"This discussion seems to be drifting out of focus."

[David King]

I think dividing up the forum is a bad idea as you will inevitably segregate the groups and limit their interactions hence limit the overall chances for knowledge to get distributed and for anyone to learn. We already live in a society where those with knowledge have the power and keep it to themselves while everyone else resents the powerful and start pretending that knowledge is worthless to make themselves feel less powerless and look where that gets us.

[Mike Sulzer]

I agree, but it is too late; the pickup theory sub forum is already made, and anything that relates to that topic will be moved there if it is not started there. I think the main reason for having sub forums is that in some forums there are so many discussions started on a particular sub topic that it becomes hard to find discussions on other topics. That was not true here; avoiding the theory discussions was just a matter of not clicking on them; there never were that many.

I think dividing up the forum is a bad idea as you will inevitably segregate the groups and limit their interactions hence limit the overall chances for knowledge to get distributed and for anyone to learn. We already live in a society where those with knowledge have the power and keep it to themselves while everyone else resents the powerful and start pretending that knowledge is worthless to make themselves feel less powerless and look where that gets us.

[David King]

That'll teach me not to wander off into the wilderness for weeks at a time.

[HaroldBrooks]

Knowing what I do about human nature so far (including my own), it's easy to get distracted from a topic, particularly if it's tangential to something else you would like to discuss. Many intelligent people have a very small audience to discuss the things that are in their minds, so when they find people of a common interest they sometimes tend to "Over do it" and forget their surroundings or the purpose that started it all.

I don't think in most cases there is any disrespectful or malicious intent. Many people's lives have been disrupted, so they are acting in ways they might not ordinarily, and dropping some conventions. That's understandable considering the current pandemic and closure of businesses, social engagement, and the like.

As an example, I find my self running off at the mouth in phone conversations with two friends of mine in particular, because of a "Pent up demand" of a sort. I don't often get to broach many subjects because they would be boring to people who never entertained those thoughts. If you have many and varied interests, you tend to get lonely unless you are able to express yourself from time to time, and yes, that includes scientists, historians, and philosophers !

I would take it with a grain of salt, and just try to get back on track if you still have some unanswered questions at the end of the day (or a post).

I have plenty, and some I might just be too embarrassed to ask, but hey now that I think of it, I will start a new post and ask away !

[Chuck H]

Wait... What were we talking about?