Has Phatmass Changed, Or Have I?

[Slappo]

That being said. I love a good bicker (every now and then).

[Apotheoun]

I wonder how many hits we get off google when people google a Catholic question looking for replies.

 

Now that I think about it, I hit a LOT of forums with DIY searches to find info on house repairs, car repairs etc. I bet we get the same kind of one time visitors. My guess is there's a lot of non-Catholics with questions that would hit our forum. It'd be a sad story if they google something and just find bickering with no real meat to it when they open a thread.

Phatmass used to have theological debates, but that has not been happening for a while now. The most common thing now is for a debate to begin and then a flood of posts that are either jokes or complaints about trolls. No wonder there are few non-Catholics here. It is hard to have a debate if everyone is required to toe the party line.

[Era Might]

Forums are strange creatures of people, philosophy, and timing. Early 2000s was a boom in Catholic apologetics scene. That helped Phatmass, but not only that...the people on Phatmass had to be interested in that, as well as Phatmass's quirky community. And people grow up and move on, so that mix may or may not carry forward perfectly. Also, in early 2000s the Internet and social media was not what it is now...forums and blogs were still front and center.

 

If you want Phatmass to be something than what it is, then you have to define what it is. Otherwise, it will be whatever that mix of people, philosophy, and timing is. What drew me to Phatmass was Hip Hop...that scene has mostly died off, because the old people died off, so I've moved on. I don't come to Phatmass for Hip Hop like I did in the early days, and that's fine.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Era Might

[Apotheoun]

Era, I see what you are saying, and you are right, because the hip hop element was waning even when I joined in 2004. As far as theological debates are concerned, most of the people who were good at that left some time ago, so perhaps it is simply not possible to revive that aspect of Phatmass. I still wish a revival of that type could happen, because I found those debates to be fun and informative.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Apotheoun

[Era Might]

Era, I see what you are saying, and you are right, because the hip hop element was waning even when I joined in 2004. As far as theological debates are concerned, most of the people who were good at that left some time ago, so perhaps it is simply not possible to revive that aspect of Phatmass. I still wish a revival of that type could happen, because I found those debates to be fun and informative.

 

What I've found interesting the last few years is the increase of people interested in more radical or less-dogmatic views of the world. I think quite a few people have had their worldviews grow and have brought that evolution in their thinking to interesting Phatmass discussions (about political philosophy, sociology, etc.) I would include myself in that camp...a lot of us were very young back when we joined, and have evolved in our thinking.

[Apotheoun]

There is a heavy political element in a lot of threads today. Perhaps that is the future of Phatmass. to be less a Catholic forum and more a political or Libertarian one. Who knows.

[Era Might]

I don't think the political discussions have been separate from Catholicism...Phatmass in the early 2000s was kind of like the middle ages, heavy on theology, and now it's become a little more like the Renaissance...people have branched out to different interests.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Era Might

[Apotheoun]

If Phatmass is a bit more like the Renaissance now, I shudder to think where it will be in another few years. 

[franciscanheart]

If Phatmass is a bit more like the Renaissance now, I shudder to think where it will be in another few years. 

A really big :rolleyes: for you, sir. Maybe it's time you retire your hat and join your friends in the history books?

[Apotheoun]

A really big :rolleyes: for you, sir. Maybe it's time you retire your hat and join your friends in the history books?

Ah, it is good to see that you are still a kind person of faith. God bless you.

[CountrySteve21]

Thank God its just the internet right? Nothing too serious...

[Winchester]

Ah, it is good to see that you are still a kind person of faith. God bless you.

meow

[AnneLine]

woof

 

[Lilllabettt]

moo?

or is it supposed to be pet animals?

tweet?

[Not The Philosopher]

Can we just jump from Renaissance-era Phatmass to Future-era Phatmass? I could go for some flying cars and ray-guns and funny uniforms.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Not The Philosopher