The Topics that Derail

JUNO (which is to say, anything tangentially related to Diablo Cody)
Any passing references to Cameron

Nazis

I'm ignorant about messageboard etiquite, but why does it matter so much if a thread derails? Conversations in real life tend to devolve, too, when topics of paramount "importance" get introduced, like sex, religion, or celebrity rumor or whatever else. Most conversations tend to meet the ocean eventually. If this is natural, why not just ignore it and keep on topic with the people who stayed on topic with you. I don't mean to challenge. It's something I've been curious about for a while now.

Oh sorry...ROCKY IV.

I agree with Sam. I don't really understand the need for restricted conversation. Its not like its impossible to get back "on topic." If a thread derails because another conversation pops up you don't need to take part in it.

Now, if the entire thread becomes a never ending bitch session about one persons view of a movie, then its pointless. So I understand why we want to avoid that kind of derailing. But I think there is a fine line between being annoying and furthering discussion. The word "derail" can be applied too broadly in my opinion.

Here's an example: the Antichrist thread. We started talking about other Von Trier movies. Some people complained that it was a thread derail. I kinda get that because maybe they haven't had the chance to see the film yet. But when discussing a film maker, isn't only natural to discuss his earlier work? I kinda feel the same way about King Kong in the Lovely Bones thread. I know not every post regarding King Kong is on topic, but I don't want to be a part of a thread about a specific film without being able to talk about their past works. That's stupid.

Oh, and I totally anticipate someone making a smart-ass comment like "you're derailing this thread, we're not supposed to be discussing what is a derail and what isn't, just what topics derail blah blah blah."

To which I say: suck my dick and grow up.

And it's not like the King Kong discussion has descended into a bunch of people simply repeating "Liked it" or "Hated it". There's been some good points brought up, some of which relate to how Jackson may have also botched Lovely Bones.

I don't think derailment per se is the issue. Some of the best threads we've ever had were born from inspired off-ramps of discussion. It's more the fact that it so often involves a handful of topics that never go anywhere and rehash the same old (often retarded) arguments time and time again. It's bad enough when those topics are confined to related-content threads, but they can take over even when they pop up in other potentially interesting threads. Like the way every thread in which Princess Kate posts always becomes about her.

So, yeah, Princess Kate.

Ignore her.

Yeah I get that. I also understand the frustration that comes when everyone ignores or subverts beyond recognition a topic starter's intent or question. Since we are doing this right mow, should one of us immediately start an appropriate thread? If we do and this thread simply disappears as a result, then what really was saved? Meaning, if there was potential interest people would post right? Can't people still chime in with suggested topics that derail threads? I can't imagine a simultanious, tangental conversation would disuade anyone.

So this thread might get derailed by a debate about the potential merits and detriments of thread derailments? How meta.

It also has the beginnings of a brief sidetrack about PK, which would seem to validate her nomination by Banks. Used to be Fleed but people seem to have finally learned with him.

Also there are certain posters who have a knack for derailing threads just by posting in them, regardless of the topic of their post. And I don't mean that the thread becomes a discussion about them, just that their presence tends to lead to stupid arguments.

But I vote for Avatar. Or at least, if it isn't already a guaranteed derailment topic, it will be soon.

Right. Bringing up something that is nominally off-topic when it can be tied into what the thread is ACTUALLY about is not derailing, IMO.

It's when some already tired argument begins turns a thread into the internet equivalent of a monkey shitfight that is bothersome.

I don't mind when we go off-topic on interesting stuff like THE DARK KNIGHT, Devin's emotional problems, or how much white people hate Asians. What's annoying to me is the number of threads that devolve into people light-heartedly talking about food, or the winter in Canada vs. the winter in New Jersey, or their cats, or all this other old granny shit that belongs on knittingsweaters.com or some place like that.

Thank you for proving my point.

And that's why derailment has a bad rep, because that's what happens more often. So people are wary of it the second it starts to happen, even if there's the potential it'll turn into something worthwhile. It's like "nip this in the bud on the off chance it turns into a monkey shitfight like so many derails before it." But it's absolutely true it can lead to legitimately intelligent, interesting, funny, etc. conversations.

There have been plenty of derailments I've witnessed where the derailment ends up being way more interesting or entertaining than the actual topic used to start the thread. Maybe not for the topics Devin mentioned at the top, but yeah. Millette commandeering that one guy's personal thread with all of the Cockzilla talk was golden.

And speaking of that, I think there are certain threads that really only exist to be derailed. 90% of all of the personal "I'm attempting to seek advice/share a gut-wrenching story" threads end up this way it seems.

I dunno. I don't derail very often, and if it is a topic I'm interested in I try to be a good contributor. I think that's fair and reasonable. The forums are a gigantic group discussion, and the more people there are, the less chance there is of having a narrow, well-defined talk on any given topic. That's just group behaviour 101.

I feel like I'm in a terrible alternate reality because I don't think I've ever agreed with you as much as I do today.

In terms of videogames Shadow of the Colossus is a big no-no in terms of discussion because it always leads to the exact same conversation.

Any mention of the political right (conservatism, fundies, Bush) tends to make people lose their shit.

Also, sex/gender politics. I guess those discussions can be at least tangentially related to the topic at hand and fall on the interesting side of derails. But they are often arguments about whether particular people who put their feet in their mouths are sexist or not, rather than how that relates to whatever film or tv show or book or whatever is ostensibly being discussed.

I didn't complain; I asked someone to let me know when I could start reading posts in that thread again, as it was a very specific derail into the ending of a movie I hadn't seen yet. But I wasn't condemning the sidebar; it made sense within the thread.

As to Devin's original post, he covered the big ones. Avatar, of course. Christian Bale in general, though less than last year. District 9 chatter seems to turn into Jackson talk more often than not. Mentions of Fran Walsh don't go well.

Or thread that Paul McCartney posts in.

Paul McCartney. That dumbass alone derails threads.

Quick, Martin Savage, revive the thread! Tell us all about winter in Canada or embroidery!

Then maybe add in a smiley! You can do it!

You were totally polite, I was just using it as an example. The topic changed and you wanted to bring it back to the movie at hand. My point is, what counts as derailing? Because according to some what happened in that thread would be derailing. According to the other examples used in this thread, it would be.

Box office is a topic that often causes derailments. But I love to read people fighting about how much money a movie might make.

Any thread were Ludwig responds is soon overrun by caribou. FACT...

The dick-swinging over box office is one thing I completely DON'T understand.

My stance is that I want good movies to make enough money so that the people in them get to make more movies. That's the end of that for me.

But some people seem to regard box office take as some sort end-all in and of itself. Personally I'd rather watch Brick than Transformers.

I don't mean to!

In any thread not explicitly about fantasy casting, a single actor fantasy cast into a movie will take over the thread.

The Forum Culture

1) God crazies
2) The last act of Batman Begins
3) Temple of Doom isn't that bad a movie.

Fleed isn't as bad as everyone think. He's got some dumbass opinions. But he seems pretty knowledgable about some stuff. And to give credit due he got that GI JOE thing correct before the most of us.

CONAN THE DESTROYER.

Get over it, people.

Sunshine has frequently caused terrible derailments, I've noticed

Felix, Thank you, for...some, of what you said. I would never say, that you have...Dumbass opinions though.

It still burns.

Since McCartney is in here, I'm wondering why some threads that are all derails don't bother people. For instance, the Bond thread and B-movie action threads. Those have their own little niche posters, and everyone else seems to ignore them and let them be.

McCartney's ratio of derailing to on-topic posting in the Bond thread is still pretty strong. If people don't get it, they don't get it, but for Bond dorks Paul's contributions in that thread are solid.

A)Those threads are all pretty much on-topic. It's just a very wide topic.

B)The off-topic stuff doesn't derail anything because the regulars don't really acknowledge it if it happens. They just post something new about Blofeld or Robert Davi.
I think the worst derailments to happen in either thread were from Spike dropping in to say what a bunch of stupid assholes we all were and how we're a scourge to the community, etc. But after a few responses things went right back on course again. The regulars there have a stronmg enough interest in action movies/James Bond to just let that shit go so it doesn't ruin a good thread. I know this is something Devin would like to see in every forum- aficiandos with a strong respect for movies above all else. But you can't force that, it just happens on it's own.

Post-release threads get derailed by Pre-release stuff, not that I mind it too much.

QFT! Indeed, like when he comes in and spouts how we disrespected the honor of PUNISHER: WAR ZONE by laughing at its golden moments.

He expects tea like setting whilst discussing action movies and shit. Telling us how to behave. He says that we watch movies that are poorly constructed - but admits to watching them. LOL!

___

As for derailments - it's part of the equation. We've derailed one way or another. I try not to - but hey, it happens.

OK, now everyone please move to threads other than this.

ha ha ha......