I getting tired of hearing that we and the site are going through tough times.
What does that mean already?
I’m going to say that I don’t think that we are doing anything other than what we THINK we are doing. Slumps and depressions are a state of mind unless some physical event has happened that is oppressing us.
In what way am I wrong here?
Hahaha. I think you’re right, I don’t see any crisis, wait, now I see it…philosophy! 
SilentSoliloquy, if I’m actually taking your above post’s point the right way, then you appear to be incredibly Nietzschean, who said that philsophy is the product of crisis.
We need to crack on with that whole ‘creating a better world under the rule of the Moose’ plan that we’ve been putting together for the last couple of months…
So, let’s define the “tough times” that we are all hearing about.
I think that I now know what they are, but I’m curious about feedback.
A few high profile posters have become disenchanted with the nature and quality of the forum and have in one way or another made their feelings known. Such is forum life, it seems. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a forum for very long without seeing this happen.
Yeah, but somehow that affected everyone. It’s a sheep-like response in my opinion.
However, I think the problem really is addressed by the “invite a friend” thread. Many of us here were used to fighting about ideas and now have difficulty because we are all so used to each other. Most of us know our various positions on a wide range of topics. If someone brings up “porn” they already know what I’m going to say. So, I bet that many topics aren’t even posted because of the predicted response from certain people.
If that is the case then maybe the solution is to begin having more in-depth discussions that try to explore the issue in a more complex manner. That would require defending against and agreeing with the other.
That approach assumes that we are staying and are more than a community of strangers.
The “slump” has to do with the fact that ILP is now a neighborhood and not a train station.
Alternatively we need a little of the ‘out with the old blood, in with the new’. Like any team, nothing lasts forever. The present crew have enjoyed considerable success but eventually limbs (and reputations, both self-observed and otherwise) tire and maybe it’s time for them to make way.
Saying that I’m now the 7th highest poster on this forum. Bloody 'ell. And at this rate I’ll overtake detrop by New Year…
Well, “out with the old” is fine, but I don’t think that it leads to further development for the old. I for instance could find some other board and gain new thrills from fighting about the things I’m passionate about with new people. What will I gain from that though? I will gain thrills.
However, if the old people here decide to stick to their issues and explore them more while trying to understand other points then something new will happen. This is a different approach than simply trying to win the argument. That of course depends on the will of the people to engage in a new way.
Anyway, the slump is what we make it.
Tell that the starving people of Russia…
Starvation is a physical state. We are torturing ourselves.
I’ll torture myself if I want to. What are you going to do? Call Amnesty?
No, call for rationality!
Call all you like, he’s out in the yard digging up the roses…
Tough times eh? Lord Hades has a hold of it, he’ll sort it out, no worries.