Posted by Peter H on March 11, 2008 at 19:08:54 from 81.132.217.221 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Beckfoot or not Beckfoot... posted by Jock on March 11, 2008 at 15:21:36:
Given the complexities and perplexities of our world, it's small wonder our diversions into comparatively down to earth subjects such as plumbing and railways prove to be so popular.
I can see the logic of that, but I am not sure that endlessly repeated diversions into topics such as plumbing and railways are what this discussion board was set up for. Now I can’t speak with any authority about that, because I did not set up this facility. All I can say is what effect these diversions have on me. I note that the topics Jock mentions are very much in the “boys’ toys” category, and very much the sort of thing one might expect men of what I call the “Meccano” generation and social class to like to escape into. I say “men” deliberately, because these topics generally don’t interest women that much, and I mean men of a certain type – those who, when life gets a bit complicated and messy, like to go into their room and build a model of something.
So what’s wrong with that? Well, it excludes the vast area of emotional life. Everyone on TarBoard gets terribly embarrassed by emotion – particularly the ‘negative’ ones like sorrow, anger, exasperation, etc. One is advised not to express these emotions, but to turn to another thread. If an argument develops, it is dismissed as a “kerfuffle” –sort of messy thing we chaps don’t want to get involved in.
What’s that? People don’t log on to TarBoard to witness emotions being expressed? Well AR’s books are full of emotion – John’s eyes smarting when his father praises him, Nancy’s reddened face when describing the G.A., Titty’s fears, Susan’s tears . . . . It seems to me that these phenomena are much more central to an appreciation of Ransome literature than discussions about railway timetables (railway journeys are only incidental to the stories). But no, it’s plumbing and railways, and that is why (IMO) TarBoard is becoming a private gentleman’s club, where the members all know each other and make in-jokes continually (and in one member's case, the same in-joke). It is a small, safe, club, with the same dozen or so people appearing in it (and yes, that includes me).
Every now and then, a newcomer arrives, and is welcomed. How many of them stay? In the last 12 months I can only remember one – 3rd Amazon. How many female contributors stick around? Only the brave Pam and Elizabeth at the moment. Go figure . . .