<So what do you all think about the state of the astronaut's tribe and the Social order, of or lack there of ?>

I still say that tribe is like the Wild West, and this is no surprise with no mod or any kind. I am no doubt one of the worst offenders when it comes to shooting up the saloon. But I don't really know what people expect when anarchy is the order of the day. People grouse about it, but then every few months decide yet again not to have a mod ~ even a rota of mods or a mediating group where not one person is determining or enforcing policy. So the trolls come and various instigators incite riots of all descriptions.

But I have to figure that in spite of the complaints, that is what is preferred there since the obvious remedy keeps being rejected. I am sure many people do as you have done, Dragon, and just leave the tribe ~ at least temporarily.

Since no member clean up is ever done, no one really knows who is active and who left years ago without unsubbing tribe. Unsubbing that particular tribe doesn't remove you from the active member list., so the place looks huge. How many people actively post there on any kind of regular basis? I know a lot of people lurk, but even so, 5000+ active members listed doesn't look right even on the surface considering the comparatively small number of posters.

In any event, if the consensus is that no mod is wanted, I think people have to expect some chaos ~ LOTZ papering the tribe with 9 threads in one morning, all posted by his alts and expounding the same incomprehensible and never-explained personal version of astrology and never having any real interaction with anyone other than some alt of himself; trolls invading at random to insult and to chew people out for even discussing astrology, not to mention taking their personal crusades against some people there to heights unattainable were a mod there to quash the nonsense; unstable types with some bizarre views of people with certain signs or aspects that they cling to for dear life regardless of any reasonable argument to "look at the whole chart;" and the people, such as myself, who get peeved, particularly when friends or obviously sincere people are targeted, and get all Joan of Arc on some thread. Creating the friendly town of Astroville did no good ~ the water supply there got contaminated, too. So what can you do? Stay and put up with it or leave and not is what it looks like to me.

Many people say that the internet is not like RL. I totally disagree. At least on tribe, it is all too often very much a mirror of the real world, warts and all.

I like the astronuts tribe (it was named aptly) & it's Wild Wild West forum. I get the feeling that astrology conferences are kinda the same way (passionate, cranky & eccentric) with the main differences, that people have paid $ to attend & are looking each other physically in the eye.

I think the bottom line with the squabbling, is that people need to get it out of their system & it is easy enough for me to stop opening a thread once I have determined that the last 30 posts or so have just been a personal quarrel that doesn't involve me.

I think it is an important skill to learn how to identify & avoid trolls, if one chooses ~ for being on tribe & applying to 'real life'.

I also think that the interpersonal struggles do reveal quite a lot about those who engage in them & with their natal charts on display, it is an astrological research arena

& that the sensationalism of the tribe does keep the *drama* factor alive & although some people do leave (mostly temporarily) ~ it keeps the tribe active during all of these 'maintenance down times' ~ at this point in tribe's history, any action is good ~ I know that most of the other tribes I belong to have been non-active for a while & even if there is limited academic astrological posting, the drama-factor keeps the blood pumping ~ right now the astronuts tribe is really the only tribe that keeps me checking tribe every day & IMHO still keeps tribe one step up from facebook.

I really don't think the 'unpleasantness' keeps people from posting there ~ I just think it fills in the 'dead air' between academically minded astrological postings ~ I do my part & contribute as much as I am able ~ starting threads on topics that interest me & contributing to threads that I like ~ but, I think it is 'wishful thinking' to say that the tribe would be better if more of the in-fighting was halted ~ I think there would just be more dead air (like many of the moderated astrology tribes that I belong to) & that, until tribe gets it's technical issues all straightened out & can begin to attract more 'new blood' ~ the drama may actually be keeping it alive.

love all-ways,
mem

Sorry I got all crabby yesterday. Another lunatic went after me last night, necessitating my unsubbing from a tribe while posting here. Fortunately, that tribe has a mod, so by the morning the freak was history and I was invited back with apologies.

Ultimately, I agree with mem that tribe needs to get its hardware and software problems resolved so that people will subscribe or resubscribe to it. I think that if that happens many of these crazies will hit the road and there will be a lot more substantive activity. At the moment, however, it seems like the nuts are as abundant as the bugs.