Look, everyone knows this place is not as active as it used to be. Many members have gone, for various reasons - I only came back relatively recently after a protracted absence - and the interaction between those left is less than it used to be. Drama doesn't seem to flare up much now (and though most of the time this was a pain in the arse it could in some ways be cited as the lifeblood of a thriving forum: if people care there's argument which often leads to drama etc) and in general the impression is that a lot of people are sitting around, doing other stuff, occasionally checking in, checking back out.
It's not as it used to be, that's certain.
But these reports of the forum being dead are just not accurate. If the forum were dead there'd be no discussion, and you only have to look at the pages to see how recently threads have been posted in. Anyone looking for debate or even a knock-down fight can head to the journals section, where you can butt heads with me about anything from Irish history and the relevance of Iron Maiden to vampires and serial killers, animation and exploration, and there's Soundgarden's underrated albums, Marie's Riot Grrrl journal, Key's tireless and very interesting work, the always fascinating and different world of innerspaceboy and a whole lot more. Absolutely everyone writing a journal, I can guarantee you, would love comment, discussion, debate or some interest to be taken in what they write.
Those who claim the forum is dead are, in my opinion, the laziest members and the least willing to contribute. If something is wrong, don't just sit there bitching about it. Do something. Make a thread. Take part in one, or more. Start a journal. Run a ****ing pub quiz about hip-hop or jazz, write about your pet lizard. Get up off your arse and kick life into the forum; if you think it's dying, administer CPR.
Or, you know, just grumble and moan and get the candles ready for the wake. I suppose at least there'll be beer.
There's nothing more annoying than insects that keep buzzing in your face. But almost as annoying is people whining about how bad things are without having the balls to actually do something about it.
So either stop whinging if you're going to do nothing and accept the place is not dead even if you think it is, or join in and help keep us a least a shadow of what we used to be.
There's life in the old forum yet.