Charlton Life evolution

I am a keen follower of most of the threads on Charlton Life and have been for a couple of years. It's a good way to keep up with all things Charlton and is a great communication medium. It's the best Charlton Messageboard by a mile and  I like the fact that it's well managed and most users play the game. 


When I compare it to some of those of other clubs, it is an accurate reflection of our fan base compared to theirs; (largely) articulate, intelligent and reasonable. If you want a more extreme example, look at the embarrassing crap that passes between the brain-doners on this Millwall forum.


It's also the best because it's where the vast majority of all the other lifetime Charlton fans I know choose to comment. I try to remain largely anonymous personally (for obvious reasons), but I have been able to work out who most of the regular posters are from what they have said over the last couple of years.
From time-to-time I have noticed changes as the Board and it's audience have matured and that is particularly true of what I am seeing at the moment. 


Perhaps it's all understandable in terms of a cycle of development and evolution? The user-base has matured as the Board's popularity has grown and whilst I am sure there is a healthy churn and turnover of visitors, it's now largely a case of the regular posters and commentators. 


What I am currently seeing might just be a reflection on the bitterly frustrating life of diehard Charlton fans at the moment, but it may also be more than that.  In recent weeks there has been an escalating tendency to provoke other users or simply engage in direct slating of one another. Sarcastic comments and point scoring are very common where once they were rare and collectively frowned upon. There appear to be factions all over the place and I can almost guess the next poster and what they will say.


I am left wondering whether what we are seeing is just what might be expected a couple of years in when most of the regular contributors now know each other personally now and enough about each others backgrounds, viewpoints and Charlton histories to be more direct and critical of each other? If this has more to do with it than our recent loss of form, I am left wondering what the logical conclusion of this will be? Will it wither on the vine as users turn away or will the active user base churn as those snapping at each other lose interest and maybe sort their differences out face-to-face?


Maybe it's a bit of both and we need an upturn in form for a return of a little more respect for the opinions of fellow fans, whether we agree with them or not. Either way it's not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves.