I've only been hear for a few months and I see it too. I took a break because I let the point system manipulate the way I wrote things. Heck, I had one article where I dropped the "f-bomb" in the title just to see if I got any responses(negative or not). I quickly learned from that and rather engage in a "shock jock" style, I now prefer to just interact with a comment every-know-and-then.

I've also seen at other blog sites where an idividual would change themselves and create a whole knew persona just because there was a certain "group" they wanted to belong in. Me personally, what you see(or read for that matter) is what you get. It's just seems a lot easier to give off an image of who we like to be instead of who we actually are. Which is why I joined, to find a place where I could just be myself and write, comment, debate or whatever. Or to learn more about certain topics that I didn't know that much about. This place has a lot of intellegent and articulate people whom write articles that just put me in aw.. and I hope it stays that way.

I suggest a time of continual community. Setting aside a month, a week, or a day to just celebrate the community of JU, or setting aside a day to write about how you joined JU and your experiences here, to help other people know you better.

That's seems like a good idea to me and something I would gladly participate in..

-mx-

~But whether you face it or not, the demographic is changing. It's a tide against the founders, and the events of Ashley Ryder and Manya and the like were just the beginning of what I feel is the eventual landslide and downfall of the JoeUser community~

I actually came onto JU during the Manya fiasco, and the importance of points and position was very obvious the first week I was browsing around... I like JoeUser for the most part; watching people respond to your blogs is a wonderful thing to me, but when it becomes solely about popularity and points and scandal one-upping, it loses it's charm very quickly.

~A lot of times, when people comment, it is only because someone commented on their work first. Stop that cycle, and be a person that actively engages in debate, opens meaningful discussions, and creates insightful responses. When the quality of the blogging goes up, then the quality of the community goes up.~

I agree. I think I need to do a better job at this myself. We should be more open to reading blogs from a variety of people, instead of, let's say, just your good 'ol buddy group of four or five.

~Write good blogs, and interact on a community level. Blogging is about the blogs, not the points.~

This would especially be helpful to new bloggers and to people who want their stuff read more often. If they start writing interesting, in-depth articles from the start, I am sure they will be more accepted and taken seriously as a fellow blogger.

For these ideas to work, it is going to take the participation of lots of fellow bloggers...I really do hope everyone is willing to give this a try.

Excellent article, Beebles...very well thought out.

Hmm, a return to the Golden Age. I like it...back in The Age it was all fun...it was interesting, and there were no crazy people screwing up everything. Little by little JU has deteriorated, painted black by a few and driven the good bloggers away.

I agree, Beebes...let's take back the ground we have lost and rebuild the shining utopia that once was....

Sieg Heil...okay, not going there...but it's funny

~Zoo

Excellent article. Points and position are fine for awhile, but I think that many people (actually, me) wish that others would get back to writing the good stuff they are known for than becoming involved in a lot of finger-pointing.
I vow to make a better effort on my own blog because of your motivating words!

I think your analysis is a bit harsh, Beebs, sorry. I'm not part of any "secret alliance", and I've maintained a high position here for some time. I comment on other people's work, I write original, occasionally insightful articles...the same as I've always done. I know of others who've done the same.

I haven't continued series such as the "blogger you should know" series, for one simple reason -- time. With less than 8 hours per week of online time available with my current schedule, I simply don't have it. I wish I could read every new blogger and comment like I used to, but the realities of working a 60-plus hour week coupled with using the library for internet access are such that I don't have time to look beyond the recent forum posts in categories that interest me.

There's no "old" or "new" JU...we're simply at another phase in the life cycle of this particular internet community. Brad's blogged about it before, and I believe he has it reasonably pegged.

I can't copy/paste (stupid computer's messed up), but I wanted to comment on your comment about writing blogs and commenting, as well as inbloom's follow up.

I make no apologies for the fact that when I first came to JoeUser, I wanted to be among the top users. So, I clicked on their names and saw what they did to get where they were. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, they had FAR more comments on others' pages than they had articles. So I set a personal goal of a 4:1 comment to article ratio (as a minimum). So, if someone new is reading this, I have to say, the secrets in reading others and commenting on their work more than you write.

..

Believe it or not, it's always gone through periods like this.  If you lookat some of my early blogs, I talk about community life cycles quite a bit as JU has gone thorugh clique attacks and the like from the start.

I think your analysis is a bit harsh, Beebs, sorry. I'm not part of any "secret alliance", and I've maintained a high position here for some time. I comment on other people's work, I write original, occasionally insightful articles...the same as I've always done. I know of others who've done the same.

And no one is saying that you have been part of a secret alliance, or covert operation, but it is in my estimation that such groups exist purely to manipulate their points scores to reach to the top by any means necessary. I am about 90% confident that there is at least 1 such group at JU, and while I'm not naming names, I'm sticking with what I've said.

I make no apologies for the fact that when I first came to JoeUser, I wanted to be among the top users. So, I clicked on their names and saw what they did to get where they were. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, they had FAR more comments on others' pages than they had articles. So I set a personal goal of a 4:1 comment to article ratio (as a minimum). So, if someone new is reading this, I have to say, the secrets in reading others and commenting on their work more than you write.

And through that statement you provide reason for me and for others to believe that community building is a good thing for the individual. The question is: when does the points whoring begin, and when does the community building begin? Having goals set to be a blogger who is in the top 10 is not a bad thing in itself, but posting drivel to get yourself another 5 or 15 points is.

There's no "old" or "new" JU...we're simply at another phase in the life cycle of this particular internet community. Brad's blogged about it before, and I believe he has it reasonably pegged.

My question for you is this: Who says this phase is a desired or necessary one? Through all this, I know that there are constant ups and downs in the life of JU, but who says that a natural down is a place that is a good place to be? Although a brief change as we cycle through blogging phases is inevitable, I believe that if JoeUsers naturally act as a community, and act in a way that increases discussion, debate and a feeling of community, then a natural low can be shortened or made less severe in it's entirety.

In short, I don't think there are too many people who enjoy a bad time, and if we work together as a community, then we do our best to make sure that blogging in JU is a good experience for all.


PS:
Sorry about the double post for Gideon's replies, but editing the original post to add another quote seemed a bit much.

I'm a relative newbie to JU...I'm rapidly approaching my one year anniversary of blogging here, so I never experienced that atmosphere you described, but I do know that JU was more enjoyable for me several months ago.

I agree that the dynamics have changed. I have read Draginol's article about community cycles, and I'm sure that his description of these phases as being normal and temporary is correct.

It still makes it difficult for the time being.

I would like to see more quality stuff...things that are fairly original and well-thought out. There's still a lot of interesting reading here, but it often gets buried by the influx of email forwards and one liners. I used to be so excited about getting on JU and finding out what went on while I slept, but now there's no sense of urgency. It seems that there is far less volume as far as comments and articles being posted, and so much of it is only mildly interesting to me (which might just be a personal problem, hehe).

I do try to comment frequently and stay involved, but many times there are blogs that seem to either not require any type of response, or are already flooded with personal correspondence.

I don't blog as often, and I'm not really sure why. My blogs tend to be life journal type things, so perhaps I am not contributing to the JU community in the most beneficial way, but I get the most enjoyment out of writing those types of blogs.

I do appreciate your presence here, Beebles, and I always enjoy my interactions with you. This blog was some good food for thought.

(Apologies for rambling)

Just as we all have our own reasons to be here, we have our own reasons for picking and choosing what articles we will and won't comment on. We also have our own reasons for writing the articles we write. So, in the end, JU is what you make it. If you don't want it to be an endless mass of point whores, instigators or "secret alliances" then don't pay any attention to them. If points and position mean nothing to you, then why bother noticing who is on the "top 10" of anything... or who has more points than someone else? I'm not saying that if you ignore them, they'll go away. I am saying that if you don't pay any attention to them, then what they do doesn't affect you in the least.

So, in the same vein, if you ignore the war that goes on around you, you're less likely to get shot? Completely off topic, I know, but it brings up my point.

No matter what you do or do not do, you are always affected by your environment, be it a natural or blogsphere. The environment you live in, work in, and in this case, blog in, effects everything you do, even if only in the slightest manner. And, if I had the choice, I'd have my environment affect me in a positive way. I would rather be inspired by the writers around me then be dejected by drivel spewed out in the sole attempt at making a spot on the top 10 list.

I do try to comment frequently and stay involved, but many times there are blogs that seem to either not require any type of response, or are already flooded with personal correspondence. I don't blog as often, and I'm not really sure why. My blogs tend to be life journal type things, so perhaps I am not contributing to the JU community in the most beneficial way, but I get the most enjoyment out of writing those types of blogs. I do appreciate your presence here, Beebles, and I always enjoy my interactions with you. This blog was some good food for thought.

Thank you. You're right. Sometimes you have to do what you feel is best for you, what makes you happy. At the same time, there is no denying that you do some of your best work when attempting to reach out to the community, or write something specific in order to get discussion on an issue you feel is important. Be it life or some issue you wish to write about, you make your journey one that is enjoyable to read, and full of insight. You can't ask for anything more than that.

You don't need great writers full of noble thoughts to make a good blogsphere. You just need bloggers dedicated to their community in that blogsphere,.

You miss the dynamics completely Beebles.  I dont know if there is a cabal ,and I really dont care.  I comment on blogs I find interesting and they comment on SOME of mine.  YOu see, I have actually 2 blogs here.  One is Politics.  And it is very nasty and rough!  Many comment there.  Then there is the personal side where I laugh and cry and exchange things with others.  And others comment there.

And I do not force one side or the other.  I accept both sides.  But I have not noticed anyone (other than the announced points whore articles) trying to run up scores.  And truthfully, I dont care.  for the only one I am in competition with is myself.  ANd that is the hardes foe I have ever faced!

Period!

You miss the dynamics completely Beebles. I dont know if there is a cabal ,and I really dont care. I comment on blogs I find interesting and they comment on SOME of mine. YOu see, I have actually 2 blogs here. One is Politics. And it is very nasty and rough! Many comment there. Then there is the personal side where I laugh and cry and exchange things with others. And others comment there. And I do not force one side or the other. I accept both sides. But I have not noticed anyone (other than the announced points whore articles) trying to run up scores. And truthfully, I dont care. for the only one I am in competition with is myself. And that is the hardes foe I have ever faced!

I don't think I missed the dynamic at all. Rather, I respectfully suggest you re-read my article, and see what I'm truly focusing on. I'll clean up the posting mess, and I'll get back to this one.