Disappointed

[Sospira]

I must say, this site is a bit of a let down - people asking about their homework assignments and not many people posting proper questions - at least not in the poetry section. I thought it would be more buzzing than this. But it's a great resource site for poetry and books.

[Calidore]

There are always people asking for feedback or pointers on homework, or to have their homework done for them; the former's no problem, but we try to discourage the latter.

There's also a flood on 1984 every year about this time, as you've doubtless noticed; that should dwindle soon.

[ennison]

Oh dear Sospira an here's poor Lil me doin' ma poor best. This is an Internet literary bus stop fer Padraig's sake. You want real depth go to paper.

[Lykren]

You're here when stluke, JBI, jcamilo, and MorpheusSandman and others I'm forgetting are not particularly active. They're the literary heart of the forum.

[Emil Miller]

There has been a definite tailing off in the quality of posters and their comments with lots of people dipping in and out and never to be heard from again.
I think the attraction is the non-literary sub forums which seem to garner the most activity. This is a pity but Litnet would be less interesting were it to be confined solely to books. Some of the comment on the other sites, if informed and well presented, makes interesting reading and supplements the literature sections to the network's advantage.

[Drkshadow03]

You're here when stluke, JBI, jcamilo, and MorpheusSandman and others I'm forgetting are not particularly active. They're the literary heart of the forum.

Ah, the golden days of litnet!

[Lykren]

The golden days seem to come and go. Morpheus is probably off gambling online. Hopefully he'll get back to one of his cultural sprees soon.

[Pierre Menard]

I highly recommend going back through the pages and checking out all of the older threads. JBI, Stlukes, Mortal, Morpheus, Petrarch's Love, Virgil, JCamillo and a few other heavy hitters were most prominent during 2008-2013…and there's literally hundreds of pages worth of threads to go through. There's also hundreds of great topics that came up, touching on just about every literary subject you could find. I learnt a great deal from all those guys, and I still occasionally go back and re-read threads from the past, because the discussions were so enlightening. They were also quite fluid, in that they regularly touched on other areas of art (like some of Stlukes fantastic posts about art history).

[Ecurb]

I must say, this site is a bit of a let down - people asking about their homework assignments and not many people posting proper questions - at least not in the poetry section. I thought it would be more buzzing than this. But it's a great resource site for poetry and books.

Perhaps you should consider adopting Jane Austen's philosophy. In a letter to her sister Cassandra she wrote, "I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them."

[Härt Noiz]

Comparing it to a lot of other websites dedicated to literature it's WAY more vivid - at least that's what I thought the first time I saw it. Probably that's why I decided to join : )

I'm also starting to think that I'm somehow unlucky. I've been to a lot of different internet communities and for the most times, I joined them after their - so called - "golden age", in terms of users activity. Well, maybe I'm just to young for the internet...

[Pompey Bum]

I'm also starting to think that I'm somehow unlucky. I've been to a lot of different internet communities and for the most times, I joined them after their - so called - "golden age", in terms of users activity. Well, maybe I'm just to young for the internet...

Hello Hart. I'm a newb here, too, and I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your experience probably has less to do with luck than the proliferation of Facebook, which has left many of the old message boards devastated. The fact that LitNet survives and, despite what some of the old timers say, continues to thrive, is a testament to the strength and robustness of the community here.

So my advice is: golden age be damned. We'll make a new golden age and the old veterans (who are to be respected) will get used to us eventually. But for the record, I haven't been at all disappointed. It takes some time to get to know people here but that's because most are honest and thoughtful people rather than banal or tail-wagging hypocrites. Some are artists, too, and in general, artists are worth all the cr*p they put you through (just never lend one money). As far as your being too young for the internet goes, I'm too old and if I don't care (and I don't), then you're not allowed to. :) So welcome and I'll see you around.

[Calidore]

There's always ebb and flow. Pompey Bum has the right idea; instead of letting others decide when a "golden age" was, make your own.

[Härt Noiz]

I also agree with Pompey Bum; thought I think that still - omitting those narratives of 'golden age' - the most important thing is to just have fun with a bit of intellectual background ; )

[Pompey Bum]

This is an auspicious occasion: two people in a row have ever agreed with me about anything before. :)

I see from your profile, Hart, that you are from Poland. That is completely cool. Do you read/like Conrad? Who are your favorite authors in any case?

[Härt Noiz]

In Poland we read Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" in schools - and I have to admit that I hated to read school readings, probably I read only Gombrowicz (whom I highly recommend). And it's difficult for me to talk about favorite authors, because each of them is characteristic in different way. Hemingway, obviously, because I'm writing BA paper about him, American minimalist authors (Carver, Easton Ellis, Palahniuk), Scandinavian crime novelists, Russian writers like Chekov, Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov, Erofeyev... yes, there are a lot of them : D

[Pompey Bum]

In Poland we read Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" in schools - and I have to admit that I hated to read school readings, probably I read only Gombrowicz (whom I highly recommend). And it's difficult for me to talk about favorite authors, because each of them is characteristic in different way. Hemingway, obviously, because I'm writing BA paper about him, American minimalist authors (Carver, Easton Ellis, Palahniuk), Scandinavian crime novelists, Russian writers like Chekov, Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov, Erofeyev... yes, there are a lot of them : D

You'll have to tell us about Gombrowicz once we get the "modern classics" thread going. (All I know about him is that he loved in Argentina for a while). I'm sure we'll end up talking about Bret Easton Ellis and the others, too. My ancient dad is always recommending those Scandinavian mystery writers to me, but I haven't read any yet. Dostoyevsky is an author close to my heart. You sound like an interesting person. I look forward to talking to you.

[AuntShecky]

There's always ebb and flow. Pompey Bum has the right idea; instead of letting others decide when a "golden age" was, make your own.

Absolutely.
If you want the bar raised, raise it yourself.
Everybody has a right to complain, but not to stop there. When you criticize something, it's a good idea to offer an alternative. Not to get all political on your donkeys, it's similar to the plea, "Pass a bill" --or as in Calidore's signature quote from Gandhi: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

[mtpspur]

Was highly amused by some of the above posts as I consider myself an old timer but with limited vision. There was indeed a Golden Age here when it was new and sweet and wonderful. Then Logos left me--(an old running gag some of the old timers might remember) I come back occasionally but I confess my real dersertion was when they overhauled the site and my computer skills have never been great. Belive it or not I'm having one heck of a time finding the books listing to read here--reading Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey right now and wanted to check something

[Libro]

Thinking I agree with you on this matter - thought there would be some exacting give-and-take; an intellectual mecca somewhat but it appears thus far that it is rather lackluster - I wish I knew this site "back when" as there might have been some vital discourse - I think there are few REAL book people left in this world and mores the pity.

[stlukesguild]

Perhaps there are few "real" "Book People" in the world at the present... but when was it ever otherwise? Until Gutenberg... and well beyond, with the development of mass publication private ownership of books was quite cost prohibitive. Until the last 100 years (or less) what was the practical literacy rate of the world? Yet great literature can often be far more demanding of the reader, expecting a broad knowledge base in a great variety of topics. At least today we can always turn the the internet. I do agree that certain types of literature... maybe even certain forms of artistic expression may be less popular... even less accessible... today than at other times... but again, I suspect this was always so. The development of the novel certainly impacted the popularity... maybe even the relevance... of the epic poem and the romance. The so-called "Golden Age" is always a fantasy. The "Golden Age" of this site (if such ever existed) was owed largely to a couple dozen (if that many) highly active individuals who were profoundly passionate about books.

[Emil Miller]

Thinking I agree with you on this matter - thought there would be some exacting give-and-take; an intellectual mecca somewhat but it appears thus far that it is rather lackluster - I wish I knew this site "back when" as there might have been some vital discourse - I think there are few REAL book people left in this world and mores the pity.

I doubt that Litnet ever resembled an intellectual Mecca but discussion about books was more lively and entertaining when I joined in 2008. I remember being particularly struck by some contributors who had posted some time before I started and that was what prompted me to join. I don't think, on currrent form, that I would join today.

[Vota]

This board ebbs and flows with time. I'm sure this board will pick up again at some point in the future when the right people simultaneously find they have time to spare for this board. I wouldn't mind if a few never return though.