Hi all,
This is an interesting thread in as far that it very much illuminates the biggest change the information age has brought upon us. The '80s were about the proliferation of home computers. The '90s were about the rise of the information age and the WWW. The noughts were all about the rise of entertainment as the driving force behind advances. Everybody wants to be entertained, and should that entertainment be infused with information, it is even more desirable.
Usenet forums may have been primarily about information exchange of like-minded people. Internet forums may have started out as gathering places for people with common interests, but soon the desire for entertainment, for a well-rounded experience, became obvious. Why do you think that most large internet forums have off topic forums that transcend the breadth of topics covered by narrowly categorized forums? People like to shoot the breeze about all sorts of things with the people they have come to know.
I strongly propose that internet forums are about entertainment and infotainment for most people.
Individuals' reasons for spending time on forums may vary considerably. For example, I enjoy sharing my observations and views on many topics. Others may enjoy lecturing or arguing. Others may simply want to gain or share information. Most people do not fall into one category, but their interests are spread out.
At what point do a person's forum contributions become a clinical symptom of underlying personal issues? Maybe this could be the topic of an interesting discussion!
Cheers,
-J