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Serious

14 (60.9%)

Silly

2 (8.7%)

Neither/Either/dont care

7 (30.4%)

Total Members Voted: 23

[Arkturium]

I'm more pro-serious with a section where people can be silly.  But really, there is a difference between being childish-silly and more mature-fun/silly.

I'm pro-serious because my view is that the site is present in order to aid/introduce/provide a community for people who are new and old to their draconity.  However just like a real community, it can't all be 'am serious' because that would deter a lot of people from conversations as they may want to take a lighter view. 
But it can't be entirely silly because that just diminishes the site and (my view) it's purpose.  No-holds-barred silliness isn't going to be able to provide the support that some people may need, and may not answer the questions that some people would like answered.

The way that you have sections to the forum now, with discussion sections, support, and fun sections, is pretty damn good now.

[Nezdragon]

I would prefer it to be more serious, since that's what I usually pay attention to these days.  However, I'm fine if people want to be less serious at times.

[Saq]

*giggles* believe it or not i said serious

I don't believe it 

[Airy]

I would prefer it to be more serious, since that's what I usually pay attention to these days.  However, I'm fine if people want to be less serious at times.

I'm of the the same mindset.  I think it should be more serious than silly, though I think there should be a place for some silly stuff.

Here's a few more thoughts...

Pro-Serious:
Threads more likely to stay on topic and less getting "hijacked" by clutter
The members on the forum may be more stable and dedicated.

Pro-Silly
A broader range of topics covered
Some silly topics may bring up topics leading to serious discussion
Easier to get involved with topics

Con-Serious:
Topics may get long winded, and too difficult or too much effort for all but the most dedicated to reply to.
Posters may become elitist.
May be hard to connect with others.

Con-Silly
May be difficult to keep on topic.
Interruptions and nonsense in a serious topic may prevent an in-depth discussion.
More activity means topics may get pushed off the first page sooner and be lost.
Many threads over the same topic

[32-bit int]

As someone already pointed out, silliness on the WWW is not difficult to come by. There is already enough silliness to go around. But seriousness seems to be a rare resource. We should do our best to preserve what little of it we can actually find, lest serious thought become an extinct activity.

Silliness is often something of a default activity. It requires little or no effort. If one starts a thread with no meaningful content, it is not likely that there will be any shortage of replies with no meaningful content.

On a forum like this one, threads remain in existence indefinitely. If someone starts a silly conversation IRL, the silliness ends when the conversation is over. But a conversation on an online forum need never end. Serious discussions require a constant stream of intellectual fuel, a supply of food for thought; if there is no such supply, the conversation stops. But silly conversations are self-sustaining. They behave like chain reactions. Once a silly, pointless thread starts it is unlikely to stop of its own accord, and it will encourage others to form... and the next thing you know, the only thing happening is word games. There is a negligible risk, if any, of anything being overrun by a sudden outbreak of seriousness. But on a site like this, a sudden outbreak of silliness can spell doom for intelligent conversation.

That is not to say that silliness is bad, or anything. It certainly shouldn't be stamped out entirely, but too much of it could be a problem, and there is a definite risk of too much silliness.

I see no point in segregating these two types of activities into separate sections. Having a silly section is just asking for it to be filled and to overflow.

I intend to say more on this topic later, but now I think I'd better get some sleep.

[Aurelia]

As someone already pointed out, silliness on the WWW is not difficult to come by. There is already enough silliness to go around. But seriousness seems to be a rare resource. We should do our best to preserve what little of it we can actually find, lest serious thought become an extinct activity.

Silliness is often something of a default activity. It requires little or no effort. If one starts a thread with no meaningful content, it is not likely that there will be any shortage of replies with no meaningful content.

On a forum like this one, threads remain in existence indefinitely. If someone starts a silly conversation IRL, the silliness ends when the conversation is over. But a conversation on an online forum need never end. Serious discussions require a constant stream of intellectual fuel, a supply of food for thought; if there is no such supply, the conversation stops. But silly conversations are self-sustaining. They behave like chain reactions. Once a silly, pointless thread starts it is unlikely to stop of its own accord, and it will encourage others to form... and the next thing you know, the only thing happening is word games. There is a negligible risk, if any, of anything being overrun by a sudden outbreak of seriousness. But on a site like this, a sudden outbreak of silliness can spell doom for intelligent conversation.

That is not to say that silliness is bad, or anything. It certainly shouldn't be stamped out entirely, but too much of it could be a problem, and there is a definite risk of too much silliness.

I see no point in segregating these two types of activities into separate sections. Having a silly section is just asking for it to be filled and to overflow.

I intend to say more on this topic later, but now I think I'd better get some sleep.

I agree wholeheartedly, that's pretty much exactly what I was going to say.

This is a site for spiritual discovery and exploration, silly topics don't have a place here, in my opinion.  That isn't to say that lighthearted topics don't have a place - lighthearted does not = silly, and vice versa.  The "Chat" section was created for anything that was a random thought or topic and has always been a lighthearted place to be but has thankfully never fallen into the silly category.  There are a few quizzes in there and the riddles thread, the latter being an intellectual but very fun and lighthearted topic and the former being threads where people do the quiz, post their outcome, have a chuckle or a "wow that was pretty accurate" moment and then move on; there isn't any mindless posting in either case but both are still fun to do.

People have "silly" conversations on the IRC/chat and in the shoutbox all the time but as has just been said, it's a conversation and they move on to another topic pretty much right away, still in the lighthearted manner or sometimes in a more serious tone.  Games threads don't do that, their whole purpose is for mindless response after response and they really do breed, 32-bit-int is completely right that having a separate section for them is just asking for it to be filled with them and it WILL overflow into the normal forums because people's mindset will change.

So yeah, I voted pro-serious because the nature of being something other than human, going through an awakening and needing support, help and advice, is a serious subject for a site to cover.  Does that mean we can't all laugh and joke about things?  Not at all!  It doesn't even mean we can't all have silly moments    But I feel it does need the site to have a pro-serious tone and not be adding silliness that can be found on any other run-of-the-mill site that has nothing to do with draconity.

There was something else I wanted to comment on but I've completely forgotten what it was lol!

[Rocangus]

Well, I want the site to stay pretty much the way it is now. Maybe a bit more serious though. I don't want to loose another forum...

[32-bit int]

So yeah, I voted pro-serious because the nature of being something other than human, going through an awakening and needing support, help and advice, is a serious subject for a site to cover.  Does that mean we can't all laugh and joke about things?  Not at all!  It doesn't even mean we can't all have silly moments  ...

I think that actually covers the rest of what I was going to say.

[Rocangus]

I think that actually covers the rest of what I was going to say.

Well, then I guess you to agree then.