Why are the conversations always the same?

Requiem · 08-11-2012, 12:06 AM

Realistically, I have been both reading and posting to some things on this site for over 2 years. Why are there no original thoughts? Always, there are the same questions of authoritarian ownership, best books, worst books, and other typically mundane things. Is there no one here to speak of real meaningful ideas of what authorship should or could be? Or maybe a more in depth look on what literary works have or possibly could shape the future? I am desperately woeful on what the great readers of my time ("you") can come up with. We keep regurgitating the same idealistic views, with no real insight, of the same topics that have beleaguered literary types for the length of time as recognizable to us. I have not posted much merely because it is irrelevant to what has already been spoken, even in this style. you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it. I, personally, hoped for more from this group. You all, for the most part, are well read and know your own-selves. Yet nothing seems to be new, no new conversations, nor any new thoughts. I'm disillusioned and distracted by the thought of the readers ("us") into a spiraling downward spiral of mundane thoughts. Maybe a personal enlightenment could help me, or us all....

david_e · 08-11-2012, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Requiem

Realistically, I have been both reading and posting to some things on this site for over 2 years. Why are there no original thoughts? Always, there are the same questions of authoritarian ownership, best books, worst books, and other typically mundane things. Is there no one here to speak of real meaningful ideas of what authorship should or could be? Or maybe a more in depth look on what literary works have or possibly could shape the future? I am desperately woeful on what the great readers of my time ("you") can come up with. We keep regurgitating the same idealistic views, with no real insight, of the same topics that have beleaguered literary types for the length of time as recognizable to us. I have not posted much merely because it is irrelevant to what has already been spoken, even in this style. you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it. I, personally, hoped for more from this group. You all, for the most part, are well read and know your own-selves. Yet nothing seems to be new, no new conversations, nor any new thoughts. I'm disillusioned and distracted by the thought of the readers ("us") into a spiraling downward spiral of mundane thoughts. Maybe a personal enlightenment could help me, or us all....

There are no original thoughts because the vast majority of the contributors aren't creators but consumers of low end gadgetry.

I doubt you're going to find too many people hating you because what you've said isn't truth, it's opinion. There lies between the two an ocean of subtlety that, and this is my opinion, not truth, you won't understand. I am basing my opinion on the fact you believe, for the most part, that the people around here are well-read.

Instead of bemoaning the fact this isn't what you would like it to be, find a group that does provide you with the stimulation you're looking for and use this site more for it's intended purpose, tech help, finding out opinions on readers, and, while not intended, my personal favorite, a guaranteed ego booster. If you can't read through the majority of the threads and posts and come away with the feeling of 'thank god I'm not that ________,' then you just aren't trying.

QuantumIguana · 08-11-2012, 02:26 AM

Don't play the victim. We're not going to "hate you for telling the truth", because what you say is merely opinion, not truth. The same discussions come up everywhere, not just here, because there is a great deal of truth in the saying "There is nothing new under the sun". The same things come up, because they are still relevant. Copyright, good books, bad books, these are relevant to most people.

Most people are not looking for radical new types of authorship. Books are books, the novel has been around for centuries. There are those who want to embed video into books, but we already have TV for that. As far as the literature that is going to shape culture, like it or loathe it, it is "low culture" books that really shape it. Jules Verne introduced millions of people to new ideas.

HarryT · 08-11-2012, 02:48 AM

Why don't YOU start some threads with new thoughts and new ideas, if you think they're lacking? That would seem like the best way to achieve your goal.

BuddyBoy · 08-11-2012, 03:08 AM

3 years here, and 30 posts. Pot. Kettle.

fjtorres · 08-11-2012, 07:22 AM

The same conversations pop up because the same issues keep coming up in the news, with new aspects and implications. They keep popping up because the issues remain unresolved. And because the site is focused on a very specific set of topics: Mobile, device-based reading.

(Also, because some people who shall remain nameless have their own pet peeves they can't let go of. ePub supremacy, Amazon = evil, copyright is obscene, etc.)

For alternative topics of discussion, try the Blogs at economist.com.
They have a whole different set of same-old, same-olds over there.

elemenoP · 08-11-2012, 09:45 AM

and also: while you have been here for a few years, new people come all the time, and they think their old (to us) ideas are new (to them). This happens on every message board.

eP

GlenBarrington · 08-11-2012, 09:58 AM

Every so often I write what I call a 'book report'. A mini review of something I've read. Sometimes the thread takes off, sometimes it doesn't. But at least I'm sharing what I'm reading with others, and trying to open up the dialog to the ideas found in the book.

Stop your whining and lead by example. Maybe the results will be mixed, maybe not. But it HAS to be better and far more positive than the above lame post.

haydnfan · 08-11-2012, 10:02 AM

@Requiem:

You know that complaining that a forum is always seeing the same discussions revisited has itself been played out to death. It takes a special kind of unimaginative arrogance to expect other people to entertain you. And no surprise there is always one of you in every forum. As you said "you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it."

Catlady · 08-11-2012, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haydnfan

@Requiem:

You know that complaining that a forum is always seeing the same discussions revisited has itself been played out to death. It takes a special kind of unimaginative arrogance to expect other people to entertain you. And no surprise there is always one of you in every forum. As you said "you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it."

KenJackson · 08-11-2012, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Requiem

I have not posted much merely because it is irrelevant to what has already been spoken, even in this style.

Well maybe that's the problem. If everyone does the same, there will never be anything new.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Requiem

you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it. I, personally, hoped for more from this group.

I once posted an innocent request here for what books have been published about a particular political topic I'm interested in. I had hoped to get some recommendations.

But instead, I got so much reproachful, scornful hate that the thread was banned.

Now I know that only a one-sided political view is tolerated on these pages. I don't want to be banned, so I just avoid politics altogether.

What are the non-mundane topics you seek? Political (caution), philosophical, scientific, linguistic, or other? About the publishing industry or about the contents of books?

covfam · 08-11-2012, 10:58 AM

Im not here for Intellectual stimulation. im here just to look at Harry T's totally awesome avatar!

Now THATS deep!

Giggleton · 08-11-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Requiem

Realistically, I have been both reading and posting to some things on this site for over 2 years. Why are there no original thoughts? Always, there are the same questions of authoritarian ownership, best books, worst books, and other typically mundane things. Is there no one here to speak of real meaningful ideas of what authorship should or could be? Or maybe a more in depth look on what literary works have or possibly could shape the future? I am desperately woeful on what the great readers of my time ("you") can come up with. We keep regurgitating the same idealistic views, with no real insight, of the same topics that have beleaguered literary types for the length of time as recognizable to us.

We have yet to define literature, perhaps it is not possible yet we continue to try.

SteveEisenberg · 08-11-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Requiem

You all, for the most part, are well read and know your own-selves. Yet nothing seems to be new, no new conversations, nor any new thoughts.

This is the great lesson of intellectual history. There are no new ideas.

As far as your request for discussion of what authorship should be, I want to read a well-researched, no-ax-to-grind, book (or long essay) tracing the funding trail for 9/11. But of course that idea isn't original (see #2 here).

My idea of what authorship should be is probably not at the level of abstraction you are asking for, but, well, that's the level I usually think at.

Edited hours later: The last sentence is a bit snippy and maybe not even consistent with my previous posts on MobileRead. I've said a lot about advances being needed so authors can do research.

VaporPunk · 08-11-2012, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by covfam

Im not here for Intellectual stimulation. im here just to look at Harry T's totally awesome avatar!

Now THATS deep!

08-11-2012, 12:06 AM	#1
Requiem Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 490328 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: USA Device: Asus Transformer	Why are the conversations always the same? Realistically, I have been both reading and posting to some things on this site for over 2 years. Why are there no original thoughts? Always, there are the same questions of authoritarian ownership, best books, worst books, and other typically mundane things. Is there no one here to speak of real meaningful ideas of what authorship should or could be? Or maybe a more in depth look on what literary works have or possibly could shape the future? I am desperately woeful on what the great readers of my time ("you") can come up with. We keep regurgitating the same idealistic views, with no real insight, of the same topics that have beleaguered literary types for the length of time as recognizable to us. I have not posted much merely because it is irrelevant to what has already been spoken, even in this style. you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it. I, personally, hoped for more from this group. You all, for the most part, are well read and know your own-selves. Yet nothing seems to be new, no new conversations, nor any new thoughts. I'm disillusioned and distracted by the thought of the readers ("us") into a spiraling downward spiral of mundane thoughts. Maybe a personal enlightenment could help me, or us all....

08-11-2012, 09:58 AM	#8
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	Why don't YOU do something about it. . . Every so often I write what I call a 'book report'. A mini review of something I've read. Sometimes the thread takes off, sometimes it doesn't. But at least I'm sharing what I'm reading with others, and trying to open up the dialog to the ideas found in the book. Stop your whining and lead by example. Maybe the results will be mixed, maybe not. But it HAS to be better and far more positive than the above lame post.

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08-11-2012, 02:26 AM	#3
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Don't play the victim. We're not going to "hate you for telling the truth", because what you say is merely opinion, not truth. The same discussions come up everywhere, not just here, because there is a great deal of truth in the saying "There is nothing new under the sun". The same things come up, because they are still relevant. Copyright, good books, bad books, these are relevant to most people. Most people are not looking for radical new types of authorship. Books are books, the novel has been around for centuries. There are those who want to embed video into books, but we already have TV for that. As far as the literature that is going to shape culture, like it or loathe it, it is "low culture" books that really shape it. Jules Verne introduced millions of people to new ideas.

08-11-2012, 02:48 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Why don't YOU start some threads with new thoughts and new ideas, if you think they're lacking? That would seem like the best way to achieve your goal.

08-11-2012, 03:08 AM	#5
BuddyBoy eBookin' Fool Posts: 310 Karma: 1008360 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, KK, iPad (Ex Prs 505, 500, Reb1100-2150, Rocket)	3 years here, and 30 posts. Pot. Kettle.

08-11-2012, 07:22 AM	#6
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	The same conversations pop up because the same issues keep coming up in the news, with new aspects and implications. They keep popping up because the issues remain unresolved. And because the site is focused on a very specific set of topics: Mobile, device-based reading. (Also, because some people who shall remain nameless have their own pet peeves they can't let go of. ePub supremacy, Amazon = evil, copyright is obscene, etc.) For alternative topics of discussion, try the Blogs at economist.com. They have a whole different set of same-old, same-olds over there.

08-11-2012, 09:45 AM	#7
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	and also: while you have been here for a few years, new people come all the time, and they think their old (to us) ideas are new (to them). This happens on every message board. eP

08-11-2012, 10:02 AM	#9
haydnfan Guru Posts: 650 Karma: 5632364 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2	@Requiem: You know that complaining that a forum is always seeing the same discussions revisited has itself been played out to death. It takes a special kind of unimaginative arrogance to expect other people to entertain you. And no surprise there is always one of you in every forum. As you said "you can hate me for stating the truth, but so be it."

08-11-2012, 10:58 AM	#12
covfam Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 1139862 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Ipod Touch,Ipad3,Kindle fire, Samsung Galaxy tab, Samsung Galaxy S3	Im not here for Intellectual stimulation. im here just to look at Harry T's totally awesome avatar! Now THATS deep!

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