To be brutally honest.

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I don't think WP can change enough to keep those people then if they leave that quickly. What if you start your own ASD website for those who are scared off by WP? This place isn't going to change enough to suit you.

i can never keep those things straight lol

There's a button at the top of this page that says 'Contact Alex'. If there's anyone who has this problem you describe, why don't they send him a mail saying something like "Hey Alex, great idea that you founded this autism message board, but I've noticed a lot of negativity on the general autism discussion section, and it's made me hesitant to join. Could you maybe address this issue?"

Only a bit more elaborate as per their specific situation.

I looked on wikipedia, there were about a hundred

I have no doubt that there are many people who come here, take one look around, and leave because it is not a place they want to post. Sometimes they put in a post or two explaining why. Ironically, recently there was somebody who came and left rather quickly, saying on his way out that WP was "too positive about autism". You can't please or even help everybody. But you can make a site that is just right for many, many people and that does seem to be the case here. If the site were to change tone by having all negativity confined to the Haven that would make some people more comfortable here. But it would make a lot of other people less comfortable. Why are the needs of people who need a place where they don't have to self-police with the vigilance they must use in the NT world not considered?

About half the threads currently in General at the moment of this posting could be considred negative. One person is venting about how awful it is to wake up. Somebody else is having difficulty handling emotionally needy people. There's somebody who gets panic attacks, somebody else who always says the wrong thing and gets banned elsewhere and somebody else having problems with an unaccepting family. All these posts could theoretically could be in the Haven but why should they be? And why should the posters having those concerns worry that perhaps they are being a "downer" to lurkers by discussing panic, family woes etc? This format must be working for many people or there wouldn't be all these threads in General. It can't work for literally everyone (it isn't working for you) but the people that it is working for are importasnt too. And your suggestions would make this a less welcoming place for many who are comfortable with the current setup.

I'm sure this is a very legitimate concern for you, but you have to remember that this isn't strictly a support site. It can provide some by being able to share with others online, but it's also a social outlet for many people. You can't separate those two from each other completely.

I did a personal rundown of the threads on the front page of General (because I'm autistic like that ), and basing it on my personal biases, I found +/- 25 threads were 'neutral', 11 threads were 'negative', and 8 were 'positive'. I counted among the positive ones threads like 'Famous Aspies' and the 2 'autistic meet-up' suggestion threads. So I'd say it balances out.

Agreed, but You'd have to admit if people are being turned away, that social outlet doesn't exist for a large number of people.

Actual statistics. That is a pretty decent balance.

If you look at who is posting, there are so many different people. On the first page there're 38 different posters, while the second page has 39, etc etc. Almost every post is written by someone different. That seems fairly balanced as well.

This is one of the most active and populated forums I've ever been on.

I do think this forum is off-putting to some people, but not particularly because of its negativity.

What of the people who like negativity though?

I mean, a person liking negativity is just as valid as a person who prefers positivity.

I didn't sense a lot of negativity when I first visited WP. I still don't. Threads about people's problems in life don't bother me. I don't perceive them as negative. When there is a problem, I might be interested in analyzing it and figuring out some solutions. Positive threads are much less interesting. There is nothing to think about in them.

You're a very popular person. The vast majority of the 70,000 members of WP - or indeed the planet, have messaged you their dissatisfaction. I'm amazed.

Agreed

I'm drawn to it

negativity and conflict draw me more than people talking about happy things

My happiness receptors don't function properly

I think it's necessary for people to have differing focuses in society, to ensure all the needs of the group are catered for
ie I will be the first to spot a sign of risk or danger hence I'd keep the group safer than someone who was just jumping about whooping for joy like Tigger! (straight down a pot-hole they wouldn't have spotted!)

In the interests of taking action, which I believe that both sides of this debate would support, I have taken the suggestions above and created a poll in this sub-forum regarding this topic.

Back on page 2-3, I noted that I had made a post in the administration thread, and that I have sent a PM on this subject to the administration.