Wednesday 6 November 2019

Free Advice! Don't Ask for Historical Information on Facebook!

Yesterday I dropped a huge clanger when I decided to ask about book recommendations for the Spanish Reconquista, Late 11th to Mid 12th Century.

Why? OK. I must have got several hundred likes by people who, going on some of the inane replies, I have to assume did not read the question at all. With the exception of a few they kept giving me advice on El Cid. anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of the Reconquista will know that Roderigo Diaz de Vivar was not present at Fraga and having been dead for 113 years didn't manage to make it to Las Navas de Tolosa either! :>)

Maybe by adding a few pics of books received in the mail recently the question might have led to the 'appearance' I was asking a different question

Three of the commentators were really good and offered quite legitimate advice which I have taken on board so a huge thank you to those who were willing to give up some of their time and offer guidance.

In general though, I think it goes without saying that I will be avoiding asking similar questions on Facebook again!
 

Perhaps more disturbingly is the move away from what was a thriving fora community to that of the more fleeting dividend that people get, the endorphin 'rush' that we as a species are prone to seeking with a simple "like"! With the possible exception of The Lead Adventure Forum and The Miniatures Page the heady days of getting a detailed answers to ones queries seem to be well and truly gone. This is a loss to us all. Social media culture has truly permeated out hobby to the point that it seems meaningless to ask for advice on the popular Social Media platforms.

Please do not get the impression that I'm some sort of grumpy old man. This is just an observation, made several times over the past few year, but never articulated (by me).


11 comments:

  1. I've been avoiding The Miniatures Page due to other reasons not germane to this topic. The Lead Adventure Forum I've found to be a supportive, informed, encouraging community.

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    1. I've heard rumours re: TMP. I don't know what the reality of the situation is. I've been out of the hobby for five years so I've missed a chunk of time.

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  2. Yeah Facebook is a crap shoot. I would take your experience to show that most folks are only really interested in surfaces level details on most history subjects. And the 3 that helped, actually cared.
    Oh and yes LAF is pretty awesome.

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    1. Yep, LAF seems to the the last bastion of wargaming sanity. I got called out for posting a pic of Col. Fred Burnaby on a Colonial Wargaing Group. Someone was calling me a racist which was funny as I've spent my entire adult life fighting against just that!

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  3. Facebook..I left it years ago. The Level of conversation on a range of topics was getting too one sided and in some subjects, just plain wierd. Easily checkable Facts being ignored, mudslinging on the Level you Mention. It was ok for getting in contact with People who liked the same type of Music but even that was taking up too much of my time.
    As for TMP..I ignore the rumours (assuming they are the rumours I´m thinking of)

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  4. I’ll chime in as someone who missed the date mark and offered you an El Cid based book, which I think will give excellent background for the later actions that you’re Interested in. I looked at the original late 11-12thcentury query and should have checked further down the page more carefully?

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    1. Yeah, I've read it but it doesn't really go into things very deeply. I guess if we had something like the equivalent of the Bayeux Tapestry to go on for Frada 1134 and Las Navas de Tolosa 1212 it things wouuld be clearer. I'll get there in the end. That's what counts. :)

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  5. I try to keep the level of answers up on the medieval page at least and do tut, tut the crazy saga guys, but yes the quantity of people who do not read the question astounds me on FB.

    Cheers
    Matt

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    1. I was just taken aback by the number of folk who clicked "like" then moved on without reading anything lol. I guess I should have seen that coming really :>)

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