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July 2009 
Where did all the people go?
Gemstar
So here's the thing.... IF this community is just so popular, why are people who haven't been anywhere near the site in a raccoon's age, being the ones that are featured, for their quotes or as "Featured Members".
For instance, today at about 3:20 PM (Eastern), this is what is found on the "Community Page":
What do you love most about the community?
GuRuth said Sep 9, 2006, 1:04 PM Not having to explain why I do what I do...or why I spend all my time promoting the good others are creating in the world.
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The details for GuRuth are:
Member Since: Saturday, September 09 2006
Last Visit: 349 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 651 times (last viewed 4 minutes ago)
How are we going to change the world together?
Unicorn said Mar 20, 2006, 4:54 PM The brightly positive energy that this site is already illuminating is what draws me into Zaadz, and it will draw in thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of others, as well. That energy becomes a practical positive force in lives through the interaction of Zaadzters, many of whom are teachers who delight in guiding others to... More »
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The details for Unicorn are:
Member Since: Sunday, February 19 2006
Last Visit: 229 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 1922 times (last viewed 5 minutes ago)
In the Featured Members sections, the individuals that were featured at the time I entered the web-page at 3:20 PM EST, on April 9, 2008 were:
http://natureofwholeness.gaia.com/
Member Since: Tuesday, June 20 2006
Last Visit: 13 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 6676 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://gordon.gaia.com/
Member Since: Monday, April 10 2006
Last Visit: 80 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 3808 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://nu-gen.gaia.com/
Member Since: Monday, June 26 2006
Last Visit: 125 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 1542 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://mentalpilates.gaia.com/
Member Since: Thursday, May 11 2006
Last Visit: 158 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 1614 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://gwen.gaia.com/
Member Since: Friday, May 12 2006
Last Visit: 18 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 24908 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://xxmaxxx.gaia.com/
Member Since: Monday, June 19 2006
Last Visit: 549 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 587 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://sarahstup.gaia.com/
Member Since: Sunday, October 08 2006
Last Visit: 42 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 1611 times (last viewed less than a minute ago)
http://yeshe.gaia.com/
Member Since: Saturday, December 31 2005
Last Visit: 3 days ago.
Profile Viewed: 10774 times (last viewed 4 minutes ago)
(You can copy/paste each URL in to go look for yourselves)
Now, I guess my big question has to do with how these are chosen. I have been experimenting with this for over a week now, checking randomly at various times of the day, and for the most part, the results (with different people of course) are still pretty much the same. Once in a while someone who has actually been active on the Gaia site actually makes it to the list - but mostly it is people who have not, in many cases, been onsite for several months, or even a couple of years.
And as far as the members for the quotes are concerned, these are typical results which have also been noted by others in their posts on the subject, either in Gaia Ambassadors or Gaia Community (remembering reading it in the last few days). Now, I can see someone only checking in maybe once a week, even bi-weekly, and being considered an "active" member, given peoples busy lives. But when people such as the sampling I've provided above (gleaned directly off one showing of the Community page in one short session), haven't shown up for months or years, how can they be counted as "active" in the tally that is shown as growing by leaps and bounds, while most of us are still seeing mostly familiar faces daily?
To me, it is just not being honest and truthful to project such large numbers of members, making it appear that this is a huge, growing & thriving community. If anyone took the time (including the team) to take a look at the one-offs at the end of the Gaia icon list (something I actually did about 6 weeks ago), there are thousands of "happy faces" interspersed with the occasional icon, that haven't seen their owners for hundreds of days.
You might ask - well what of it is your (meaning mine, of course) business anyways? - and I'd say to that, it is the business of anyone considering advertising here to really check out the numbers, before plunking down cash. It is, to some extent, something that would-be Gaians might also be wise to do, but probably don't, and thus arrive wondering why they only see the same small group of faces day in and day out, while the place is supposed to be jumping with activity.
The question I asked is probably rhetorical, but it might be one the team should consider, along with the secondary question of "Why are they not here?"
In a few short days I will have been a reasonably active member here for a year. It is definitely NOT the place I had come to then, and the changes that have been made have generally not sat well with me. Many of my friends have left, some leaving icons in place "just in case" things may someday be better, but others just packing the tent and leaving completely. I stay now for one pod - the one I originally joined last April, and occasionally to blog and comment on friends blogs. I generally ask uncomfortable questions. I think someone needs to do that occasionally. Most of my friends (those, at least, who read the blogs) understand why I have chosen this role. My motto "It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it!"
Gem ~~^v^~~
Access: Public
God bless ya sweetie…I am with ya 100 percent. I have not been very active during this tax season, but I too am disappointed with the loss of the wonderful souls I used to know here…we all know people move along, just not hundreds….and it is a sad commentary to continue to see people listed on the pages quoting their love for this community who have not been here for months !
I appreciate your questions. I gave up writing about it as it seemed I got more grief than understanding…but the dirty job is one that needs a leader…and you are a “gem” of a leader Shelia…
I'm with ya, until the end…here, there and everywhere…
love Aley
Thanks Aley, for your support and kind comments…. :)
It doesn't appear that even very many of my “friends” come to look at blogs anymore - at the time of writing this note, almost a day after posting the above blog, only eleven individuals have looked at it - out of 99 “friends” you are the first to comment, eight hours after I posted this. But even out of those 99 “friends”, only about two-thirds visit Gaia with any kind of regularity any more. And per the (lack of) response from any top Gaia people (the “Team” is listed as one of my friends, so they obviously don't read my blog) to any of my recent blogs on similar subjects, I guess it's an issue they just would rather ignore.
It might be construed by some that I am “just a trouble-maker”, but if I didn't care, I wouldn't be here writing about this. My life is over-full with other interesting things to be doing (like driving my new Malibu and looking for a new condo), not to mention pursuit of the work I love. Along with this other work, which will soon connect me with some very important business people. Oh well………..
Big Butterfly Hugs to you, Aley ~~^v^~~
Hmmmm, Thank you for this blog, Gemstar. I was starting to think it was just me…. there must be something wrong with me or my perception of the Gaia community. I “see” such a whirlwind of activity happening around me, but yet, only my closest friends here actualy seem to be interacting… I really thought it must be me! Then I read your blog, and smiled a long and slow smile as I read the whole thing… Ahhhh Haaaaa! It really has nothing to do with me, it's the place… it has changed. Oh well… I'm just going to be me here, and whatever happens, well, it happes. Thank you for shedding some light on the situation. Hey, you have great blogs… I'm going to be checking the out during my week off.
Until then… keep up the great work and don't fret…
Hugs!
-Susan
Hi Susan…
Thanks for dropping by to make your comments. I know that a lot of people would tend to disagree with me, though, as to what is happening here - I guess it takes stepping back a bit, which is something many people are reluctant to do, just in case they see something they really don't want to see. As it stands, I'm not saying that the place is a bad place to be (heck, I'm still here, in spite of my rants and ravings ;) ). I think what Brian started was (and still could be) something great! I think the tasks that the new owners have put on the plates of the team members has been too onerous for the time frame in which they were expected to complete them, though, and it's Gaiam, not the team, that needs to understand that numbers of faces (or non-faced smilies) is not what counts, if they are not on the site see the great purple ad-spaces more than once or twice and then gone. If I were new and clicked into the “community” page and only found what I showed above, I'd certainly consider the place dead or at least dying.
Hugs back at you!!! ~~^v^~~
Gemstarm you are such a gem for speaking your truth, I appreciate you for that. Those who look closely and clearly at situations can be seen as troublemakers by those who would rather see through the sometimes extremely blurry lenses of what we wish was there. It does not do anyone a service to create a false impression of what this community is about. That is what the whole thrust of the advertainment industry is. I would hate to see gaia end up part of that.
I will say it again and again, it's the intentions that need to be emphasized here at gaiaonceuponatimewaszaadz. Not the numbers. Not viewing us as a ready made pool of advertising targets. Powered by zaadz. Powered by those original intentions that drew us all here in the first place like a magnet.
more people leaving….this place rather “flat”
Thanks, Cynthia for your appreciation of my words. Very much appreciated. Considering that this post has been up about three weeks now, it doesn't appear that the message I intended the Gaia team to get, was received. Or maybe, as you say, it was discounted as just “discontent”.
I would actually like to see this place grow and have the kind of participation they are claiming it has now. A lot of the newer “participants” are teens and young adults who have signed up for the scholarships, but most of them don't appear to be too interested in interacting, beyond that.
And, thanks Aley, for noticing as well, that this place is getting more flat daily. Many of the people I originally signed up to get newsletters from have left (profiles are still there, but they have been inactive for weeks, sometimes months), probably for the same reason I dropped my “Pro” section - no newsletter and it's pretty useless, IMHO. And anyone wanting to protect their copyrights will be very caution in what they write here, concerning the “protective language” of the “Terms”.
I'm sticking around for my friends, for now. Mostly lurking unseen on several pods, and the occasional blog.
Blessings to you both……
Gem ~~^v^~~