So what is the Fedora Lounge all about?

[HungaryTom]

Put it in perspective people. I'm going for a 3rd biopsy in a couple hours. The absolulte last thing on my mind will be web surfing ANY site. All else is relatively unimportant!

Twitch,

All the best brother! Wish you well. Again an off-topic hijack.

Tom

 

[deadpandiva]

Vintage Betty. I love your contests I have wanted to participate in some of them but I don't have internet access at home so I have to go to the library to upload photos. And as for some of the other onse I just lack creativity or knowledge. As for some of the other posts, I do read alot of them but don't always have anything to add.

 

[nobodyspecial]

In these discussions, has the site owner chimed in to say what he or she wants? I haven't read each post in detail and may have missed it. I'd be curious to find out what he or she sees as the direction of the lounge. In the end that's the only vote that counts. Over time these same issues will arise as members come and go.

 

[Samsa]

Excellent post Twitch.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap You have said what I have been thinking more eloquently and forcefully than I ever could have.

 

[Senator Jack]

Posted by BK:
Most of us wouldn't be friends if we actually knew each other. You sure as damnit wouldn't like me very much.

I did. But then again, no one likes me very much either.

P.S. Are you proud of this handiwork?

Regards,

Jack

 

[Lincsong]

I did. But then again, no one likes me very much either.

P.S. Are you proud of this handiwork?

Regards,

Jack

You don't irritate me Jack.

 

[Lincsong]

Lincsong: "How about reigning in the bad karma mongers first????"
And you have the dishonor of being the first...



Am I the only one here who finds the attitude expressed in these two posts objectionable? While the underlying grievance may be justified, I do not think it appropriate to call down the offenders with such imho juvenile language. Until I talked with the wife I was going to use Lincsongs own words to describe him. I will not do so now, but I might latter; that is if Lincsong continues to use such language, well I guess I just will call him on it again as politely as I can

And for a bartender whose contributions here I respect, to say that a flaming shut up "is a fine civil thing to do" is over the top.

That's just how I talk. I'm a Teamster by day, so I'm not too diplomatic with the other roughnecks.

 

[Jovan]

I did. But then again, no one likes me very much either.

P.S. Are you proud of this handiwork?

Regards,

Jack

Everyone loves me in person.

 

[surely]

That's just how I talk. I'm a Teamster by day, so I'm not too diplomatic with the other roughnecks.

Ok, I get it; I got some teamster friends, and know how they talk: rough and tumble, shoot from the hip. Cool. Now that I know that we can talk straight.

But you know, man, ya might want to post here a bit more diplomatically, I doubt that there are many teamsters here; and that kind of language is off putting to many who otherwise might want to communicate with you.

But then again maybe that's the way you want it. I know that's the way I feel sometimes: I just want to make my point which I know will be provocative to some. not want any replies and just move on. And that is what I'm going to do. See ya.

 

[Samsa]

Before this thread is closed - and judging by the number of threads that have been closed or moved in the last 48 hours, that will happen any minute now - I thought I'd throw my final two cents in. Twitch said a lot of what I have been thinking, but I would like to add the following:

I do agree there is a problem with off topic posting in rooms that should be devoted to vintage (namely Hats, Suits, etc). There also seems to be a dwindling of information in those rooms. That can - and I'm sure will - be fixed by moderators doing an even better job than they already do. What I find to be alarming is the crackdown that appears to be happening in the Observation Bar. I personally was drawn to the Fedora Lounge after I purchased my first fedora - I wanted to find out more. I spent lots of time exploring the archives, reading what older members (Marc, Baron, Senator Jack, and many others) knew about the subject. I would sometimes dip into the Suits room, General Attire, etc. By doing so I found more than enough information to sate my needs.

I could have simply left the FL, having learned as much as I thought that I would use. But, having found that the vast majority of the members are intelligent, good natured, and interesting people, I stuck around, reading what they had to say in the Observation Bar. I would still actively browse the Hats section, ask an occasional question, etc. Even though most of what was spoken about here (i.e., the Observation Bar) was not vintage related, I still enjoyed participating - because of other people here on the Lounge. Maybe that's what others mean by "community." If so, then yes, I'm here for the community. That does not mean it's a crutch. I don't need the Lounge. I go to grad school full time, work part time, and spend most of my free time with my fiancee. I come here in what time I find for it because I enjoy being here. I enjoy posting to what others have branded "off-topic" or "stupid" threads.

Anyway, I believe this points to the following: although all of us here are interested vintage, most of us are only interested in a few aspects of vintage life (hats, shaving razors, suits, fountain pens, etc.). When not posting in those threads concerning our respective subjects of interest, most of us also like to "shoot the breeze" with other members. Since we don't live in the 1940s, a lot of that involves current and unrelated topics. Let me stress here that this is NOT a new phenomenon at the Lounge. If you doubt this, just search the archives of the OB - back in 2003 people were posting threads on topics like Michael Moore, the Shroud of Turin, Saddam Hussein, etc - just to name a few. I suspect this has also been heightened by the fact that the Fedora Lounge is now promoted in a national magazine!

If the leadership here continue to "prune" the OB as aggressively as they currently are, then what we will find is the alienation of us average-joe members who are interested in a few vintage topics but also like to talk about those "other things" with one another. Maybe that's what the old timers want, I don't know. But if it continues, I suspect many members (myself certainly included) will simply not return.

 

[scotrace]

Samsa, many are being trimmed and reopened. We're not so draconian as all that.

 

[Story]

We're not so draconian as all that.

[que Darth Vader's Imperial March] :whistling :eusa_booh

 

[Baron Kurtz]

P.S. Are you proud of this handiwork?

Very!

bk

p.s. I intended this thread as a discussion of reasons why we (as a group) may not be getting along. So "can't we all just be friends" doesn't work in this thread. That is a tried and true method of avoiding discussion. Being sensitive to people's feelings and being polite do not mean that the issues should be danced around, skirted by, or simply put on the shelf.

The good thing about the lounge was not only that it was a haven of relative tranquility, but that it combined this with being an excellent information resource. As you've heard from some of the old timers, some shift in this balance has occurred. I for one wish to see an increase in the information resource-type interaction. This does not necessarily mean that people can't go on with the social network/dating-type interaction.

And with that final statement, i make my bow.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

I've not been here as long as some, but I've certainly noticed the flavour of the place change - especially over the last year. I think we're losing a certain quality of grace from the way we deal with each other, a delicate balance of humour and good manners that made the Lounge a very particular place to be. The presence of fluff isn't, to me at least, the problem - it's the quality of the fluff, and the level of information those threads share.

I've made some good friends here - some in person and others from what I know only as a persona formed from electrons on a screen (and sorry Baron, I'm definitely up for another night of food, drink and chat. Your efforts seem not to have affected me) - but those people and I have never felt the need to discuss sandwiches, or skivvies, or anything of similar nature. There was a time where we divined each other from the use of language and context, where we'd think "Oh, I like the way they put that." and gradually end up in a long-running discussion from there. Forgive me for saying so, but that gradual process seems to have died out in favour of less subtle methodologies.

Good gods - is our Golden Era experiencing the Sixties?

Sorry, but I preferred the subtlety.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

The only time this place irritates me is when :

1) the moderators trim posts based on their personal dislike of a person (rather than that person's general disruption of a board);
2) the moderators step out of line and then delete posts without an apology in order to change history.

The OT posts, I just stay out of; this one included up till now (ok, maybe it's not OT, whatever). The navel gazing tends not to accomplish anything on the internets.

 

[KittyT]

I honestly expected this thread to be a big round of collective back slapping about how awesome we all are because omg we're classy and wear great clothes. It seems that's maybe not what this thread is about, but I honestly can't bring myself to sift back through the 7 previous pages of chatter.

What annoys me about this place, in addition to what Miss Bella just pointed out, is our collective need to pick scapegoats. It's been happening ever since I joined this forum. First it was Rafter, then Jovan, now CharlesB - there's always someone, and it's almost always the gents who are doing it. This is the first board I've ever been on where the women weren't the catty ones - this stuff almost never happens in the PR, which is why I'm pretty much happy to stay there.

What makes me sick is the constant talk about how good our manners are and how classy we are, when in fact this place is pretty much like any other forum I've been on - just without the outright rudeness and flamewars. It's more veiled by fancy, carefully chosen yet ever cutting words, better clothes, and claims of class. In the end, we're all just people, with the same faults we criticize others for... and this is just the Internet.

 

[Spitfire]

The only time this place irritates me is when :

1) the moderators trim posts based on their personal dislike of a person (rather than that person's general disruption of a board);
2) the moderators step out of line and then delete posts without an apology in order to change history.

The OT posts, I just stay out of; this one included up till now (ok, maybe it's not OT, whatever). The navel gazing tends not to accomplish anything on the internets.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap I am all behind you!

 

[ShooShooBaby]

I honestly expected this thread to be a big round of collective back slapping about how awesome we all are because omg we're classy and wear great clothes. It seems that's maybe not what this thread is about, but I honestly can't bring myself to sift back through the 7 previous pages of chatter.

What annoys me about this place, in addition to what Miss Bella just pointed out, is our collective need to pick scapegoats. It's been happening ever since I joined this forum. First it was Rafter, then Jovan, now CharlesB - there's always someone, and it's almost always the gents who are doing it. This is the first board I've ever been on where the women weren't the catty ones - this stuff almost never happens in the PR, which is why I'm pretty much happy to stay there.

What makes me sick is the constant talk about how good our manners are and how classy we are, when in fact this place is pretty much like any other forum I've been on - just without the outright rudeness and flamewars. It's more veiled by fancy, carefully chosen yet ever cutting words, better clothes, and claims of class. In the end, we're all just people, with the same faults we criticize others for... and this is just the Internet.

i've quietly observed this thread until now. just stepping in to say i agree with everything kitty has said here.

 

[Smuterella]

I don't think I've been here long enough to see much cattiness (come to think of it I think I may have attracted the odd catty comment, but it could be my paranoia) and I tend not to read the more male oriented areas too much anyway. I do think folk on here seem very helpful but of course people are people and will be nasty. The key is good moderation and as such moderation needs to be impartial. If a moderator(s) has been picking on someone then that sort of attitude will filter down to the rest of the boards...the old bad apple syndrome.

 

[nobodyspecial]

I honestly expected this thread to be a big round of collective back slapping about how awesome we all are because omg we're classy and wear great clothes. It seems that's maybe not what this thread is about, but I honestly can't bring myself to sift back through the 7 previous pages of chatter.

What annoys me about this place, in addition to what Miss Bella just pointed out, is our collective need to pick scapegoats. It's been happening ever since I joined this forum. First it was Rafter, then Jovan, now CharlesB - there's always someone, and it's almost always the gents who are doing it. This is the first board I've ever been on where the women weren't the catty ones - this stuff almost never happens in the PR, which is why I'm pretty much happy to stay there.

What makes me sick is the constant talk about how good our manners are and how classy we are, when in fact this place is pretty much like any other forum I've been on - just without the outright rudeness and flamewars. It's more veiled by fancy, carefully chosen yet ever cutting words, better clothes, and claims of class. In the end, we're all just people, with the same faults we criticize others for... and this is just the Internet.

I'd agree with this, only to add that I've seen several women be rather catty as well. Just yesterday, in another post, the rude comments of a female member were deleted. I do think if the moderators were to stop enforcing some sense of civility this forum would be no different than others in terms of lack of politeness. That said, I'd rather have some sense of moderation than full out flaming.