We Need Viewers to Post!

[Vmedvil5]

Viewers of the scienceforums.com we need you to post on these forums about stuff. We need you to talk about things, remember only you can make the scienceforums.com great by posting about different subjects that you have questions and thoughts about. We need you to post! Do your service by talking about stuff on these forums.

Edited May 26 by OceanBreeze

[Vmedvil]

This is still valid as of 3/8/2025, come on the scientists of the scienceforums.com don't bite too hard, talk to us about your ideas and theories.

[OceanBreeze]

Vic, I have been thinking about the reasons why this discussion forum is dying (dead?).

Obviously, the rise of big social media platforms, such as Facebook groups, has taken away many of the people who once were active on small discussion forums like ours.

But I don’t think that is the main reason for the death spiral we are currently in.

What I think is happening here; once the level of participation reaches a certain low threshold, potential posters get the impression there is no point in posting anything, because there is nobody around to read it.

Conversely, there is no reason for readers to check  for new posts because nobody is making any.

That is a classic negative feedback mechanism that leads to the sort of death spiral we find ourselves in right now.

The question now is: How can we snap out of this downwards spiral and break free from this feedback loop?

Asking readers to post, as you have been doing, is well-intentioned and appreciated, but doesn’t seem to be working.

I suspect one reason for that; potential posters are unsure that if it is worth the effort of making a post, if nobody will read it, let alone respond.

I would like to take this opportunity to assure any and all potential posters that there still are  real people here who will read and respond to your posts.

There is no need to feel reluctant to break the silence and be the first to make a new post; I assure you your post will be welcomed here, especially if you post a topic of interest and are wanting to have a responsive discussion.

In short, there is a way to break out of the downward spiral we find ourselves in; and that way is to post, just as I am doing now, whatever is on your mind that you would like to discuss with other human beings.

It is possible to get answers to questions by asking an AI Bot, but the AI bot cannot offer you an interesting discussion about something of mutual interest. All it can offer you is a cold list of looked-up facts, and many of those facts may not be relevant to your question, or even correct.

If you want to reach out to other humans who are sharing the the same human experiences that you are, then a forum like this is the place to be.

An AI Bot will never say “we miss you” but we do!

 

 

 

[Vmedvil]

On 5/30/2025 at 2:22 AM, OceanBreeze said:

Vic, I have been thinking about the reasons why this discussion forum is dying (dead?).

 

Obviously, the rise of big social media platforms, such as Facebook groups, has taken away many of the people who once were active on small discussion forums like ours.

 

But I don’t think that is the main reason for the death spiral we are currently in.

 

What I think is happening here; once the level of participation reaches a certain low threshold, potential posters get the impression there is no point in posting anything, because there is nobody around to read it.

 

Conversely, there is no reason for readers to check  for new posts because nobody is making any.

 

That is a classic negative feedback mechanism that leads to the sort of death spiral we find ourselves in right now.

 

The question now is: How can we snap out of this downwards spiral and break free from this feedback loop?

 

Asking readers to post, as you have been doing, is well-intentioned and appreciated, but doesn’t seem to be working.

 

I suspect one reason for that; potential posters are unsure that if it is worth the effort of making a post, if nobody will read it, let alone respond.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to assure any and all potential posters that there still are  real people here who will read and respond to your posts.

 

There is no need to feel reluctant to break the silence and be the first to make a new post; I assure you your post will be welcomed here, especially if you post a topic of interest and are wanting to have a responsive discussion.

 

In short, there is a way to break out of the downward spiral we find ourselves in; and that way is to post, just as I am doing now, whatever is on your mind that you would like to discuss with other human beings.

 

It is possible to get answers to questions by asking an AI Bot, but the AI bot cannot offer you an interesting discussion about something of mutual interest. All it can offer you is a cold list of looked-up facts, and many of those facts may not be relevant to your question, or even correct.

 

If you want to reach out to other humans who are sharing the the same human experiences that you are, then a forum like this is the place to be.

 

An AI Bot will never say “we miss you” but we do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree, old friend. I am not exactly certain what to do about it...