Top 3 Reasons Why This Board Is/Will Be Successful. What Are YOUR Reasons?

Top 3 Reasons Why This Board Is/Will Be Successful.
An Attempt At Revealing Asskissing and Gathering of Opinions.

What follows is essential for:
a.What model do we have here.
b.How this model is to be further developed.

1.In contrast to other boards THIS board doesn't proclaim some general descriptive goal.
Rather, it actually confines itself to the analysis and comments on a limited number of very tangible books.
Paradoxically, the more focused it is, the more general unexpected discussions arise.

2.The board doesn't strive to attract herds of visitors and viewers.
Like Confucius once observed (again paradoxically): build small community and thousands will want to join.

3.Spiritual/motivational/inspirational issues are discussed (not "how and where to open a merchant account").
In this respect words "seeds" and "wisdom" are impeccable.
Paradoxically, IN ORDER to discuss the spiritual/motivational/inspirational issues you have to (materialistically) buy the corresponding books.

Bonus Reason4.
It is constantly stressed and shown that the "philosophy" is highly practical.

What are YOUR 3 Top Reasons?

Simon

Because the philosopy of WE is demonstrated.

Because the moderator's heart is in sharing
and encouraging EVERYONE who comes to this
board ,and treating each individual with respect.
There doesn't appear to be any favorites.

Everyone has something meaningful to contribute.

People are willing to open up and share.

WE all have something to contribute to each
other.

Doesn't appear anyone is trying to impress
anyone else.

The moderator responds to every post.

Hi Simon and Sandy,

Thanks for sharing those thoughts and observations.... :)

Sandy, you're right about the WE philosophy.... I think that's critical to the success of the forum.... :)

Here's how things began....

When Gordon and I started the forum, we consciously wanted it to be "different" from what is out there.... We specifically didn't want "how do I get a merchant account" type posts, but more "deeper" discussion....

And Gordon posted about his philosophy of WE. It's not about me, it's about US. This is not just a philosophy of the forum.... This is how Gordon approaches everything that I've seen. I've been learning from him. :)

In addition, I also have some previous experience at moderating.... Here's something I learned from that....

I think what can work well is where you have a board with "objective" guidelines. Then people can look at their own posts and have a good idea whether they fit the guidelines of the board or not...

Also, that way people can feel more equal. I'm purposely trying to avoid the "dictator" feel of some boards.... I want you to know that if anything is deleted, it's not due to my whim or someone else's whim, but due to clear and objective guidelines.... You can never completely avoid the "shades of gray," but we try.... :)

We also wanted a positive place to be.... I've seen some other forums degenerate into places where people can get quite vicious, and we definitely want to avoid that! But there's also a flip side....

Different opinions can be very valuable, because then you get several perspectives. So we want people to feel free enough to speak about their true opinions....

Hopefully we can stay in that area in the middle, where disagreements and different opinions are OKAY, but where we keep a close watch so that things don't degenerate into insults and personal attacks....

However, WE is the main philosophy of the board, and WIN/WIN/WIN.... WE can all share and benefit. :) We want EVERYONE to benefit....

And that's the important piece of "practical philosophy" the forum is founded on, and which I learned from Gordon....

Hopefully, it's a place we can share and which we all feel is really OURS.... :)

Dien

Here's my humble three:

1. The board does serve a broader purpose than "how to make money on the Web" and it's respondents seem to honor that purpose.

2. Strong personalities are attracted to this board, but temper their opinions and statements with almost chivalric restraint - in other words, no duels are provoked:-)

3. Gordon, Dien and the other moderators have a light hand on the delete button, preferring to comment rather than expunge - no one feels put down if they're at least somewhere in the ballpark of the topic at hand.

In summary, bright contributors and tolerance all around lead to the success of this board.

Bob