Hello there. I will begin by noting I originally came across this topic a few months ago when I was looking for a software to host a civic project I had on my mind. That is, a continuation of a comparative political endeavor of bridging distinct cultures, which I had begun on other platforms like Discord and Reddit. I am going to be very honest with you and say that when I read the post here, I became quite nervous. It seems to have been a reasonably sobering experience. The fact that you even took to making a post like this, however, shows to your own integrity and will to help others in spite of little self-benefit.
A lot of what you said resonated and continues to resonate with me and my past experiences in community-building. One of the things I can say which others here may relate to is this observation I’ve made over the years: People want to take part in an active and lively community, but do not want or are at least unable or more hesitant to help contribute to get the community to that point. This is especially relevant, I believe, in cases where a community is attempting to be devised from “scratch”. Or without some sort of existing entity or very uniquely deliverable idea to coalesce around.
Nonetheless, because I might be prone to bullheadedness, I have gone ahead and done it anyway. I made a political-oriented forum. It is, however, not the sort of advocacy-esque politics you were attempting, if I understand you correctly. The idea I’m trying to foster isn’t about organizing people in real life to act, or dedicatedly “convincing” others to play along with one’s own views. Rather, I am trying to make a calmer place for well-meaning people willing to, when necessary, suspend their disbelief or will to utterly convince others and simply sit down to listen. My goal is to help people be able to grasp why others believe things the way they do. It’s a precious ability that, to be willing to listen rather than just talk.
I apologize if my last paragraph came off at all in a commercial fashion, I can reword or remove it if too uncouth — I only want to emphasize the distinction in my approach.
I still bear a great deal of fear and anxiety at this point. Growing my forum has been incredibly difficult, though not necessarily impossible. It is very hard to find people in my circles who would be interested in this. I’m (at the time of this writing) a relatively lonely guy in my 20s who has always asked one too many questions; I don’t have hotshot political connections like it seems you may have had. I only have my previous platforms, but even then: Redditors don’t like shameless plugs, and Discord users aren’t exactly an audience so interested in what I’m trying to do.
But I’m not giving up. There is really no other idea I have more interest in doing and accomplishing than this. Will it be fruitful? Perhaps not. But I’m still investing myself fully into this space because it genuinely feels like the only thing I know how to build with real conviction.
I’m new to this Discourse software. And I might be, in general, more starry-eyed at this point in my life. But I do genuinely think there’s potential here to create something worth participating in, even from the political angle. If you have any thoughts on what I’ve said, feel free to share it.