Forum Democracy

[Yorkshire Thug]

Much space is dedicated to perceptions of the usefulness of this forum in making the "powers that be" aware of what the grass root masses are thinking. Raise a subject - almost any subject, almost any subject, doesn't matter how banal - and it will attract posts and responses like flies to a jamjar.

And yet, when you analyse who is making the responses, these opinions represent very few people. Look at the list of forum members and you will see that there are, admittedly, quite a lot - but examine the currency of the postings and the activity of forumites obviously comes and goes depending on the mood.

It's nto just the opinions. People refer to the polls on here as though they mean something, and yet (even if you ignore the fact that many forumites contrive to multiply vote under their several names) the vote only ever represents a fraction of a percent of the 7000+ members which exist in the FRA.

So what?
In fact what's it worth at all?
Not a lot, I'd say.

But it's good fun, innit??

[JohnK]

Much space is dedicated to perceptions of the usefulness of this forum in making the "powers that be" aware of what the grass root masses are thinking. Raise a subject - almost any subject, almost any subject, doesn't matter how banal - and it will attract posts and responses like flies to a jamjar.

And yet, when you analyse who is making the responses, these opinions represent very few people. Look at the list of forum members and you will see that there are, admittedly, quite a lot - but examine the currency of the postings and the activity of forumites obviously comes and goes depending on the mood.

It's nto just the opinions. People refer to the polls on here as though they mean something, and yet (even if you ignore the fact that many forumites contrive to multiply vote under their several names) the vote only ever represents a fraction of a percent of the 7000+ members which exist in the FRA.

So what?
In fact what's it worth at all?
Not a lot, I'd say.

But it's good fun, innit??

Strange but i have to agree

[Stolly]

I agree too - the day anyone starts taking my opinion of anything as valid is the day that we all go to the dogs

[Guick Dotto]

I was under the impression that nobody took the slightest notice of anything I said on the forum. I still want my side to win the imperial/metric vote thing though

[daz h]

totally agree with that

[Wheeze]

The "in or out of UKA" poll should have removed any doubt that, in real terms, the forum is nothing more than a slightly disagreeable rumble in a lonely dell on the side of the great mountain of fell running members! But, down in our little dell, we can all spout off in freedom and derive whatever enjoyment we want without bothering anybody else...ain't that what its all about, this democracy thingy??

[Antisocial]

I am a bit disillusioned by the fact that not many members overall take part in the forum, how else are people going to know how right I am?

[wharfeego]

I'll say wot I like...
cos I like wot I bluddy well say!