More and more lately I find myself wondering if it is really worth my time hanging around on ETS? Over the years I've gotten a number of worthwhile tips on ETS, and found a lot of interesting discussion. Maybe I'm just getting grumpy in my old age, but it seems to me there lately has been an overall deterioration in the amount of useful "signal" vs useless "noise" on this site.

The "Save a Life – Surrender Your Knife" thread is a classic example of what I'm talking about. It started with a tiny bit of (possible) signal, regarding a supposed impending ban on pointy knives in the UK. Never mind that Ian (who actually lives in the UK) points out that he has never heard of such a ban. The linked article is from a highly reliable website called "countercurrentnews.com". Doing a quick google search, the only other sites that seem to be carrying the story are such places as "sharktank.com", "angrywhitedude.com", and "rightwingnews.com". Certainly no reason for skepticism here, is there?

The thread goes on for no less than 6 pages (currently) of mostly noise. Even if this alleged campaign is for real, does anyone think all this ranting does anything to stop it? Did anyone change anyone else's mind?

Also note that dougwalkabout correctly points out (on page 1) that even if this is for real, it is really only a concern for folks in the UK. Since as far as I know, the UK is still considered a democracy, it seems to me that it is really up to the people over there to decide if they want this ban or not.

I bring this whole thing up because I lately I find myself checking in on ETS less and less, for the simple reason that there doesn't seem to be as much worthwhile discussion as there used to be. I've also noted that quite a few of the regulars, people who almost always had something worthwhile to say, don't seem to be around as much as in the past. I can't help but wonder if the signal to noise ratio has something to do with that? While I still (for the moment at least) check in on ETS from time to time, I more and more find myself wondering if I should even bother.

I see you've edited your post at least a couple of times in the last 5 minutes?

I also don't think the Campfire Forum should be a place to create extra work for the mods either.

Not only did I edit, I have now deleted. After further thought, I'm not interested in this topic.

In general I agree with AKSAR on the s/n ratio in some threads; I try to avoid those threads. Even topics in the "Around the Campfire" forum need to adhere to basic forum rules. Some threads need to be put out of their misery sooner rather than letting them die a lingering death. Better would be for members to not post in the thread and let it die quickly on its own. Best would be to not start the thread. But some folks think that if they read it on the internet it must be true, so they share it here.

Along with the propaganda from the "mainstream media", there are sites like The Onion, "AMERICA'S FINEST NEWS SOURCE", if you like total BS and sarcasm masquerading as news. No Billy, you cannot believe everything you read on the web.

You can't and you shouldn't have to. As long a people keep responding, that "signals" some interest. I find a lot of the topics are ones I have no interest in...but wouldn't want a mod to have to select for s/n ratio. That's in the eye of the beholder. As in most forums, lack of clicks on a thread eventually wins out. Then (months or years later) some mope who can't read a date revives a defunct thread.
That's the price you pay to avoid edited and censored sites. Just "filter" with your head and fingers.

People who'd equip and train themselves for survival are particularly sensitive to risks. I know because that's the case for me. Sometimes that useful characteristic, combined with a certain political point of view, ends up responding to risks that may not be there, like in the case of the supposed knife ban in Britain. Sometimes people want to vent about those fears. Perhaps the only way to address is to avoid political threads -- and "political" means more than gun politics. Stick to gadgets, techniques, or ideas we can use in an emergency or to prepare for an emergency. I don't see how the supposed British ban is a gadget, technique, or idea I can use in an emergency.

This is a good forum. Let's not let it go down the drain.

I do not think that you could do that. It´s hard to even tell the s/n ratio on an objective base.
It´s not that hard to not read topics I have no interest in.
After all the sheriffs have enough work and do a good job. IMHO there is no need to increase their workload.

Bingley has a good point there.
If it is "a gadget, technique, or idea I can use in an emergency" then write about it. If not, then don´t write about it.

I don't see a problem there at all. Old hand folks here may simply age-up and out, loosing interest into already perfected survival subject in favor of something else. Or they might have found a more "thrilling" survival forums like AR15.com (I don't, by the way, exactly as other thematic forums are way too hectic and require a lot of attention to filter out noises and trivial discussions). But perhaps, exactly that's why some younger members (who might be coming from those forums) may feel the urge to wake up ETS forum a bit by shaking everybody like in that UK knife thread?

Personally, I'm less frequent here after I have noticed that this forum don't keep or is not able to lookup messages history for more than like 3 years back, or something... That's pretty much what's discouraging me from actively sharing a general knowledge or personal experience here - I know, it will be gone soon... But if you could just add those good old signals to the today's minuscule noises, you are concerned with, - I'm sure you would see the noise/signal ratio near to zero.