Bogie, Gracie, BTK, Tal, 2BNTV, John W, other long time posters question.
 

Not trying to be negative or controversial, but just curious. Does it seem to you that their are far fewer posts that are interesting or entertaining on TOTV than there used to be several years ago? Maybe it is because I have been on here so long that I’ve seen most things that people have questions or interest about. Maybe it is because I’m less interested in what happens in TV than I used to be. Whatever it is I just don’t find as much that interests me on the forum as I once did. Just curious if you find the same or if you disagree.

I wonder that myself. I think we had a stint of moderators being very quick to stop certain kinds of discussions. It must be very tricky and hard to be a moderator, because what one person thinks is interesting, another might find controversial and on this forum there are heavy opinions about politics based on the population that almost always overwhelms one side. I know I have been puzzled sometimes after being deleted or worse. I usually TRY to be a rule follower.

I find most posts are not that interesting anymore.

Many of the more interesting posters were kicked off or just left for Facebook or some other site.

And, unfortunately, there have been a lot of passings of Talk of the Villagers since I got on here in July of 2007.

Look at society in general.
Whole groups of the population waiting to be offended.
Consequently you finish up with nanny type moderation.
Therefore nothing with a subject to get your teeth into gets very far.
It's a shame.

I'm most interested in politics right now and our voices can not be heard on this forum regarding this subject. I get it....the rules and that sort of thing. I have checked the "Current Events and News" sub-forum each day and there have been as many as four days go by without one single post. That is just ludicrous considering the political climate we are dealing with currently. I go elsewhere for politics discussion and guess what? People can be very civil discussing this most toxic subject.

As far as other subjects and forums on this site, I do find enough to keep me interested so I continue to come back each day. The pandemic is one subject that usually can get by with decent discussion before the treads are closed. I really like to keep up with the pulse of what Villagers are up to.

My opinion only, and take it for what its worth.

First I share your interest in politics, but as you say...not allowed.

Over the past years....everything has become politicized. Our government has an opinion on not only political folks, but football, baseball, basketball, and all leagues, rap star, movies, state law, city law, the virus, the flu, any pandemic, social media, news networks, news commentators, law, some city crime, internal politics of any country, military strategy, newest and oldest conspiracy theories, cable news rankings, television shows, etc., etc.

Our government has spent more time discussing that and other things....THUS,

Not much left that is not considered political any more, OR can be switched to political with ease.

Of course, the discussions on legislation, issues, taxes, infrastructure, etc. etc are lost in the verbage that some consider politics.

Moderators thus will face that decision every day, every hour. We don't discuss politics anymore.

For the record, we did have a decent political discussion area about 12/13 years ago, manned with differing opinions on ISSUES, opinions given with credible solid links, and heated, but respectful discussion.

Very first "political thread (it prompted the establishment of an area to discuss such things) was concerning a group that wanted to locate a horse track in 301 and prompted heated discussion. TALKHOST saw an opportunity to allow that kind of talk and it flourished for quite awhile. Of course that was before a lot of internet interference, or involvement in everything, and posters who cared about policy, not individuals

I thought in the past TOTV was pretty boring and never posted except for classified until the mods let up a little about a year ago. I liked people with different opinions from mine like Bucco as long as it stayed somewhat civil. In England debating style is much more oriented to personality than to facts than in the United States. There was a TV show years ago where someone from England and someone from the US would debate a topic and the difference in styles was very apparent.

I’m not one of the older members you referred to but thought I’d offer my 2 cents anyway.

I agree 100%. It iss less interesting and moreso, seems to be more mean-spirited with plenty of snarky posts. And that's not even going into the political stuff.
I don't think it's just this forum, it seems like the world is becoming that way.
It's sad, but I just make the best of it, I'm blessed and pretty happy in life.

I have never thought of TOTV as boring. As time passes and new members join the posts tend to move to different topics or return to ones heavily covered in the past.
In the early days we didn't seem to have posters being so critical of new areas of construction. There was more speculation at that time of what was going to happen and discussion of rumors. Also in our early days we didn't know everything about TV, so threads providing what was happening or going on made it more interesting.
Recently in the past 6-8 months a number of posters began instilling political statements both direct and subtle. I thought this degraded what others were posting. It wasn't interesting to see these posters feed off each others posts. This led to the new forum.
If someone wants political chatter they should find another forum, there must be many out there.
The moderators do have a tough job to keep everything within site rules. And deletions will not please everyone.
I will keep reading.....after all there may be a Costco showing up any day.

I find it much better now than back a few years. Back then there was a posey that would gang up on individuals that had different opinions. The monitors of today do not play favorites and will delete harsh posts from old timers and new folks equally. A few years ago, high count posters had power, today, it’s fair and balanced. Thanks to the moderators and thanks to the old timers that have stepped up to follow the rules of this site.

I suggest everyone, if they haven't already, watch "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix. It will open your eye to online discourse and participation on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

TOTV sometimes has a hair trigger and is quick to pull it on minor "political" comments. But all in all, I would much rather have discussions about life here, good restaurants, events, etc, than name calling.

Totally agree.

I didn't post at all from July 5th until November 5th, four months. I've felt somewhat less inclined to post because many of the questions I've answered before in the past ten years I've been on this board. It doesn't seem like anyone knows how to search, or wants to search. When I moved here I had a legal pad filled with info about contractors, restaurants, the squares, bonds and taxes, areas and the different villages, shopping and stores, etc. I joined about six months before I moved in and I don't think I asked one question, I only read and searched and really didn't need to ask. Also many of the questions are in reference to the new areas south of 44, and I've never even been across 44, therefore I can't really help the new people anyway in that area. If there is a discussion about golf courses, golf carts, MVP gym, the bands and music, things that still pertain to me I'll jump in.

Here's something for new people, they say a Yamaha gas cart will last you a lifetime. These photos I took a month ago of my Yamaha golf cart. It's a 2011 model I bought new 9 years ago this past July. I wax and clean it myself, it really doesn't take much work if you clean everytime you come from the course. I just use the spray on Meguiars wax and wipe off, that's all you need to do. What I also did this year was I spent over a $1000 on the cart improving it plus I bought a new Ogio Convoy Golf Bag in mustard. I bought a new battery at Rural King in Leesburg, look for a 24F in the upper right corner when looking at the top of the battery, it was $54.99 plus tax, the clerk in the battery department had no clue. I also removed all my NFL team decals because of their attitude and only have the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning decals on my cart. I only use non-ethanol gas since 2015 when the Marathon station on 466A opened, my cart is not fuel injected, that wasn't offered by Yamaha until 2012-1/2.

I added the deluxe cooler, the deluxe Liquid Lights package, a Striker Speedometer, an overhead AM/FM radio console with speakers, seat belts, overhead shelf which I use for towels, a fan and previously I had added a ball and club washer. I threw out the old door mat floor mats that came with the cart and bought a solid rubber floor mat, and it also came with big side mirrors, a black roof, SS wheels, Ultimate Seats and 2 sand bottles. I also painted the Yamaha letters on the side, the earlier models were not silver colored like they are now. For comparison of today's prices, this cart from TV at LSL with the options I listed was $10,300 new.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...43&oe=5FE65BEE

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...43&oe=5FE7F2CB

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...74&oe=5FE8211F

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...26&oe=5FE885FF

A few years ago, there were a number of new posters who were downright nasty. I think they were used to the uninhibited forums like Reddit or some newspaper comment sections (WAPO comes to mind) where people said exactly what they felt using no filters. Some of those posters are still here but have changed their ways; others have fallen away. I keeps reading to keep up with the pulse of the posters. I don't agree with a lot of what people say, but as long as they're not vindictive, name calling, or snarky, I appreciate hearing the different views.

I felt there were just a few people on the old political forum who were true debaters. Threads quickly deteriorated, and I quit visiting it.

There used to be a group that called themselves a 'posse' that always had comments to keep posters under their way of thinking.

It could be that many of the older posters, such as me, have reached a point where TOTV is no longer relevant to our interests. Plus, the polarization of the past four years has been a strain and I, for one, have found other interests. I still check in early every morning, but rarely offer a comment.

If you speak of the group that used to be summoned at time by another poster to "swing" the conversation, then some still exist. My wife was verbally assaulted by that group, simply because she was my wife.

The last years have changed me in ways I never thought possible, but then again, I never thought anything like the last four years could happen in my country.

It was a terrific documentary.

I started a thread on that....

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...Social+dilemmA

Some posts have been deleted or modified, but it quickly turned into trashing me for knowing nothing of what I spoke, and the media.

But as regards that doc, watch it if you can, and note, your mind can be "played with" by an onslaught of disinformation.

You hit the nail on the head. We can’t delve into anything with any degree of controversy without some not wanting others to get offended.

I thought this thread was talking about the changes in this forum. How come it got changed into a discussion about our country, society and government? :shrug: That's commonly called a thread hijack.. :popcorn:

I originally moved to the Villages in 2000 didn't join till 09 and have watched this thread very quickly go from a simple question to what it has become in 2020. e Everyone now has become so not nice so quickly.

Agree....

I have and will continue to avoid discussions that go off topic. As you may have noticed I tend to try and be a problem solver, something I have been most of my life, and to provide help to others. I deliberately avoid getting involved with personal opinions unless they are with a specific service, product, or item that I have actually used. As long as i can continue to do that you will find me on this site, as I enjoy what I do, and I believe others do also.
Have a great day, VT member since 2013.

Problem solver? Got you work cut on here:coolsmiley:

And that’s what makes you my favorite TOTV poster, always trying to help others solve problems. Many people, including myself, need to take note of your rule about keeping on topic. Thanks and have a great day.

I'm reading posts about how people are glad this person or that person is not around or posting anymore, and I'm appalled. How hurtful that must be for the person to be publicly attacked. That is one of the reasons I rarely post anymore, because of the snakiness and meanness I see on some of these threads.

Funny how it it is always the 'other' person, or anyone who disagrees with a post, who is the troublemaker, the one turning the thread off subject, or political!

"My way or the highway" rules!

Well so far since we have moved here this past year and I’ve joined, I would say masks and CCP (communist Chinese plague) has pretty much been the choice of discussion...over and over and over....yeah not very interesting

:coolsmiley::bigbow::clap2:

Disagree

I am new in TV and have been reading TOTV for about one month. I have no knowledge of how it used to in the good old days, but I am certainly enjoying it today. I skip the posts that get political in nature; never in the history of social media has someone changed their political point of view based on another’s post. I particularly enjoy the silly statements that spawn hilarious responses. Please don’t stop posting. This is free entertainment.

Perhaps the reason is that in eleven years, you have only thanked posters 47 times. They have given up trying to win your praise. (Grinning) Writing thoughtful, interesting responses to questions and comments takes time and effort, and the only payment is thanks from grateful readers.

True. Nowadays everyone finds something to be offended by. What happened to the generation??

They only let you discuss what suits them. Boring. I barely come here to read anything.

Absolutely

I have been lurking for quite some time as I hope to be there soon. I am trying to gather as much info as possible so I don't miss anything. With the exception of a few people like villagetinker it has become mostly just a bitch seesion. Really not much usefull info being discussed. Just my 2 cents. See you soon!

Somewhat off topic but have others here been permanently stopped from commenting on thevillagesnews.com? I have never written anything that has been censored in any way but I cannot comment anymore. I have noticed WAY less comments from others so are they stopping people from commenting? Are they only letting paid members comment? What is going on? Also just in the last few days I cannot even access the additional comments section to continue looking at more comments. Any info on this??

Really way off topic.
Who really cares what happens on that rags site..........