[Bêthberry]

Discussion fora had their heyday as the internet developed but then social media sites like Facebook, which were based on RL identities and not pseudonyms, became popular. Their shorter, more chatty and personal posts were easier and faster to do and keep up with than the discussions that are possible on fora, where the focus is less on the personal post and more on the topic at hand, where anyone can join in, rather than known friends from RL.

I have "Tolkien friends" from around the world--Europe, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, the Middle East--who I probably would not have got to know via Facebook. The focus here on Tolkien and not on other topics is probably what has kept those of us still here active as our interest in Tolkien is deeper than just pop or social culture popularity. Many members now have demanding jobs, families, and heavy RL responsibilities but that interest remains and will draw them back once RL demands lighten.

Also, the success of the forum in drawing groups of people together encouraged "moots" in RL--famous ones via the Tolkien Societies in England and in Germany, then others in Finland, Germany, the "movable moot" in the US where the Finns crossed North America to visit Downers in many states, the Boston Christmas moot, irregular but on-going NYC meetings--and the creating of "smials" or local Tolkien groups in cities around the world have ironically made it easier to discuss Tolkien in RL than here.

But as the activity engendered by the Amazon serial demonstrated, this remains a place to return to when Tolkien discussion heats up.