User Engagement Does Your Online Community Feel a Bit... Cultish?

[Dexter]

Have you ever stepped back and wondered if your online community might be just a touch on the culty side? I'm talking about those vibes where everything feels a bit too homogenized, where dissenting opinions can get you harassed by other members. A strong sense of community is great, but where do we draw the line?

Here’s what’s got me thinking:

1. Echo Chamber Much? Does everyone agree on almost everything? How does your community handle different or opposing views?
2. The Lingo: Are there certain phrases or slogans that are repeated like mantras? Does it ever feel like you're speaking a private language?
3. Hierarchy: Is there a clear in-group and out-group? How easy is it for new members to feel like they're part of the crew?

 

[Ravenfreak]

Thankfully none of my communities are like this,. My general discussion forum is opened to all. As long as you show respect to other members, that's all I ask. Everyone has different outlooks on life, not everyone is going to believe the same things you do.

 

[MrDawn]

It's very common with many online communities. A lot of people want a place where they have someone that mostly agrees with their point of view. While it's nice to have someone agreeing with you on a great deal of many things, that can also get boring very very quickly.

 

[Old Nick]

You start a discussion with an interlocutor on a rather banal subject:

• you agree, the discussion stops or is boring, you push open doors.
• you do not agree and as long as you are gentlemen then the discussion becomes exciting.

But as on the internet and especially on social networks, gentlemen/women are becoming increasingly rare, so some prefer the comfort of a caring community where not much happens but where they are almost certain to avoid verbal attacks.

Everyday life, reality, is violent enough for that.

 

[Dexter]

I'm a big personal believer in wanting to bring in 'the other side' for fresh new perspectives (and it's why I love Admin Junkies, because it does a good job of posting a lot of threads with some interesting new insights). I've joined so many forums in the past couple of years where, as a new member, you can immediately FEEL that you've joined a clique and it's such a turn-off as a new member, like you have to work extra hard just to be accepted and they had so many special badges and titles and inside jokes.

As long as we focus on the Idea, not the Person, we'll be okay.

I've been watching some threads on Xenforo right now, and there are a lot of personal attacks right now against a specific person, and I find that to be totally inappropriate and wrong 😠. Some XF users go out of their way just to call out this user, which doesn't contribute to the discussion at all. These are the kinds of things that I hope never happen on this site.

 

[Smokey]

All hail the mighty Dreamcast! I don't know what you're talking about, it's not a cult, it's the dreamcast 'fan club'.

Have you worshipped your lord & savior, the Sega Dreamcast, today?