Every once in a while, I find that something happens on Menewsha that reminds me that each of the individuals forums have some kind of stigma attached to them. Some forums are more noticeable, whereas others are generally accepted and frequented by most of the site.

For example, as a long-time regular of the Avatar Chat forum, I've noticed over the years that users are typically adverse to entering the AC and chatting with users there. The stigma attached to the AC is that users there are mean and overly critical towards other users if they feel that their avatars aren't good enough to be included as part of the community there, or at least, that's what I've found to be the general idea from users that I've seen speak about why they don't use that forum. From my experience, I haven't seen this kind of criticism in the AC since early 2008, and I feel its a shame that users aren't more open to coming to chat with us because the AC has so much to offer, but not enough members to make it work properly.

Are there any forums on Menewsha that you tend to skip by because you're scared of them or feel that you wouldn't be accepted there and why? What do you think about forum stigmas, and which forums have you felt were harder to fit into at first now that you've become a regular there?

Hmmm, I don't really know Menewsha well enough to know about the forums here specifically, but I've definitely seen it everywhere else on the internet. =P
I have to say, I'm personally prejudiced to the Nations, because in the few times I went there I never really found any intelligent conversation. Aimless chatter attracts less wordy people, I think.
I'm also loving and hating the general discussion forum, because as much as I love it and use it, it always just turns into post and leave and I hate that. I'd call that a truth of the forum, but I guess it's a stigma. xD

And see, there we are already, Hermes! :) I spend most of my time in Nations, and I've had some interesting conversations in the hangout I frequent most regularly. Sometimes the chatter is aimless, sure, but not always. It all depends on how talkative people are feeling on any given day, that's all.

I do tend to skip the art forums, though. I'm not an artist, have no real creative writing to share (or at least, nothing recent), and... I don't know. I doubt I'd fit in.

I would frequent the avatar chat if I had better skills in the avatar department. :sweat:
I don't feel that great at it, and I need to spend more on the common items anyway.

I'm also afraid I'd be put down in there. I'm sensitive.

I feel awkward in the nation forum, like in real life. I haven't been that great with my social skills I'm afraid. The debate forum seems like a big argument to me.

But I'll visit anywhere from time to time, I'm not picky.
I tend to check the book, and anime/manga forums though. I like them. I would frequent the literature spot more often if it was more populated, and that my muses would get off they're lazy butts and get to work! :lol:

Cicadetta, I can never find the hangouts that everyone talks about being worth going to. Hangout forums always just feel pointless to me in the end too.

I don't know, Hermes. I sort of ended up joining one during the Winter Nights '09 event, liked the people, and stuck around when it moved to Nations. It's kind of become my home on Menewsha. :)

I think the Nations might be one of the only forums that I'll never have a time to go in. =P I mean, everything else has a time and a place.

I feel that way about the Exchange! It's kind of clique-ish.

The Exchange is a bit of a clique! And also, it's just a bunch of people bumping their threads to make a buck. Which I personally find as a conversation killer. :lol:

I frequent the Quest and Nations forums the most; I'm also a part of the hangout that Cica is talking about, Hermes, and considering you and I have talked before, you should come and hang out with us some time! I've a feeling you'd fit right in. ;)

I have a handful of threads I frequent in the Quest forum, and I love talking with the people in them! We're all friends of some sort, and love having hilarious conversations that typically last at least two days (since the Quest forum moves rather slow...). It's great fun! :lol:

And I'm slowly getting more accustomed to the AC; honestly, for years I've been apathetic towards my avatar... And so I can totally relate to those who've already mentioned feeling inferior and incapable of holding their own in the AC. Only recently have I gained enough confidence about my fashion sense to venture in. ;)

The Games forum, to me, seems the most useless, since gold-earning is disabled and the games aren't all that fun to begin with. And I tend to steer clear of the arts forums, because I'm no artist. :sweat:

I'm usually hesitant to go into the Nations. Whenever I try to talk to someone, they always ignore me. Or they say hello and forget I'm there. Which is what I get for trying to talk when there's already six people, I guess.
I don't go into the Arts or books, because I don't draw or anything, and I don't really have any fun talking about books.
Sometimes I go into the music forum, but I never stay that long, because there aren't many artists I've heard of/like.
Debates...now debates confuse me too much.

I like the AC and fresh meat, usually.

Facade, I'm dubious of coming there anyway, even if it'd be fun. I mean, it would ruin my streak of having been on Menewsha for weeks without having any real conversations or making any friends. And I would ruin my ideal of not going into Nations.
Though I suppose being led to a specific thread in Nations would be a bit different.

Personally I tend to avoid the Debate forum since everything there is so smart. I come to Mene to relax and I guess it's just a stigma of mine to perceive it as to much of a hassle to deal with debating world issues.

I'm used to debate forums being really pretentious, but I've found on small forums they aren't so I always make sure to go in. When it turns into extreme discussion I just quietly excuse myself. I'm glad the stigma of pretentiousness is inaccurate, at least on Mene.

I'm intimidated by the Avatar and Exchange forums. Granted I don't go on menewsha a lot to make a decent amount of gold, I just feel that they will automatically label me negatively and reject me because of my avatar.
But the majority of menewsha appears to be very friendly, so I may just be over my head here.

I've actually found the charity forum to be kinda clique-ish, in a really weird kind of way.

The Exchange and Quest forums I can usually find a place to hang out, based on the thread owner, but I like to spend most of my time in Feedback and Info Desk since I can just hop in at any time (usually reading, but I post when I think it's appropriate).

There's also definitely a few cliques in Debates, but I have to say that I'm surprised that there's more than just two, for Mene being such a small site.

GD I think has a rep for being kindof "Gaia-ish" and I think it's why I usually avoid most of the topics there.

For what it's worth, I don't visit AC because of overly critical people; It's normally because I just don't care too much about my avatar's fashion as much as I used to. XD; Though I browse User's Pick and some other threads occasionally.

Forums I tend to avoid are Menewsha Nation and the Roleplaying forum. Nation I avoid normally because I'm not too good with trying to 1) PICK one thread, 2) Find a way into a conversation in that thread, 3) Keep coming back. It's slightly intimidating to me because everyone seems to have really good friends in there and I tend to take into account that I haven't made any personal, REAL friends online since 2003 -- when apparently I was more sociable. So it just seems to me that it's pointless for me to try and find a place to fit in (in threads that are already so close knit) and try to stay there when I'll never connect with people that well anyway.
As for the roleplaying forum, it actually really intimidates me. :S I see people who get so serious when it comes to it, specifically with format, characters, etc., and so even though I've always really wanted to get into it, I'm really just too afraid to go in there and try in case I mess up and someone yells at me or something. XD;

Forums I'm normally comfortable with are.. well... everything else. I can go in and out of them, no problem, if I wanted to. I don't really have a home forum or anything as I tend to jump around. :)

What do you mean when you talk about the debates Keyori?

I tend to aviod the exchange, too much math. If I can't use the sell back store it sits in my inventory till I find someone to give it to.

I agree with the AC forum appearing that way. I don't usually like going in there because it seems it is maily run by the individuals that always have amazing avatars and are very popular around the site. I feel kind of indimidated because I have no style sense! People dont usually 'get' my avatars style.

I think that also the Charity forum, Exchange Forum and Quest Forum all feel quite intimidating as I feel as though I have to know how everything works, and they expect you to be a pro at what theyre doing. The Quest forum most popular threads are by older more experienced and popular users that I feel intimidated to talk to.

(Art Auctions is also another one that you need to be 'experienced' in but I don't visit there because I'm not RICH ^-^)

The only reason I don't go to the AC is that I don't have enough items to really refine my avatars yet. I've never been afraid of AC forums, and I don't get why everyone else always is. D:

Ahh interesting topic, well I personally float around from place to place. I never go into the Literature Spot, Roleplaying forum or Charity That's because I don't have time to read let alone proff read for others or to dedicate myself to a roleplay. As for Charity, I've always been the type to earn things myself because they have more meaning that way.

I don't mind Nations too much, mostly after work or when I'm feeling fried it's a nice option to not have to think to critically before making a post. I'm ussually in my Quest thread, Exchange, media and the Art Shops area. i like joining the occasional art contest and putting up my art for sale every now and then to help me on my quest. :) Also I've been posting in GD and CD more often lately to fill in for other things *cough* Hermes will know what I mean. :headdesk:

What? Did another site go under or something?

It's very much on the verge. It's either do or die this month unless it can find a new owner.

Oh my goodness, I know this doesnt have to do with the topic, but my gosh I love your avatar. o___o

Well there are a few forums I never visit...

Books: I don't read books much
Word games: No gold + feels like spam
Debates: I don't care for more walls of text... I get them from my fiance plenty
Media: I generally forget it's even there o.o
Charity: I have plenty of stuff and if I give something it's generally to people I know/like
Art: I can't draw... I fail at it so I can't contribute to discussion there
Literature spot minus poetry sub forum: I can't write stories, only poems.

okay... maybe more than a few :ninja: