I got to thinking about the subject of people leaving the forum, and it seems people leave for one of various reasons:
1. Health or other life issues.
Real life sometimes smacks us upside the head, and can cause us to leave the forum. In extreme, totally sad cases, people pass away. Sometimes we know about it... sometimes we don't. We recently had such a case, and it shook the entire forum, for it was a well-known, well-respected forum member. Other times it's just life. Depressions, life changes, even changes in interest can all cause us to leave. Some leave for a long time and then come back, while others never return.
2. Banning.
On occasion we've had the forum member who just misbehaves so badly and so often that they end up being canned. I know of a handful of cases, but I'm sure there's more than I remember. Here, you get a lot of rope. You start off with temporary bans, but if the issues persist, they can become permanent. Or.... I guess if the transgression is serious enough, you'd get the boot immediately and permanently.
3. Lost interest.
Let's face it. As people evolve, mature, grow older, whatever..... sometimes their interests change. Maybe at one time they enjoyed belonging to this boxing forum, and then they didn't. So they leave. Can't criticize anyone for that, as we're all individuals and have our own tastes in life.
4. Getting "run off".
This is the one I can't understand. Lately there's been talk about "so-and-so" getting run off by some other "so-and-so". They don't get along.... they don't like what the other has to say and how they say it..... whatever. First of all (and stating the obvious), this is an Internet site. All of us who come here do so willingly and for various reasons. Some come in mostly for the boxing discussions. But others enjoy the other boards on the site, where we talk about everything from politics, movies, music, sports, etc. IMO, there are many knowledgeable, very articulate personalities here, from diverse backgrounds. For those of us who have been here a few years, you get to "know" the people on the forum. I use the quote marks because most of us have never met in person, which would be the ultimate "getting to know" one another. There are boo-coo arguments, some more civil than others. Some arguments get heated, and insults fly back and forth. Normally we try not to get personal, but as in real life, sometimes the argument gets away from us. But once you've been here for awhile, the forum becomes a sort of "family". (Sorry for the overuse of quotes). We get to know the personalities of the different people here. So getting "run off" from a forum that one presumably enjoyed at one time, is puzzling to me. There's always going to be personalities one doesn't particularly like. But that doesn't seem to be a good enough reason to quit doing something that is fun, and that one looks forward to.
Fortunately, for every member that leaves for whatever reason, there is always an influx of new blood.
Some probably take a peek and decide to move on..... while others like it and stay, becoming regulars and eventually veterans.
To those who like it here and have stayed......
:beerchug:
