What Motivates People To Join Il & What Forces Them To Leave?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by kcb, May 6, 2019.

  1. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    I joined IL in 2012, I visit IL regularly when I get a chance, I read a lot here but post very less. Since last 7 years I observed lot of people joining and leaving IL. Some of them gained good fame within a short period and won lots of hearts with their good write ups. Some people continue to stay here but some leave.

    What makes people to join IL – This is really easy to answer. I found IL while searching for something on google, read some interesting posts which made me to join IL. In my opinion, IL is a very good platform to interact with other people to get good advice, guidance and also a great tool to vent out your problems. I have seen lot of people benefited with the advice/guidance given by other members here. I think this is the primary intention of IL admin in creating IL.

    What makes people to leave IL – This is the most difficult part to answer. I know people who already left cannot answer this, but their friends who are still here may like to share. Its justified if someone is leaving because of busy life style or not finding IL any more interesting. But it raises lots of questions when a member leaves due to hurt.

    I do not want to pass any opinions here, but it’s always good to see the positive side. If some people are leaving IL because of hurt, then please re think is it really worth to feel hurt when your write ups are lightening up so many readers, and you already won lot of hearts. This is a big win & achievement for a writer and no other great titles gives this happiness. People remember titles for a short period, but they remember good write ups forever and you remain in their hearts as a good writer.

    Dear IL admin – is there any real need of these titles & trophies? I knew the intention behind this is to encourage people to write and participate more and more. But it’s time to think are these titles really encouraging or discouraging members? In a way this title game is creating a competition (not a healthy one) among members. As I know IL is not a competition platform, rather it’s created to bring people together and help each other with good suggestions and tips. It is a virtual family. There won’t be any competitions in a family, no one is great and no one is less. We embrace & treat our family members as same irrespective of their different abilities.
     
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  2. Lalithambigai

    Lalithambigai IL Hall of Fame

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    Very interesting questions you ask @kcb and you have rightly answered as well. Over the years, my observation has been that usually users land here in search of something and spend some time here to hone in on the knowledge and once they get that something, they get busy with life till the next time. Some of my most cherished moments here have been when a friend who has been struggling with ttc for years announces her BFP and then gradually fades away, busy with her LO which is natural and a happy ending for her story. Similarly I have seen a few come back when it's time for their second one and then get busy juggling with two LO's now :) So, without a doubt, most of the times someone leaves, it's because life is calling them regardless of they getting what they were looking for.

    About titles & trophies, while I understand it is a debatable topic, my personal view is that they were required in the initial days when this site was launched, to motivate users to create content which is the lifeblood of this site. Now that we seem to have reached critical mass, perhaps we are past that stage where we need to incentivise users to create content. We should still retain some way of recognizing newcomers who put in the effort to hone their writing skills. It is such a delight to watch a new user go through that learning curve and come up with some really fine contribution in no time. Such efforts should continue to be highlighted, maybe through a mention or sticky, without making it sound like a competition will be my 2 cents :)
     
  3. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    Thanks @Lalithambigai for being the first one to respond :)

    Very well said, some members are leaving once they get solution/answer to their problem or leaving if they get busy with their lives. No problem at all if that is the reason. That means the purpose of creating IL is served well. People are benefited and left without issues. Definitely it takes lot of effort and hard work and time to create a platform like IL. I respect the idea of IL invention and theme of IL, that is why i feel bad when the purpose of IL creation is defeated. I feel, may be these titles and competitions are defeating the original idea of creating IL. People will join and stay here if they like the platform even though no titles are given, people continue to write if they love writing. I remember those no title days, people never stopped writing in those days too.
     
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  4. KashmirFlower

    KashmirFlower IL Hall of Fame

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    @kcb
    is there any real need of these titles & trophies?
    it helps when you see answers, how much their experience in advising others and how many liked it. so it could be more practical approach or integrity approach. over the time you can identify some are really strong people, it helps others to follow them and see how they advice and they approach to a problem. I don't think anybody really competing for any title or trophy, it is bi-product for their valuables posts.
     
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  5. Anusha2917

    Anusha2917 IL Hall of Fame

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    Leaving a public internet platform is as easy as joining it. That's the advantage right? You can quit when you want to. There's no compulsion of sticking around when something uncomfortable happens..
    Let me narrate one incident why we should not take it so seriously.
    Years ago I was very active in one facebook food group with 10k plus members . So much so that my every meal was in that group with great pics . Seeing my enthusiasm and contribution I was made the admin of the group within a short span of me joining. This did not go well with so many veterans in the group. Lot of argument and fights happened. Finally those who disagreed with me being the admin left that group and started a new food group. I was on top of my game enjoying all this attention. And becoming an admin of a group felt like a great achievement.
    Slowly it started getting on to me that it isn't any easy to be an admin and entertain a large amount of members . A lot of time and mobile addiction goes into that. Plus Co ordination with fellow admins and so many many other tasks (weekly /monthly competition etc ) consumed my precious time . Plus a lot of arguments /disagreememts with other admins made me realize these internet forums are just time pass where people come when they need something and leave once they have gained what there want . After a similar incident like what happened here in IL I quit that fb group when there were allegations on me saying I'm favouring one over the other and this made me realize in this virtual world nothing to be taken seriously . There was no time in life to have hard feelings for anyone whom I haven't even met in my life.
    Off course with recent incident we have lost great and talented contributor . But things will slowly settle and entry and exit of many will keep happening. Some are missed while some go unnoticed .
    All I want to say is whatever happens in this virtual world is not at all a permanent part of our life and nothing to be taken personally .
    Like something there's a like button just click it . Have an opinion give it. If you don't like something stay away from it. Learn from various posts and discussions . That's it.

    And regarding the titles : my opinion is it encourages new members for more contribution . I'm one of the those members to be motivated by titles. There's no gain by getting any sort of virtual award or there's no competition whatsoever but it gives a motivation that's it. No need to compete for such titles. If it comes your way accept it and enjoy that phase.
     
  6. Swetha52003

    Swetha52003 Gold IL'ite

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    Hi,
    My opinion is: This is a virtual world. Take everything with a pinch of salt. No point to get sad or emotional about the titles and prizes in an online forum.. I understand it matters to some in a great deal..But if we think like coming to IL as a tension buster,not as an approval seeking or a forum to win your arguments,the problem ends there...
     
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  7. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    I respect your opinion.

    But it may not be the same with everyone. Likes doesn't fall under titles category, likes are always welcome. In the process of identifying strong people, it should not create a feeling of discrimination / exclusion in some members which totally defeats the IL's ideology.

    IMO, IL has been running successfully with great members and their valuable suggestions/posts since years without identifying a Finest Post/Contribution Winner.

    I am happy for people who got titles or trophies if they are happy. But it's worth to re think are these titles really making justice to everyone or creating some distances or levels between members?
     
  8. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    This is exactly what I am saying, people come here to seek advice and some treat IL as stress buster. So may be the actual purpose is defeating because of some petty things.
     
  9. kcb

    kcb IL Hall of Fame

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    I really don't know the member who left recently, i never had any interaction with her. I heard from some other members and observed some difference of opinions going on this, then I started thinking myself on these titles topic and thought of getting other members opinions on this.
     
  10. Vaikuntha

    Vaikuntha Platinum IL'ite

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    @kcb
    trophies etc are nice. I like them, though I never got one. Endorphins are released in body with internet use just as in real life- exercise, meeting friends, paapi zhapi etc.
    I totally like the idea of endorphins via iphone, IL, vonage etc
    It is virtual world, but most of us living in hybrid worlds these days. One of these days, I will won the finest post or something and then there will be endorphin rush like never before, I will get hooked on writing finner post and hence a star/ writer will be born...I am waiting

    I tumbled on IL back on 2008 and started reading. Then created a login after many years. I love this forum.
    I have turned to it several times in time of need. It has solved my problems.

    Sometimes, I take a break from writing, while I travelling to India, or too much work at home- someone visiting etc. I don't want people visiting or anyone to know about my forum. I don't want to mention here- what I am upto. I have mentioned IL to several of my real life friends and asked them to join and told them that it will be very good for them. I am sure many of them are here.
    I always marketing IL
     
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