off topic?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I see this very often, this single phrase in this forum, and I am starting to wonder about it.

What is off topic exactly is there a set topic? Can anyone define the word topic, and would the word path come into use?

If so, define the word path.

I find off topic rather odd, when there is no general consensus of how a conversation should begin, how it should go and end.

People put “off topic”; it has become evident, when the topic has nothing to do with Trains.

Does this precede the topic, for the simple fact that some people get angry when they open a topic and find it has nothing to do with trains.

If the above is true, I find it odd that these people would then even take the time to respond to the topic, if it upsets them so dearly-

So is this topic off topic, what is off topic, technically there has to be a topic to be off it, what is the topic?

Trains you might say?

Well the two topics that have little to nothing to do with trains are each 20 pages long- so are those classified as being off topic but acceptable?

Therefore, what is an unacceptable off topic conversation?

If the above statement is true, should this conversation then be used around the dinner table- is that the type of off topic we wi***o avoid?

Remember, I am not pin pointing anyone; these are just general questions.
Don’t take it personally, I’m just wondering, that’s all.

2

Kevin [;)]

Are you by chance taking a Philosophy class? [;)]

Sure does look that way. [;)] [8D]

3

Kevin - maybe these will help…

From The American Heritage Dictionary - Second College Edition comes these definitions:

TOPIC - n. 1. A subject treated in a speech, essay, thesis, or portion of a discourse; theme. 2. The subject of a discussion or conversation. 3. A subdivision of a theme, thesis, or outline. {Obs. topic, rhetorical argument < Topics, a work by Aristotle <Lat Topica < Gk. Topika, neuter pl of topikos, of a place < topos, place.}

OFF - adv 1. From a place or position: drive off. 2. a. At a certain distance in space or time: a mile off; a week off. b. From a given course or route; aside: swerved off into a ditch. c. Into a state of unconsciousness: I must have dozed off. [b]3. a. So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected: shaved off his mustache. b. So as to be divided: marked off the playing fields by yards. [#dots]

[:-^]

4

Then Larry, can you consder a Topic a path?

How yould you define Path?

Would “walk where the great minds have walked before” be comprised in your definition?

If a path is just a path, How can you have an off path?

A path (topic) would require strict guide lines as to where it is safe and unsafe to travel-

SO a simple definition of the words has only wound this deeper-

5

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

6

Kevin,have you been reading Alice in Wonderland?Your original post reads like a conversation from that book.[;)]

7

Ah what music the Tree does make…[angel]

8

It depends on how specific the topic is. If (when) I diverge from the initial poster’s subject, that could be “off topic”…example the recent item about UP engines in an NS yard in North Carolina.

If I were to respond with comments about BNSF engines in a CSX yard in Maryland, am I off-topic? Or am I “on topic” because the poster was speaking generally about road units far from home rails?

I guess it depends…

Off topic : Woo hoo I just got one star

MP

9

hmmmmmmmm
stay safe
Joe

10

I think this poem is off topic.

11

Excellant post! My take? Forums are funny places because people are funny creatures. Some folks like their facts kept simple, and think THEIR beliefs shouldn’t have to stand up for themselves, they are weak, and they tend to claim conversation has gotten off topic or “misdirected” everytime they see something they are uncomfortable with. They would burn books if they had to, to avoid going there

12

Kevin is just Kevin. [#wstupid][sigh] LOL

13

[#ditto][sigh]

14

There has been some comment in this thread about subjects not related to railroading. If you read the description of the the Trains forum you will clearly see that it is for railroading. The purpose is to have a place where you can relax and talk about railroading; not the mysteries of life, politics, diets.

Here is the description of the forum.

Also, try reading the message posted by Erik Bergstrom (Bergie), the Content and Business Manager, posted on the model railroading forum. It is call “A letter from the commissioner”.

15

Wow I thought I was the only phlosopher to visit this forum! Well I’m studying philosophy. If so I need a ten page paper on the nature of God and his role in Ethics by the end of the month.J/K

Back on topic. I think the ones people do get mad at for being off topic are ones they don’t agree with. it’s there form of censorship. If you want to see this on a daily basis try reading the letters top the editor in your local newspaper. Most people complaining about an article will be because they don’t agree with it and not because of the actual article,They also tend to complain that the media is liberal but offer no proof. Our Founding fathers gave us free speech which people seem to believe means everywhere they go, but if your a student in a high school you soon find out that you don’t have free speech. And as many in history have learned free speech is not truly free,it comes with a price.
Andrew

16

You can write about god, if he is a locomotive engineer, then you are on topic !!!

17

Shouldn’t it be the judgement of the person STARTING a particular thread to decide to sanction a post for being off topic or not?

I’ve seen instances where a thread might be 20-30 posts long, and some individual who hasn’t even participated in the thread up to that point offers an admonishment to the others that the discussion has gone off topic. I’f thats to be their only contribution to the thread, that seems way wrong.

18

Well,
Seems Kevin has earned himself a new nickname, we should start calling him “The Spoon”, cause he sure knows how to stir stuff up!

Ericsp, if you ever get to sit in the cab, you will find that railroaders talk about every thing under the sun, except railroading…

Thanks to jim(planestrains…) we have the Depot Diner, where you can get real silly, and Nora’s Stupid question thread, which is a self explaining thread.

The Depot Diner was supposed to be a thread where you could discuss eveything and anything, from why my left boot always seems to have longer laces than the right one, to jim’s dogs and Mookies obsession with chocolate cake.
It degenerated into a food fest instead, which is cool, railroaders talk about food like highschool boys discuss sex, its almost a obsessive religion.

Point is, limiting the discussion here would make this one dull forum, trust me, I have visited a few forums where counting rivits and ladder rungs were the most important aspects of the conversations,(if you can call a argument over the number of plate rivits in a flat girder bridge conversation) and it was a waste of my time, bored me out of my gourd!

Not to say that type of forum is wrong, it has it’s place too, just like this one forum seems to have gathered a rather diverse group of fans and railroaders together.

I have yet to have any face to face discussion with anyone where one or both of us didnt manage to go “off topic” for a bit, because, as was pointed out before, it is human nature to talk about things that interest you on a personal basis.

If we were to limit the forum to strictly railroad related information, a question asked and answered format, then this place would become nothing more than a refrence library, a combination railroad dictionary/encyclopida.

Which would make it a very dull, dry and lonely place.

And, to add to “The Spoon’s” quick stir, isnt this very thread "Off

19

This thread has given me a good Saturday morning chuckle. Thanks Kevin for starting it. I have to say it’s refreshing to read articulate responses for a change, particularly those that are not replete with grammatical and spelling errors (I didn’t however run a spell or grammer check, so I may be found in error). The touch of Frost was great, and to put this response on topic; I have no doubt that Robert Frost frequently used the trains - now which railroads would that have been, and were they pre-diesel or transition era?

PS: I’m waiting for someone to pick me up on my speling and grammer errorss.

20

…Ed’s comments bring the whole subject to pretty good perspective. As long as we as a group limit our talk to railroad matters in general and throw in “normal” side bar comments as a matter of the conversation…what’s so wrong with that and why be so formal if it’s not…