Film General : Goodbye FG: My Final Thread

This will be my final thread on Film General. After this I will be focusing my energy on the new FG subreddit on Reddit in an effort to make that a good place for us to relocate when the lights go out at the IMDb forums.


I first discovered Film General when I was fresh out of college, over 11 years ago now. I was just starting out in a new city away from home, working a real full-time job for the first time. I was immature, I didn't really understand the message board lingo or the etiquette, and I'm sure I made a fool of myself on a regular basis while trying to punch above my weight. But I loved finding a place filled with people who were as passionate about film as I was, and as a newbie I was eager to learn.

Over time, in large part because of this forum, I learned a ton about film, and I also gained a lot of experience discussing films with other people. I owe a lot of my development as a writer to FG, as well as my skills of debate. This place wasn't just a hobby for my spare time, it helped to make me who I am today.

One thing that FG has really taught me is that no matter how much you know, or how much experience you think you have, there are always people out there who know way more than you. I have gained a lot from the experience and perspective of countless people on FG, even from those who don't like me, and I'm very thankful and grateful for that, even if I haven't always been the best at expressing that sentiment over the years.

And I understand that I'm kind of a lightning rod around here, and that I've rubbed a lot of people the wrong way at certain times, but I hope that even those who have fiercely disagreed with me have gained something from our encounters. Even though at times I can be emotional, I firmly believe in the importance of discourse, and believe me, I've learned a lot even from the people I most sharply disagree with.

So to the people of FG, I say thank you. Thanks for 11 great years. Thanks for sharing all the knowledge and experience. Thanks for the discussions and debates. I'm going to miss this place a lot.




Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

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One thing that FG has really taught me is that no matter how much you know, or how much experience you think you have, there are always people out there who know way more than you.

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Well said.


My All-Time Favorite Movies:http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031367581/

Goodbye.

Thanks and Take Care, Fed

I might join you on Reddit after the boards are closed herebut have much to go thru on other boards here before it is gone for good.

Good post

Whole lot of ugly from a never ending parade of stupid.

We've clashed a lot in the past, but our discussions tend to be very intruiging and altogether from your AlexanderKahn days until now it has mostly been a blast. Don't think Reddit is for me, but who knows, I might change my mind. Good luck creating an FG haven, and hope to run into you again.

My 1000 favorite films - http://www.imdb.com/list/PkAV7BgvMJg

Hey, what this guy said works for me.



"Every time I walk into my office I walk past 5 Lombardi Trophies not 5 rushing titles" .

Thanks! I'm glad we were able to kinda patch things up recently.




Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

Kissing the new master's ass.

Take a look at the board so far. There are over 80 threads made in just a couple days. Take a look at the topics. People are having cool discussions. The only thing missing is naeemak spam.



Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

So if I go in there and say FedRev supports mass genocide, how long will it last? You do support Stalin and Mao so I'm not even telling a lie.

This would fall under the "no trolling" rule as well as the "no call-out threads" rule. If you go in there with the sole purpose of trashing another user, the comment will be deleted. If, however, you'd like to discuss film, along with the occasional off-topic thread, you're more than welcome to participate.

[EDIT] I should clarify, if we're actually having a legitimate off-topic conversation and you mention what you just said within the context of that discussion, it likely would not be deleted. However, if you just out of the blue start a thread to say I support genocide (which isn't actually true, by the way) in a clearly abusive, trollish way, that will be deleted.

The new forum is going to be troll-free but legitimate discussions will certainly be allowed.





Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

Bye FedRev, I've always enjoyed reading your posts, weather I agreed with them or not. Thanks for your contributions and I wish you all the very bestest.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/s13rpt.jpg

tl;dr

I'll admit that I had a pretty strong dislike of you for a while due to the political stuff, but for all your work on the reddit and on spreading the word to everyone shows how much you care about our community here, and all the standards for the subreddit all seem fair to me. So you're okay.

Viva la revolution!!!

"He was a poet, a scholar and a mighty warrior."

Good post, Fed. See you on reddit

I haven't decided if I'll join the Reddit yet so this might be our last encounter. I've enjoyed reading your posts, whether you were AlexanderKhan or FedRev. If I don't make it to the Reddit I wish you all the luck with it and all your future endeavors.


What are you gonna do with those pies, boys?

Thanks, you too, and good knowing you!



Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

Cheers mate.

I'll check out the alternatives, maybe see you around if not, be well.

This has been the last public service announcement.

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Even though at times I can be emotional, I firmly believe in the importance of discourse, and believe me, I've learned a lot even from the people I most sharply disagree with.

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I'd like to echo this, even though I've only been on FG a few short months. Life's a lot more interesting with arguments than without, and I rather think they're worth the risk.

I'm sure O/T arguments will crop up a lot less frequently on the reddit, but for when they do, here's to the principle of civil discourse, and our (and my) improvement in it.


Join IMDb FG SubReddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/
see you out there

Perhaps it's just romanticizing the past, but I feel like society has sort of lost the ability to really wrestle with ideas in a productive way, or debate things almost just for the sake of debating. I have this weird image in my head of people in colonial times sitting around tables in pubs, with a candle on the table, drinking beer, and really talking to each other. What do people really talk about these days? You know?

I feel like there's this thing in society now where any type of disagreement is automatically the end of the conversation, because if you were to keep discussing whatever you're talking about the friendship would be over. I've been at parties where something political comes up, and then almost immediately someone within earshot is like, "oh no no no, we're not talking politics tonight!" and shuts down the conversation, and people go back to talking about video games or sports because those are safe, approved topics. God forbid anyone actually mention anything important or offer an actual opinion about something real, because people can't disagree without taking it so personally.

I've always wished I could establish a group of friends who would recreate my colonial pub conversation fantasy. We'd put down our cell phones and get into a good ol' fashioned fight about the prison industrial complex or something, and then we'd stumble home drunk, and still friends.




Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

Perhaps if you volunteer at something like the Sturbridge 'living colonial village' in Mass., but somehow I doubt it.

It is a weird phenomenon, the death of discourse, and it seems to take different forms. In the US people seem to like talking politics more than not, but their idea of talking is sitting around a table where everyone has predetermined the conclusion of the argument and parroting talking points they heard off a rehearsed interview on CNN. When I was in Europe, it was the opposite. In certain places it is now considered impolite to talk over a pint at all. I hear it is at its worst in Finland, where to be friendly is to eat across from each other in silence simply appreciating co-existence. Any Finns care to comment? Perhaps it is just cafeterias and not pubs.

Maybe it's a trickle-down effect (ha ha) from what passes for current events media today, where nobody gets an on-air interview without having first conducted it off-air with managers and a legal team. Everyone is coddled during these public 'debates', so I am not too surprised people feel the need for it when engaged in private ones.

Did you ever watch Booknotes with Brian Lamb on C-SPAN? That is the standard I'd like arguments to aspire to. I believe it was one of the few shows of its format that never prepped their guests.


Join IMDb FG SubReddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/
see you out there

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Did you ever watch Booknotes with Brian Lamb on C-SPAN?

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Maybe, yeah. I used to watch a lot of C-Span back in college, so I'm sure I saw it at some point. But I don't really have a clear memory of it.




Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

Well said Fedrev. I wish I had cataloged our battles some were epic. Some I agreed with you I just took the other side cause I like to argue.

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Whadda ya hear! Whadda ya say!

Farewell and pay the tax.

The tax?




Refugees of FG, join us on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/IMDbFilmGeneral/

I'll probably (at some point) join that Reddit thing - I don't think immediately, though. At some stage I'm sure I'll get the urge to see everyone here again. I never posted that much about movies, anyway. There are bigger film fanatics than me posting here.

Bye Fedrev. Hope we're continue talking on reddit.


"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway". - Walt Disney