they reflect the opinions of a broad range of the Buffistas - newbies, oldies and in-betweenies.

That, right there, is the assumption that leads to the problems. And as an aside, I would also suggest that it is an inadvertant, but minor, example of the type of misdirection I refer to above.

Anyway, I'm not looking for debate of my points - b/c they are simply my observations, and whether or not anyone agrees is out of my hands. The only thing I can confidently say is that they are true for me. Others will or will not speak up for themselves.

I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but your post seems to imply that there's a secret subversive gang that tries to impose its will on the rest of the community. There isn't.

I didn't see that implication.

IMHO there are individuals who try to impose their will, but there's no organization to it and I didn't see any implication that there was. Nobody is saying there is some sort of Buffista Illuminati.

Rafmun, I read it a few times. You stated a lot of things I've been frustrated with very well. Thank you.

your post seems to imply that there's a secret subversive gang that tries to impose its will on the rest of the community.

Oh, you''ve met Clovis and my ferrets.