[js1643]

Here's a bold suggestion, just delete the whole damn thing and discard a pointless topic on an aviation forum. As for those pleading for stuff to be deleted cos they can't revisit............ Come on, just bin the whole thing.

[johnm]

Politics has a significant impact on aviation so it is not pointless it just got a bit out of hand at times. Hope we can keep it a bit more focused in future.

[Rob P V2.0]

Come on, just bin the whole thing.

As you can't access it anyway, what value does your suggestion have?

Rob P V2.0

[Hanworth]

Come on, just bin the whole thing.

As you can't access it anyway, what value does your suggestion have?

Rob P V2.0

Fear of missing out

[StratoTramp]

Just avoid it. I used to be a Stoic master, unswayable (cut the strings that bind your mind). Very disappointed with myself last few years tbh for deviating and letting people affect me and provoke a response. Who cares what others think, most people hate themselves anyway.

[Newfy]

You know, I don’t like Strictly Come Dancing. In autumn and early winter there so much of it on TV. And when I switch on the programme and watch it, it really upsets me. I’m going to demand the BBC make all Strickly programming subscription only. Now, I know many people enjoy watching the programme, but that is not as important as protecting me from my being offended when I fail to control myself and tune the programme in.

(BTW, the above is not strictly true. I am quite capable of simply not watching it.)

[Newfy]

The ironic thing is that these changes will make me less likely to subscribe now. The Politics subforum was driving me to read all the forums on a regular basis (probably too much for my own good, tbh), and I was mulling over getting a subscription. I think I was one free landing fee that I could use away from taking the plunge. Now, I’ll probably only look at the forums rarely, and the handling of the matter (although I admit it is Flyer’s prerogative to decide what content is paid for content) has left me with ill feeling.

I suppose I should be grateful for the time I will have back and the savings on the subscription.

[PeteSpencer]

Yep, I fear that the unintended consequence of the political section butchering at the request of a vociferous handful, might well lead to a drop off in Club subscribers.

I pay the £50 sub but have only ever used £30 worth of read only.

Hmm.....................

[Rob P V2.0]

I'm a little confused about the posts above.

If people felt that the politics forum was of value to them, then why, now it has become a benefit of membership, are they less likely to take out a subscription rather than more likely?

I call BS.

Rob P V2.0

[PeteSpencer]

I call BS.

Rob P V2.0

Situation normal then .

[Rob P V2.0]

Maybe I'm missing something then?

Can you explain how that would work and aid my understanding?

Rob P V2.0

[TopCat]

I’m going to demand the BBC make all Strickly programming subscription only.

Just to clarify, nobody demanded anything in respect of the politics forum.

I, and a few others, requested that it be made optional as to whether to have it appear in our own feed.

Now that I have that option, I have no opinion on whether it should be available to non-subscribers, although it does surprise me that being able to have political discussions with random people off the internet that change no one's mind, is so important to some.

[Hanworth]

... does surprise me that being able to have political discussions with random people off the internet that change no one's mind, is so important to some.

It isn't important. Which is why , to answer @Rob P V2.0 above, having to pay for it isn't going to encourage signing up.
It isn't important but it is quite fun. And perhaps healthy as well in that it's a good reminder of how there are lots of really unsavoury views out there - I know I could get them elsewhere, but that they are espoused by people that share one of my passions is more impactful.

An interesting thought experiment might be to consider what might happen if other additional parts of the forum, or even all of it, were to be made 'members only'.
I think it would die and probably subscription revenue for Flyer would nosedive too. Because I think the forum is a really effective gateway into the Flyer 'community' and without it nobody new would dive into membership. You've got to offer some good value free stuff to hook people and the Forum is it.
So, because of the above, the perception of the Forum changes when parts of it aren't freely available. It makes the whole Flyer package just a bit less enticing to newbies.

[Rob P V2.0]

I largely agree with you, but it could be argued that new arrivals being shielded from the excesses of pointless Brexit discussion before committing money to FLYER is a wholly a Good Thing

Rob P V2.0

[Cessna571]

There’s a politics forum for this sort of sniping, what with this and the other politics thread in GA, I’m beginning to think that certain people here don’t want this to be a flying forum at all.

Seriously, why don’t they just spend some time on Facebook every day, that’s one endless rant.