If I thought it was real bad here, I wouldn't be here. I enjoy Mudcat 95% of the time, and the trolls, flamers and comically mean-spirited don't really get to me. There have been occasions when a good thread has been irreparably h-jacked, but even that is rare. This is not about complaining... just asking people their thoughts on how the folk community has changed over the years... or has it? As I said early on, walking in to a room of D.C.ers feels just like it did walking into a coffee house in 1962. On that level, I don't see any change at all... other than the obvious one that in the 60's, most of the folkies were young, and now most of them are that much older. But, as far as a "real-life" experience, I personally don't see any sea-change in the folk community.

There are two ways to approach creating a thread. One would be:

Mudcat sucks, everyone in here bitches constantly and no one makes the smallest attempt to communicate in words of more than four letters. That works just fine, as many threads start that way.. a very strong statement that everyone can attack or defend, and the person who started the thread usually ends up modifying as the discussion goes along, insisting that they didn't mean it the way people are taking it. I really don't have a problem with that. It's a sure-fire way to get a lively discussion going.

I prefer asking people what they think about something. I'd prefer to get people to talk about how they perceive something, rather than respond by attacking the premise for the thread.

Both ways work, and I've done it both ways.

And then, the thread goes wherever it goes. That suits me fine, too. Most threads have a finite life, and start to wander and wobble after everyone has contributed their opinions.

I guess that in a more social setting, like a folk club or a living room or festival, we get down to business and play music and socialize more casually.

Two entirely different settings, with very different levels of communication.

Jerry