Philosophy Discussion Forums

Is it me, or have others noticed it too, that there are fewer and less frequent contributions by way of posts by members?

Is it because it's summer time, vacation time, cottage time, etc? But that ought to increase the traffic here, as this is mainly a recreation site, not a work site.

A few observations:

There is an ebb and flow to group dynamics, periods where there is a lot of activity and periods where things are relatively quiet. In a situation like this it can have a self-reinforcing effect. People look in see that there is not a lot going on and check out or see that there is a lot going on and moved to have their say.

Some people have a knack for provoking others and thus generating a lot of activity. Whether intentional or not, it often involves a combination of questionable overgeneralization, outrage, indignation, being victimized, and self-congratulatory superiority. I see this occurring on sites that have nothing in common with philosophy sites other than the expression of opinions about something.

People get tired of rehashing the same issues over and over again.

Fooloso4 wrote:
People get tired of rehashing the same issues over and over again.

I think there is a lot of truth to what Fooloso4 said. We all need to be stimulated - here are some suggested topics:

Are atheists ungrateful?

Are theists cowards?

Are you capable of murder?

If you had money - what would you do to improve the world?

Are you glad that you are a man or woman?

Add some more......................

Would you enjoy cannibalism?

What's your opinion on all-gender washrooms? And on an open-door policy?

Would you do your mother-in-law/ father-in-law? What ethical reasons could you cite to explain your decision?

Imagine you're in a comatose state, you give no signs of intelligence, but you hear and understand everything. How would you feel if your loved ones discussed right in front of you the possibility of disengaging life-support?

You are in a foreign city with no local language skills. Would you steal food if you fatally can't find your way back to your hotel? How would you sustain yourself in a land where you had absolutely no social support, no job, no money, and no mobile telephone / computer?

Your wife/husband and your daugther/son fell into the crocodile pit at the zoo. You have only enough time to haul one out with the length of rope you wear around your waist, exactly for the opportunitiy to use it at occasions such as this. Would you go to the cafeteria to chat up the waitresses, or make a random telephone call to anyone in Zimbabwe, or would you pull one up with your rope?

You are on death row. The warden grant you a choice of having a last meal, or else having an exciting enough (but not totally) partner for your last sex. Or else you could see your spouse / priest / Chinese launderer from the corner for the last time. Which option would you choose? Or join a C++ developer's meetup group for the last few hours of your life.

I often think of stellarly successful celebrities... what they do for fun after they retire?

What do you think would it take to convince Americans that they have the right to eat and listen to their iPods even if they don't work? That idleness is a virtue, not a sign of laze?