talkmagic.co.uk

On the subject of anonimity, my name is Mick Craig, but I've been known as Mickeyboy to my friends for longer than I care to remember.


You can find me here, BTW:

http://www.mickcraigmagic.co.uk/

There can be a dark side to any kind of social interaction, and forums are no exception.

Many of the problems can be dealt with by a good moderating team (TM has an excellent one). Bullying is not permitted, although I know a couple of regulars here can sometimes come across in the wrong way.

The biggest potential problem is the anonymity. This gives people the chance to harrass others, act like they are experts when they are not, make bullying posts, etc. On the other hand, the anonymity can offer good things. A person who's being stalked can (to a degree) keep information personal, and it's good for encouraging shy people to contribute.

Sometimes a forum will inhibit a person from progressing, while in other cases it might encourage someone to develop. I think a good forum will do the latter more than the former. We tend to be very careful here about any form of exposure (at least on the open forums), but people at TM tend to be very friendly and supportive.

Iain, you are right that forums can be confusing, because of the number of opinions, but I think that's an inherent problem with many arts. Should an actor use 'the method', or should they 'just' act? Should a painter try to portray the real world, or make a statement, or show their view of life? Can they do more than one at the same time? There are no right or wrong answers to some questions and, at some point, every magician has to start making up their own mind.

I think the secrets to a good forum are:

1. Good moderators. There should be enough of them to do the job, and with good judgement.

2. Sensible rules, that are reasonably easy to find and follow. The rules should be enforced fairly (see point 1).

3. Posters should be polite. If someone is trolling or spamming, ignore them, and let the mods deal with it (see point 1). If somebody new turns up and asks a daft question, please give them the benefit of the doubt. There is no need to dazzle us with how much of a shining wit you are.

4. Posters should realise that opinions are just that. Because of the nature of performing arts (see above), even if an answer seems to be right for you, it does not mean that it is right for everyone. It also does not mean that it is actually right for you. Related to this, just because someone is famous and/or has TV shows, most certainly does not put them beyond criticism. There are plenty of (relatively) talentless people on the telly and, again, there are few absolutely right answers in magic.