Get Your Feet Wet
In one survey a Member stated that he would like to see Members participating in Topics that they are unfamiliar with or may not have thought about before. That is so true. Members often join and are closed to other Topics and therefore limit their perspective, ability to learn new cultures and ways of thinking and so forth simply because they stick with one Topic. Additionally, such Members become disappointed when other Members are not wholly focused on the same Topics they are. Spread yourself around... just because you are Catholic it does not mean you cannot make comments in the Far East Religions Board. Just because you are Mormon does not mean you cannot give some thoughts in the Bible Revealed Board (of course without the LDS references) and so forth.
I also often wonder about this as well. People come from 'x' place but never update the Threads about their country for people to learn from it. Spread the knowledge by sharing it. In turn others may do the same and we all learn. Thoughts?
It's always hard to come out of your comfort zone, sometimes if I don't know a topic well, I will put a general comment on rather than a factual informative one, just stick to the basics that you do know, or put 'in my opinion', ...I don't often step out of what I know, I guess I get afraid of being out of my depth same as most people.
I find it is more difficult to maintain constructive posting when in unfamiliar territory. I would be very reticent to spout off an opinion about something I know very little about. I am game to ask questions to learn more I suppose in some new territory.
I'm a research addict, so I will at times get involved in topics I know little about, but only after I go find out what it is and how I feel/think about it. I'm not adverse to discussing something I'm not an expert in, but I do tend to stick to familiar topics and areas of interest.
Thanks for the input all. I have read all the feedback thus far and I can understand the need to 'know' what you are talking about before you respond, however it is not plausible to know everything about every Topic in order for Discussion to take place. For instance, if you were in a conversation with someone who knew things you did not would you stay quiet for fear of mentioning something wrong? No, you would ask questions and learn. Questions also continue Discussion because they open the doorway for someone to answer.
I find that most of the input in the Community are like statements of opinion that leave no development for a continuance of the Discussion. To break that Members need to tackle Threads where the person does know what they are talking about (or seems to know) and ask questions, show interest and then the author will feel that there are persons interested in what they have to stay. If everyone stays quiet waiting until they research a Topic then how will the author of the Thread know that they are making a valuable contribution to the Community? Most of them leave because their input is gone largely unanswered and unacknowledged.
That is the point of this Thread. Visit Studies of Paranormal, Dancing, Near Death, UFO, Mysteries and other Boards that have content that may seem like research would be needed and invite Discussion through questions and comments rather than looking to try and 'answer' anything or show how much you know.
I have been trying to dig into topics outside my comfort zone. I find it hard as you try to make a response to keep the topic going while digging and reading like a madman. Perhaps just asking more questions in the thread for the creator to expand or place their reason might e a second option I have been ignoring.