Is there only 20 active users in this forum?

I've said it before and I'll say it again,

1) Comment branches. When you see something I've posted and you don't like it and there are "4 Responses" to it, you can skip the whole thing and go on to the next comment chain within that thread.

2) The only way to show approval is to comment. So you get comments like "Yeah, me too." "Nice." "I agree."

A simple "upvote/like/dislike/whatever" button would cut comments down by........... I dunno, 20%?

I love this site, but yeah, you have to see EVERYTHING that everyone posts, so that can be annoying. I don't mind, I'm here for a laugh and the actual lesson plan sections aren't conducive to banter, which is good if you're here strictly as a professional.

But this site's forum section is about banter, so yeah, you will see things that don't interest you.

That's life.

I don't enter the Trump 2020/American Politics threads for that very reason.

It's pretty cringe to, be fair. I think he's trying yo build his blog or youtube or online brand or whatever so he has to post a lot of .... something. He is funny tho.

I like to make movies. I've always had a fascination with filmmaking, photography and editing. I'm not great at any of them but I get better with time. Filming all this shit for online courses has improves my editing skills quite a bit.

If people like it then fine. I don't have big dreams of youtube stardom, just out making vids about what I see or think.

Thanks for saying I'm funny.

Ngl there's a certain feeling of antiquity to these old forum formats I honestly enjoy. If I wanted to post somewhere that looks and feels like reddit I'd just go on reddit.

i usually just lurk. sometimes i'll type out a reply but usually end up just deleting it. i really wish this was a better place for new members or quieter members to participate.  it would be freshing and beneficial to hear new voices, opinions, and points of view, but i can totally understand why they don't say much.

i think it was co4, stoat, and onnut that mentioned how most threads are just tired memes and corny attempts at starting a pun-train. i agree 100% with them.

it's like a thread cannot exist unless:

demartino types out 3 paragraphs of schizophrenic nonsense followed with 6 wikipedia linked articles on eastern european debate tactics. that's not even the worst part. the worst part is the same handful of waygook heroes that actually engage him. it's not funny or beneficial to anyone, it just derails threads and conversations.

LIC or LI (i'm sorry i can't remember which one it is) dropping in and repping THE TROPICS. if you have such a dope life in THE TROPICS, and such a great job in THE TROPICS,  and a huge house and yard in THE TROPICS...why do you post here? if i lived in THE TROPICS...you know what i would NOT be doing? posting on a website for teachers that don't live in THE TROPICS. i wouldn't give two shts about this website and would just enjoy my life in THE TROPICS.

confusedsaffer posting from taiwan. NOBODY HERE CARES about how much better the weather is or how better off you are. find a website in taiwan for teachers and please post there. you're similar to LIC or LI (sorry again)...it's like if you're so much happier and better off than you were in korea, then MOVE ON.

co2 desperately trying too hard to be popular and funny. first - is it possible for you to make a post without somehow trying to wedge in YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND HER DAUGHTER? it is exhausting trying to read a thread and having to scroll past your 6th...and 7th...and 8th meme or the lame way you try and turn EVERYTHING into a pun or play on words. bro - sometimes people just wanna have a real back and forth conversation without all the immature nonsense and distractions. it's ok if every conversation doesn't include or revolve around you. just because people don't tell you you're annoying, doesn't mean you aren't. please quit trying to be the mayor of this website.

cowboyshirt trying to passively aggressively sht on people. are you new and have a question about how to use your banking app? cowboyshirt LITERALLY cannot understand how you don't know how to use it. are you thinking about buying a common household appliance? cowboyshirt LITERALLY cannot fathom why you didn't buy it on some random exclusively korean website that nobody knows about for 3,000 won less than you paid for it at your local homeplus. you are LITERALLY an imbecile. does he still do that HILARIOUS thing about "sugar is literally poison?" that thing where...regular normal people will be having a conversation on here about cooking, baking, etc.. and crashes into the convo like the kool-aid man and fires up his catchphrase "sugar is literally poison" and then the original people having the convo just sorta give him a pity lol or it just stops the convo dead in it's tracks because nobody knows how to respond. my dude either has asperger's or just tries too hard to be RANdOM & QUirkY.

these people make it hard for other members to participate. they dominate the threads and everyone else is too polite to ever say anything.

Bang on.  One of the best posts I've read on here for a long time.  Hilarious and accurate.  Apancoe gets it's quality not quantity.  There are a select few who have decided they're the gatekeepers here and tend to kill the threads by over posting.  Moderation is key here.  Some people don't get the website is supposed to be for the room as opposed to a private inside conversation between a few posters.  Definitely suck the life out of a number of threads they don't need to do that sh*t in.  Keep it for the random thought themed threads fellas.  If you want to have a running conversation there is that other website where you can do that.  And I think the terms of service state over there "I agree all posts by all posters are always awesome!!!"   No one will mock you over there. 

I want to hear more from Apancoe.  Freshen this place up!

i usually just lurk. sometimes i'll type out a reply but usually end up just deleting it. i really wish this was a better place for new members or quieter members to participate.  it would be freshing and beneficial to hear new voices, opinions, and points of view, but i can totally understand why they don't say much.

.......
these people make it hard for other members to participate. they dominate the threads and everyone else is too polite to ever say anything.

This pretty much sums up the forums.

I browse, occasionally post something, do sometimes find things amusing. Overall it can be an interesting waste of time but whatever the thread the story is the same.

The only solution to a small group of posters monopolizing conversations is for other users to post.

I doubt that moderators have the time to go through and tone-police conversations and nuke everything that's off-topic and whatnot, the only time it happens is one of them is interested in the thread (like with that crazy stories in Korea one).

The only solution to a small group of posters monopolizing conversations is for other users to post.

Yeah, am I supposed to post less because others are intimidated and they don't speak up? I don't understand.  I'll be the first to admit that I post a lot, but...... that's what forums are. The sole purpose is writing stuff. There's a section at the top for lesson plans, one for discussion on anything and a bottom part regarding employment issues.

If anyone has any examples of a newb posting something and a bunch of older users here shutting them down, I'd love to see it because that would be shitty. (Barring my little escapade with alter-CO2, that was.............. that was something)

And yes, I'll admit that sometimes the memes or wordplay can be annoying, and I'm no stranger to that.

The only solution to a small group of posters monopolizing conversations is for other users to post.

I doubt that moderators have the time to go through and tone-police conversations and nuke everything that's off-topic and whatnot, the only time it happens is one of them is interested in the thread (like with that crazy stories in Korea one).

The only solution to a small group of posters monopolizing conversations is for other users to post.

I doubt that moderators have the time to go through and tone-police conversations and nuke everything that's off-topic and whatnot, the only time it happens is one of them is interested in the thread (like with that crazy stories in Korea one).

Yeah, none of the punny group is doing anything malicious and aren't a-holes, so you just have to hope they catch on and police themselves.  Can't be warned for over posting.  Most people aren't intimidated.  It just gets boring.  Bantering a lot doesn't mean you're good at bantering. 

I see the party a little differently than CO2.  I see it as a party where people are mingling and enjoying their conversations but then that one group of people who find themselves hilarious show up and talk extra loud because they want people to overhear them, but other people find them annoying and either leave the party or snap and say "Shut the f*ck up, no one gives a sh*T."   That's how I see Apancoe's post today.  Still laughing.  Nothing better than a normally reserved person getting fed up and speaking their mind. 

Okay, here's a genuine question. Here's a pic from another thread.

This is clearly off topic, even in the comment before this question (the top white box that I had written).  It's a thread about parents views on schools restarting and their views on us; the native teachers. This has turned into an aside about Korean age. So what should Kyndo (or any mod) do?

A) Start a new thread about Korean age because two users had a bit of a go at it?
B) PM me
C) People can ignore this exchange

Seriously, none of what has been exchanged here is relevant to the title of the thread. So, what happens now? Keep in mind, it's a MOD as one of the members discussing, hahaha

Apancoe's post gives me life :)

Normally lurk, recently started posting more. Predominantly have posted materials over the last almost 2 years I've been on here.

The only solution to a small group of posters monopolizing conversations is for other users to post. 

I agree with this but want to counter.

Most of us have been in the situation, especially as expats meeting new people where there will always be a few people in the group that have an opinion on everything, have to put their opinion across and speak over other people.  If we find ourselves with many of these people in a group they will dominate the conversation and all conversations and you will often find that your comments are spoken over, ignored, etc.

Here is where you have choices, you can rise to this, fight your corner, state your case and continue your argument, or you can chose to stay quiet and let them dominate, or you can chose to leave.  This is often where where we see large groups that start in real life splinter to smaller groups as those that wish to fight and those that wish to leave split off and make their own groups.

Online it is similar, but without being able to make the side eyes to others in the group whilst sipping your pint 'oh they're off on it again' so many will stay quiet and read, many will leave, very few (due to anonymous nature) have opportunity to make their own groups.

I don't for one see this is thread as a personal attack on any of those that post a lot, it's their character, and that's cool. But I can fully understand why many of us can't be bothered to join in with it.

I agree with this but want to counter.

Most of us have been in the situation, especially as expats meeting new people where there will always be a few people in the group that have an opinion on everything, have to put their opinion across and speak over other people.  If we find ourselves with many of these people in a group they will dominate the conversation and all conversations and you will often find that your comments are spoken over, ignored, etc.

Here is where you have choices, you can rise to this, fight your corner, state your case and continue your argument, or you can chose to stay quiet and let them dominate, or you can chose to leave.  This is often where where we see large groups that start in real life splinter to smaller groups as those that wish to fight and those that wish to leave split off and make their own groups.

Online it is similar, but without being able to make the side eyes to others in the group whilst sipping your pint 'oh they're off on it again' so many will stay quiet and read, many will leave, very few (due to anonymous nature) have opportunity to make their own groups.

I don't for one see this is thread as a personal attack on any of those that post a lot, it's their character, and that's cool. But I can fully understand why many of us can't be bothered to join in with it.

I like this response. And while some other people have been rather forward and aggressive about their stances, it has made me reflect a bit, which is good, I suppose.

There was the subscription gate that ended up with a lot of posters leaving the site for good out of free will and some were even purged by the dear leader Arsalan.

Then after that you had a few mods who just hated banter so some of the banter posters disappeared.

Then you had Gagevt trying to clear his browser history and ending up deleting the site from the internet for a few days.

Then a rival site formed and some users went there.

The DeMartino effect on most threads results in some users not even bothering to log in or read threads anymore because some folk only get 10 min breaks and 50 mins for lunch.

Finally you have COVID-19. Very limited or even no new teachers coming into the country for the spring semester therefore no new members on here and just the regs rambling on.

Heck even the Trump diehards have disappeared. Maybe they are too busy gathering around government buildings with their AK47s or they contracted corona trying to get an underground haircut, who knows. 

Here is where you have choices, you can rise to this, fight your corner, state your case and continue your argument, or you can chose to stay quiet and let them dominate, or you can chose to leave.  This is often where where we see large groups that start in real life splinter to smaller groups as those that wish to fight and those that wish to leave split off and make their own groups.

Online it is similar, but without being able to make the side eyes to others in the group whilst sipping your pint 'oh they're off on it again' so many will stay quiet and read, many will leave, very few (due to anonymous nature) have opportunity to make their own groups.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the "splinter off and start your own group" option. Any time you have a large group of people, there's always going to be a few who dominate the conversation, even in situations that encourage group participation (literally any class or is a good example of this).

Fortunately, unlike in class, we can sort of just ignore the people that we find annoying since they aren't physically talking over us. Form your own clique, start your own threads, if they get derailed just ignore it and carry on  your own conversation.

Then you had Gagevt trying to clear his browser history and ending up deleting the site from the internet for a few days.

outstanding move

Finally you have COVID-19. Very limited or even no new teachers coming into the country for the spring semester therefore no new members on here and just the regs rambling on. 

I think this is a important point and to take it further.  If you take the site as a microcosm of this year, it's been weird and tough or however you've coped with it, and whether it's not seeing being able to see friends here/travel around/worrying about family/friends at home/not being paid from work/not working/working from home etc.  Unique and fairly strange times and the majority of us dealing with it in a foreign country.  Now things are * fingers crossed * slowly getting back to normal, posting habits will change. 

apancoe pops off and then colburnnn posts a meme that made me laugh (what the **** is going on here?)

i think bigfishlittlefish got it right. sometimes i'll call people out when they post things i disagree with, but i'll rarely stay around for the week long debate that often ensues (unless i have a bunch of time). this alternative does exist: state your case and then gtfo. you only have to engage as long as you want to

I would gladly pay $20 to see a show by a band called

underground haircut

idk if there's a band called underground haircut but you could always go see Cheap Haircuts as a compromise

apancoe pops off and then colburnnn posts a meme that made me laugh (what the **** is going on here?)

i think bigfishlittlefish got it right. sometimes i'll call people out when they post things i disagree with, but i'll rarely stay around for the week long debate that often ensues (unless i have a bunch of time). this alternative does exist: state your case and then gtfo. you only have to engage as long as you want to

You're getting more and more alt-right by the day, pal. McGee will be on your back soon.

I lurk.

I taught in Seoul for a few years back in the late 2000's.  Just sort of like to check-in here from time to time to feel the pulse of the Korean ESL-ers.  Was and still is an interesting and strange bunch.

I don't enter the Trump 2020/American Politics threads for that very reason.
I like to make movies. I've always had a fascination with filmmaking, photography and editing. I'm not great at any of them but I get better with time. Filming all this shit for online courses has improves my editing skills quite a bit.

If people like it then fine. I don't have big dreams of youtube stardom, just out making vids about what I see or think.

Thanks for saying I'm funny.

Not having a go. You're doing the work you gotta do. You deserve success with what you're doing.