MovieChat Forums > The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Discussion > Many partings

Many partings

posted 7 years ago by dijomaja-382-516639
10 replies | jump to latest

I probably wandered in here shortly after the FotR film was released. Hard to believe it's been that long. My appreciation for these stories has deepened over the years and I credit some of the discussions here with filling in some blanks and helping me refine some of the searches. More important, I've gotten a tremendous amount of enjoyment from the discussions, debates, arguments and tavern brawls over points large and small. We have gone on quests, sought understanding, battled trolls and found fellowship.

At the risk of leaving someone out I would like to give extra thanks to magpie, Tuor, Harold, Otaku and the many others who have made the time spent here worthwhile. Fear not. We are not bound forever to the circles of this Board and beyond lies more than memory.

[–] WeirdRaptor 7 years ago

Yo. I came here just a couple of years later, about nine months before the release of "Return of the King." It hardly seems like yesterday. I'll miss you all.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 7 years ago

See? I knew I'd forget somebody. Don't forget The One Ring Net. Some of the Usual Suspects show up there and more will now, I'm guessing. See you there.

[–] WeirdRaptor 7 years ago

I will. See you there.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

[–] Harold_of_Whoa 7 years ago

We are not bound forever to the circles of this Board and beyond lies more than memory.

This exact paraphrase of this quote has been in my mind almost since I read the announcement. It should be no surprise, I suppose, that you would post it, seeing as how we have always been of such similar minds on things Tolkien.

I will look for you on TORn and elsewhere, my friend, but it won't be the same.

"Morbius, something is approaching from the southwest. It is now quite close."

[–] magpie930 7 years ago

I would like to say 'see you at TORn' but I had my reasons for making my personal break from them and I don't think I'll revisit that decision. (and fwiw: I am still a TORn staff member and have very good relationships with all my old friends on the boards)

But I have emails for you and dijomaja... so you won't be forever lost to me! :-)

And I've been known to lurk at TORn so, who knows.

I'll put this out there: the mods at TORn don't allow for any disrespectful language or similar stuff that folks can get away with here at IMDb.

(not aimed at you HoW... just a general announcement to people considering the move)

[–] Harold_of_Whoa 7 years ago

I read what you posted about the TORn boards, and I agree. The LotR movie board is almost free of discussion and the Reading Room is...a little uptight, might we say? I think it is possible to be over-moderated.

These LotR boards (on IMDb) have been a rare example in the social media world of a functional and decent community of people with a wide range of experience and viewpoints coming together to discuss a common interest civilly (usually). Even if it got a little quiet from time to time, it was always ready to revive for a good discussion, usually initiated by a newcomer, as you have noted.

I can't really fault you for your decision to move on.

"Morbius, something is approaching from the southwest. It is now quite close."

[–] magpie930 7 years ago

The problem with the Reading Room (RR) is not overmoderation... at least by the mods.

The problem is long standing - probably inherent in how it formed - and is (at its worst) enforced by the long standing regulars on that board. None of the mods frequent that board and some have actively spoken out against its culture. But the mods do give them space to be what they are. The only moderation is against tone and language. (you can't call someone an idiot on those boards, for example.)

This is likely more than you want to read but there was a very long thread discussing the RR back in 2009. A complaint was lodged by a very disagreeable person (who was later banned for troll-ish behavior). His complaint isn't all that legitimate. At least, he loved to complain about something at length all the time. But the resulting conversation was very legitimate and meaningful.

Here's the thread (I'm creating a link that shows it 'threaded'.)

http://newboards.theonering.net/forum/gforum/perl/gforum.cgi?guest=180033833&do%3Dpost_view_threaded%3Bpost_latest_reply%3Bso%3DASC%3Bpost%3D173027=View+Threaded

The meaningful subthread was initiated by Inferno (a moderator) entitled: As one of the 'not regularly posting' moderators. Scroll down to find that and then just keep clicking on the replies as found in the outline structure of threaded.

I weighed in on that here: http://newboards.theonering.net/forum/gforum/perl/gforum.cgi?post=173513#173513

In more recent years, there were folks on the RR board trying to divert the tone of the board away from its historically rigid, overly-academic structure. They were not entirely successful because of those members who are just as determined that it not change. I've lived too long to think I can change people or systems. I did try to participate in a discussion years after that thread above and the very first comment I made elicited a response that made me so FURIOUS (and I was FURIOUS) that that was it (for the RR and me).

A few random thought on this matter.

My issue with TORn is not with the RR. Back in the day, the LOTR movie board was THE BOMB for excellent discussions. The type we have here. It's just that the critical mass for sincere discussions can no longer be met. My issue was partly me - I was using TORn as a distraction - and partly one moderator who had focused on me and was overly critical of me. That was her problem and I have an excellent relationship with the other mods. But I just decided I needed to let go. Tolkien warns us of trying to embalm things and I was embalming the experience I had in the heyday of TORn's boards.

That thread I linked to will reveal a way more personal side of me than I would ever reveal here at IMDb. :-) But this thread will be gone in a week so I'll risk it. In that thread, I talk about being a sensitive soul. Back in 2004, I was here on IMDb deliberately creating a thicker skin. (and OMG... the troll threads on these boards back then could be awful. Truly, truly dreadful) And when I can't say 'you're a fool' on TORn, I can kind of say it here and you all have seen the more prickly side of my personality here.

In that TORn thread, I referenced one of the fools I've encountered here at IMDb. lol...

To bring it back to IMDb, we are a rare example. I've found those types of rare communities in other places and in other times. But it's rare today. I actually don't blame IMDb for shutting down the boards because I think a great extent of them are embarrassments. but not this one. This one was special.

[–] Otaku-sempai 7 years ago

Yes, discussion in the TORn forums is not as lively as it used to be. That's not entirely a bad thing, but I do think that folks have erred too much on the side of caution. I'm all for smacking down rude and discourteous behavior, but anything that smells even the least bit like politics or controversy is, in the present climate, avoided like the plague.

"Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved." - T. Isabella

[–] Tuor7 7 years ago

My skin was hardened in the days of alt.fan.tolkien and rec.arts.books.tolkien (aft and rabt, respectively). Ah, those were the days! Moderation? We didn't need no stinking moderation (actually, we probably did). I still remember the embarrassment I suffered after reading that it is therapeutic to write out your annoyances and then throw them away. I... uh... wrote it in a text message, and accidentally posted it instead of deleting it. Don't make the same mistake I did!

Anyway, I doubt I'll be going over to TORn. It's way too pedantic for me (well, for the me of today). I don't have the energy needed to go into all of the books to provide proper citations for whatever I pull out of my rear like I once did. Here, I was able to basically be like the Gaffer and just hold forth on whatever I felt needed discussing. This place had a more relaxed environment, and people could take or leave whatever they wanted.

And I agree that it makes sense that IMDB is shutting down their boards. Most movie threads become pretty toxic. Even so, I can't help but think that the site will be poorer for doing so. No one is forcing anyone to read comments they don't like, or to respond to them, for that matter. But that's water under the bridge now.

[–] magpie930 7 years ago

I'm with you, Tuor. I like to provide context or elaboration when discussing. And will often go back to the books for that. But it's never to *prove* my point (since I'm not trying to prove something... I'm trying to discuss something) and I would bristle at the idea that anything I said would be unworthy for consideration if I didn't seek to cite it. I think we all expect each other - here - to be able to back up what we're saying and we'd call each other on BS. But we're mostly listening to each other with no upfront agenda to challenge or dispute.

Like I said, the LOTR movie boards at TORn had the same atmosphere as we did here. It's just that they heyday of discussions are past and many who led or participated in those discussions are gone. So there's not much energy left.