bookbinder
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- Jun 7, 2008
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So, here's the rub: It's about my one year anniversary with ALL. As with all anniversaries, it's time to take a moment to evaluate things. Reassess honeysuckle, if you will.
With any project, results are key. To get results, one evaluates data with an objective to measure the success or failure of project. Is the project a success or failure? What was the goal of project and did we accomplish it?
So, here's the obvious question. What purpose does ALL serve? I know a lot of people here will say that ALL is simply so that lonely people can get together and talk about their honeysuckle. To me, however, that seems superficial. That doesn't really help anybody. People hear the same honeysuckle over and over again and find no comfort in it. Don't get me wrong, obviously the place functions well as a social forum, too. But praising ALL for it's ability as a social gathering ignores what should be or could be its bigger purpose.
Obviously I don't have serious data. I don't have data on the number of folks who leave ALL given the amount who join on a monthly basis. I don't have survey responses on whether or not folks feel better about their lives after having joined ALL. I guess that data starts with the poll attached to this thread.
Maybe most of the people reading this will say it's bullshit. I don't pretend to speak for anyone but myself. But I've been here for a year, and it seems to me that this site needs to improve, with specific attention towards a goal designed to help folks recover from whatever it is that makes them lonely. A serious effort, not with the blind leading the blind, but with people willing to become experts on different topics so as to help people develop plans to better themselves in different areas. Someone who's learned to cope with public speaking. Someone who knows how to dress well. Someone who has an ease in making friends.
This is just an idea, folks. As I said, it's an anniversary. The idea is to assess things and start a conversation if people feel similarly.
With any project, results are key. To get results, one evaluates data with an objective to measure the success or failure of project. Is the project a success or failure? What was the goal of project and did we accomplish it?
So, here's the obvious question. What purpose does ALL serve? I know a lot of people here will say that ALL is simply so that lonely people can get together and talk about their honeysuckle. To me, however, that seems superficial. That doesn't really help anybody. People hear the same honeysuckle over and over again and find no comfort in it. Don't get me wrong, obviously the place functions well as a social forum, too. But praising ALL for it's ability as a social gathering ignores what should be or could be its bigger purpose.
Obviously I don't have serious data. I don't have data on the number of folks who leave ALL given the amount who join on a monthly basis. I don't have survey responses on whether or not folks feel better about their lives after having joined ALL. I guess that data starts with the poll attached to this thread.
Maybe most of the people reading this will say it's bullshit. I don't pretend to speak for anyone but myself. But I've been here for a year, and it seems to me that this site needs to improve, with specific attention towards a goal designed to help folks recover from whatever it is that makes them lonely. A serious effort, not with the blind leading the blind, but with people willing to become experts on different topics so as to help people develop plans to better themselves in different areas. Someone who's learned to cope with public speaking. Someone who knows how to dress well. Someone who has an ease in making friends.
This is just an idea, folks. As I said, it's an anniversary. The idea is to assess things and start a conversation if people feel similarly.
